The Pittsburgh Penguins made a strategic upgrade in the crease by acquiring goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick, a move that follows the recent trade of Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks for a 2028 third-round selection2.
Silovs, a 6’4″, 203-pound netminder drafted in the sixth round of 2019, commands the crease with size and athleticism. Last season’s Calder Cup playoffs saw him dominate with a 16-7 record, a 2.01 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and five shutouts en route to MVP honors.
His NHL sample size of 19 games over three seasons (8-8-2, 3.13 GAA, .880 SV%) belies the talent that Vancouver couldn’t fully tap into amid organizational turmoil and a stacked goalie tandem in Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen.
The departure of Alex Nedeljkovic, who had shuttled between the NHL and AHL and struggled to find consistency before the trade, underscores Pittsburgh’s willingness to pivot to younger options and clear roster space for emergent talent.
With Tristan Jarry entrenched as the veteran starter but coming off a rough year behind a porous defense, the Penguins now boast a pipeline featuring Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov. Jarry’s trade value—perhaps to a team like Edmonton seeking a hometown hero—could yield a second-round pick and a B-level prospect if Pittsburgh retains some of his cap hit.
Whether it’s Silovs, Blomqvist, or Murashkov manning the backup role, Pittsburgh is clearly ushering in a post-Crosby, post-Jarry era between the pipes. Time will tell if this gamble accelerates the rebuild or proves too hasty in an unforgiving division.
(photo courtesy of Daily Faceoff)