Vancouver Canucks News

With Thatcher Demko sidelined for at least the next several weeks, Silovs has been thrust into the Canucks starting role, just as he was in the playoffs. Silovs only has nine regular season games under his belt but gained 10 games of playoff experience (5-5-0) in the Canucks' playoff run, posting a 2.91 GAA and .898 SV%. With a strong performance on the net on Wednesday, Silovs could put himself in a position to handle a heavy workload in the first month of the season. The Canucks enter action as sizeable -203 home favorites against the Calgary Flames.

Garland missed the Canucks' pre-season finale on Saturday but told reporters he will be good to go when the Canucks kick off their regular season on Wednesday. The 28-year-old winger will be looking to build off a successful 2023-24 campaign that saw him rack up 20 goals and 27 assists across a full 82 regular season games.

Patera has had a whirlwind offseason, signing with the Canucks at the beginning of July, being claimed on waivers by the Boston Bruins last week, and ultimately rejoining the Canucks after being claimed from waivers on Monday. Patera had a 1-3-1 record, a 3.98 GAA, and a .893 SV% in six games with the Vegas Golden Knights last season.

In mid-September, the Canucks announced that 28-year-old Dakota Joshua had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and successfully had a tumor removed but would not be ready for the start of training camp. The fifth-year winger is coming off his best season in 2023-24, with 18 goals, 32 points, 60 PIMs, 84 SOG, and a +19 plus/minus through 63 games played and could return to the lineup by November.

Demko is still several weeks away from ramping things up, but with tenuous uncertainty surrounding his injury, this is positive news for Demko and the Canucks. The 28-year-old Demko was tremendous for the Canucks last season, posting a career-best 2.45 GAA and .918 SV% in 51 games (35-14-2). In the interim, the Canucks are rolling with Arturs Silovs and Kevin Lankinen between the pipes.

Höglander is coming off his first full season with the Canucks and has been rewarded with a three-year contract extension after scoring 36 points (24G / 12A) in 80 games. In addition, Höglander was tied for second amongst all Canucks' forward with a +23 plus/minus. The 23-year-old Swede is projected to play alongside Aatu Raty and Conor Garland on the third line.

Suter was hurt in Monday's pre-season game and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. With Suter sidelined, Aatu Räty may make the Canucks out of training camp and centre the third line between Nils Hollander and Conor Garland.

Suter got in a scuffle with Edmonton's Corey Perry in Tuesday's preseason matchup and is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 28-year-old will hope to be ready for the Canucks' season opener on October 9th vs. Calgary as he has a week to recover. Suter joined Vancouver from free agency in 2023-24 and had 14 goals, 29 points, 105 SOG and a +17 plus/minus in 67 games played.

With Jeremy Swayman's contract talks looming, Boston claimed Jiri Patera off of waivers from Vancouver on Wednesday. The 25-year-old goaltender signed a two-year, two-way contract with Vancouver in July but was swiftly claimed by Boston. In six games with Vegas in 2023-24, he had a 1-3-1 record, a 3.98 GAA and a .893 SV%.

Alriksson was Vancouver's 2023 4th-round pick (107th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canucks on Sunday. The 19-year-old Swedish forward is entering his second season with Guelph (OHL) after a strong rookie campaign in 2023-24 which saw him put up 17 goals, 33 points and 35 PIMs in 67 games played. He will return to the Storm for his sophomore season in 2024-25.

The Canucks needed goaltending depth because Thatcher Demko is still not 100 percent recovered from the injury that he suffered in the playoffs. It's unclear whether or not Demko will be ready for the start of the season, so Arturs Silovs and Lankinen could start the year as their goaltending duo. Most recently, Lankinen was with the Predators, where he was 11-6-0 with a 2.82 GAA and .908 SV% in 24 games in 2024.

Vancouver announced Tuesday that 28-year-old Dakota Joshua had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and successfully had a tumour removed but would not be ready for the start of training camp. The fifth-year winger is coming off his best season in 2023-24, with 18 goals, 32 points, 60 PIMs, 84 SOG and a +19 plus/minus through 63 games played.

Canucks' fans received some excellent news on Tuesday as their star goaltender Thatcher Demko returned to the ice and is skating and working out with indications of being healthy for training camp. Demko was originally expected to miss the beginning of training camp as his offseason recovery was taking longer than expected but that news has been flipped with his return Tuesday. The 28-year-old was key in Vancouver's success last season, with his 35-14-2 record, 2.45 GAA, .918 SV% and 5 shutouts.

According to Latvian General Manager Rudolfs Kalvitis, Arturs Silovs has knee inflammation from overuse during last season and overtraining during the offseason but is expected to be ready to go for Vancouver's training camp. The 23-year-old netminder signed a two-year, $1.7 million contract in the offseason after posting 5-5-0 record in last year's playoffs to go along with his 2.91 GAA and .898 SV% after only appearing in four regular season games in the regular season.

Silovs was Vancouver's playoff saviour in 2023-24 after both of their top two goalies went down and he has earned himself a two-year contract extension worth $1.7 million ($850,000 AAV). The 23-year-old Latvian also appeared in four games during the regular season for Vancouver, going 3-0-1 with a 2.47 GAA and .881 SV%. He is expected to be the Canucks' back up goaltender for the 2024-25 campaign.

Abbotsford (AHL) gained a new forward on Tuesday after Vancouver signed Nathan Smith to a one-year, two-way deal. The 25-year-old spent the entire 2023-24 in the AHL with Tucson, picking up 12 goals and 31 points but has four points (2G/2A) and 14 career NHL games to his name.

After three seasons as Vegas' third goalie, Jiri Patera has signed a two-year, two-way contract with Vancouver. The 25-year-old netminder appeared in six games in 2023-24 with the Golden Knights, posting a 1-3-1 record, 3.98 GAA and .893 SV%.

Vancouver added to its defensive depth as it signed journeyman defenseman Derek Forbort to a one-year, $1,500,000 contract. The 32-year-old found himself in and out of Boston's lineup in 2023-24 but had four assists, 17 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus in 35 games played.

Vancouver added to its offensive depth on Monday as it signed Kiefer Sherwood to a two-year deal worth $3.0 million ($1.5M AAV). The 29-year-old is coming off his best statistical season in the NHL as he finished 2023-24 with 10 goals, 27 points, 41 PIMs and a +17 plus/minus.

Elias Petterson may have found his winger of the future as Vancouver signed left-winger Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year deal worth $38.5 million ($5.5M AAV). The 27-year-old had spent his first seven seasons in Boston and had 19 goals and 40 points in 80 games played in 2023-24.