Artūrs Šilovs came into a tough situation in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Thrust into action with both Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith injured, Šilovs not only held his own but also helped the Vancouver Canucks get within one game of the Western Conference Final.
Despite his limited number of games played during the NHL regular season, there were many who felt Šilovs had earned a significant raise from his entry-level contract based on his playoff performance. AFP Analytics projected a two-year deal with a cap hit of around $1 million based on comparables like Joonas Korpisalo and Cayden Primeau, which would be a significant bump up from the $786,111 cap hit he had on his entry-level deal.
When the Canucks announced that they had re-signed Šilovs to a two-year deal, however, it came out that his cap hit would be just $850,000.
"Artūrs helped us out a lot when called upon last year as he continues to grow and develop as a goalie," said Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin in a statement. "We expect him to come into training camp and battle for a full-time position with the big club."
When taking into account the salary cap going up to $88,000,000, Šilovs' new contract actually takes up an ever-so-slightly smaller percentage of the cap. His previous contract was 0.98% of the salary cap; his new contract takes up 0.97%.
That makes it a great deal for the Canucks, who lock in an up-and-coming 23-year-old goaltender for two years at just $100,000 more per year than league minimum. Along with Thatcher Demko, who is signed for the next two years at a $5 million cap hit, the Canucks have a goaltending tandem with a Vezina-caliber starter at under $6 million.
The biggest benefit for the Canucks is that leaves them enough space under the salary cap to fit Tucker Poolman's $2.5 million cap hit without dipping into Long-Term Injured Reserve before the start of next season. That allows the Canucks to accrue cap space during the season, potentially giving them more cap space to work with if they want to make a trade at or before the trade deadline.
With Šilovs signing at well under $1 million, the Canucks have the wiggle room for players with slightly higher cap hits to potentially battle for a roster spot at training camp without having to put Poolman on LTIR.
As for Šilovs, he gets the security of a one-way contract that will pay him the same amount whether he's in the NHL or AHL. As much as it seems like the backup job is his to lose, there are no certainties, especially for a goaltender with an .898 save percentage in limited NHL experience.
This way, even if he ends up back with the Abbotsford Canucks, Šilovs will still get $850,000 per year. In that respect, his new contract is a significant raise from the $70,000 per year he was being paid in the AHL on his entry-level deal.
In addition, signing for such a low cap hit could arguably make it more likely he makes the NHL roster to start the season. If the Canucks end up signing another player or two and having to maneuver to get under the salary cap, a cheap deal could keep Šilovs on the roster.
Šilovs will be battling for the backup job with 25-year-old Jiri Patera, who performed admirably in the AHL last season on a bad Henderson Silver Knights team, with Nikita Tolopilo as the dark horse.
