We know by now that the Canucks aren’t in the playoffs. As an avid fan it sucks, but it’s never too early to get my hopes up for next season. It was quite a season for the Canucks, they had so many bad, weird, confusing and just downright newsworthy stories throughout the season.
Like most seasons, the final ten-or-so games are usually a time when teams will start trying out players that might get a chance at making the team next year. Two of those players which I believe could (and should) make the team next year are defenseman Akito Hirose and goaltender Arturs Silovs.
Welcome to the #Canucks, Akito! pic.twitter.com/J9Eb5fXv2u
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 29, 2023
The first player who I believe should make the Canucks next season is Akito Hirose. Akito rose to the occasion in the seven games he played at the end of the season. Canucks GM Patrik Allvin made a good move signing him as soon as he became a free agent following his third season at Minnesota State University.
When you look back at all the different defense the Canucks used throughout the season, it was easy to tell (even with the small sample size) that Akito Hirose already plays better than half the defense on the Canucks. I hope the 24-year-old from Calgary gets a spot on the team next year because of his crafty two-way playstyle and his ability to read plays on both sides of the ice.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeMXsSiAWps/
Arturs Silovs is another name Canucks fans should get to know before next season. The 22-year-old goalie is looking like a draft “steal” from the 6th round in the 2019 draft. The young goalie from Latvia got some experience this season after an injury to Canucks starting goalie Thatcher Demko. Not to mention, he had a tremendous season with the Abbotsford Canucks, splitting the starting role with Spencer Martin and Collin Delia.
Goalies are always a question mark when it comes to development, some have one good year and fall off, others don’t have a great year until their 30s. Its very rare that goalies can remain consistent throughout a long stretch of their career, but I think Silovs can be the Canucks next goalie. I believe he should be the backup goalie next season, because Thatcher Demko should be entering his prime and he will be the Canucks starting goalie for the next few years. Another interesting thing about Silovs is that he is Latvian, and for whatever reason Latvian goalies seem to have a reputation in the Olympics and important games of being the difference makers.
Hopefully we will see Akito Hirose and Arturs Silovs in the Canucks starting lineup in October, and if they aren’t I hope we will get to see them again at some point in the season.