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[Vancouver Canucks]

Canucks Game Day: Garland makes preseason debut against McDavid, Draisaitl and the Oilers

The Vancouver Canucks start the second week of their National Hockey League preseason tonight when they visit the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. It will be the team’s fourth of six scheduled exhibition contests.

To this point, the Canucks have faced primarily minor league lineups, but that is expected to change tonight, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Evan Bouchard all likely to be in uniform for the Oilers. This is the final home game on Edmonton’s preseason schedule.

The Canucks are sending a mix of veterans and youngsters. 2025 first-rounder Braeden Cootes, who scored his first goal in a Vancouver uniform in Friday’s 4-2 win over Seattle, returns to action in his bid to crack the opening-night lineup. To this point, the 18-year-old has only faced the Kraken (once at the prospects showcase and twice in the NHL preseason). That will change tonight when he competes against the Oilers, not far from his hometown of Sherwood Park, AB. Cootes is expected to skate on a line with Max Sasson and Jonathan Lekkerimäki.

The club’s top line will consist of Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor, with veteran Conor Garland making his preseason debut. The Canucks will also dress lines featuring Aatu Räty between Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson, and Nils Aman at centre, with Kiefer Sherwood and Joseph Labate.

The blueline will include pairs of Elias Pettersson and Filip Hronek, Derek Forbort and Kirill Kudryavtsev, along with Marcus Pettersson and P-O Joseph.

Expect Thatcher Demko to make his second start of the preseason. The San Diego native has looked sharp through training camp and his 40 minutes of exhibition action so far. He allowed just one goal – a power play marker – in his two periods of work in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Calgary in Abbotsford. It’s unclear if the plan is for Demko to go the distance tonight.

The Canucks did not conduct a morning skate this morning. Instead, the team will fly to Edmonton at noon to be ready for the 6:00 p.m. local start (5:00 p.m. Pacific). Tonight’s game will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pacific.

After tonight, the Canucks will get a steady diet of their Alberta rivals over the next two weeks. They close out their preseason on Wednesday in Calgary and on Friday at home to Edmonton. They open the regular season on October 9 at home against the Flames before facing the Oilers again in their first road game of the regular season on October 11.

This is how both teams lined up at practice on Saturday:

#Canucks this morning

O’Connor-Chytil-Garland
Bains-Raty-Karlsson
Sasson-Cootes-Lekkerimaki
Labate-Aman-Sherwood

DPetey-Hronek
Forbort-Kudryavtsev
MPettersson-Joseph

Demko/Tolopilo/Koskenvuo

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) September 27, 2025

The @EdmontonOilers this morning:

Draisaitl-McDavid-Frederic
Howard-RNH-Mangiapane
Henrique-Tomasek-Savoie
Janmark-Lazar-Kapanen
Samanski-Philp-Hutson

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Stecher
Kulak-Emberson
Dineen-Regula
Leppanen

Skinner
Pickard
Tomkins

— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) September 27, 2025

A reminder, Rink Wide Vancouver returns for the 2025-26 season starting on Wednesday night, October 1. Immediately after every Canucks game all season long, be sure to join the Rink Wide livestream for a full breakdown of that night’s action. Join other Canucks fans in the live chat on YouTube.

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancou...but-against-mcdavid-draisaitl-edmonton-oilers

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Instant Reaction: Canucks’ 3-goal third period surge not enough in 4-3 loss to Oilers

Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!

Preseason game four of six for the Vancouver Canucks took place at Rogers Place in Edmonton tonight. It was a somewhat lopsided matchup, as Vancouver only sent a handful of veterans among NHL hopefuls, while Edmonton iced a stacked roster highlighted by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. That reflected in the final score. Anyway, let’s get into the game.

First period​

Well, it didn’t take long for McDavid and Draisaitl to get on the board in this matchup. On his first shift of the game, the two Oilers stars got to work in the offensive zone.

Draisaitl finds McDavid on the halfwall. Derek Forbort takes a wrong pivot, which gives McDavid time and space to head toward the net and sends the puck into all the commotion at the net front. Draisaitl gets a weak shot on net and gets his own rebound. He misses the net, but it was a perfect miss as McDavid gets possession and is able to sneak it under Thatcher Demko at the side of the net.

The Oilers take an early lead.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/LSKEXuVoyv

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

1-0 Oilers.

A few minutes later, the Canucks had some offensive zone success off a strong forecheck from Kiefer Sherwood. His pressure forced the Oilers defenceman into a sloppy turnover through the middle of the Edmonton zone, which perfectly set up PO Joseph to step into a slapshot that rings right off the post.

PO Joseph unleashes a bomb off a brutal Oiler turnover but he hits iron.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/5TrNO63cxl

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

The Canucks kept the pedal to the metal, as Drew O’Connor had two chances in tight, but to no avail. His best chance came off a spinning deflection in the air, which Skinner stopped. O’Connor wasn’t the only Canuck attempting a spinning attempt, as Filip Chytil picks up speed through the neutral zone and challenges an Oilers defenceman one-on-one, getting a quality backhand chance off.

Filip Chytil has been flying in the preseason!

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/XbEzG96d0T

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

But then, it was McDavid’s turn to hit the ice, and he got on the board again.

Max Sasson had a good stick to tip the puck off McDavid and clear the zone. But it didn’t take long for the Oilers to regain the zone and get to work.

Draisaitl carries the puck into the zone and finds McDavid with speed. He walks into the slot and rips a shot off Demko’s pads, but he’s unable to corral the rebound, leaving a sitter for Trent Frederic to tap home on his second attempt.

The McDavid line strikes again. It's 2-0 Oilers.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/fJAnCfwuBq

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

It was unfortunate that Demko let this one in, as he was making some remarkable saves up until that point.

A little later on, the young standout Braeden Cootes showed up with an impressive rush.

Cootes carries the puck through the neutral zone, takes the contact along the boards, and is able to find O’Connor as the trailing while losing his balance. The puck goes behind the net, where O’Connor and Alec Regula battle for the puck along the boards. Cootes comes from behind the net in support and grabs the loose puck. The 18-year-old makes two stick moves to protect the puck from opposing poke checks and finds Jonathan Lekkerimäki in the faceoff circle.

Braeden Cootes makes a couple nice plays on this shift!

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/yRXaFq9E74

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

The kid continues to make impressive plays that the coaching staff can’t help but notice at this point.

Aatu Räty gets tripped by Evan Bouchard to send the Canucks to the power play. However, that was short-lived, as Chytil takes a tripping penalty of his own, negating the power play eight seconds in.

But it just so happened to work out for Chytil, as after the penalty, Chytil takes the stretch pass from Joseph to spring him on a mini breakaway. His backhand, forehand attempt was not good enough to beat Skinner.

Filip Chytil gets in behind the Oiler defence but he can't beat Stuart Skinner

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/7nlhvqxluA

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

Second period​

Two minutes into the second period, the Oilers get called for a too-many-men penalty. The Canucks split the man advantage evenly, sending Chytil, Lekkerimäki, Sherwood, Aatu Räty and Filip Hronek out for the first half and Cootes, Linus Karlsson, Max Sasson, Arshdeep Bains and Kirill Kudryavtsev on the second unit. The best chance came off a cross-ice pass from Cootes to Bains; however, Bains fanned on the one-touch pass to Karlsson at the net front, and the Oilers cleared the zone.

At the tail end of the power play, Sasson got a lucky bounce, as the puck went off the Oilers defenceman’s stick and straight to him at the net front. With that defender diving toward him, Sasson thinks fast and lifts a backhand shot over Skinner, but it hits the crossbar.

Max Sasson had an eventful shift. He takes a stick to the back of his head. He gets up and almost scores a goal.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/7Jgjhp8Sbu

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

After putting an emphasis on rush chances in training camp, the Canucks put that into effect in the game. O’Connor receives a pass in the neutral zone, passes the Oilers’ blueline and tries to split the defenders. He (perfectly) loses possession of the puck, which goes far enough for a pinching Derek Forbort to skate onto. He takes the puck to his backhand, but runs into the goalie as it goes in the net.

The Canucks are called for goalie interference.

Derek Forbort hit Stuart Skinners pad which propelled the puck into the back of the net.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/9vgUpr3rq7

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

But just when the Canucks thought they got on the board, the goal was called back for goaltender interference.

The Canucks out-chanced the Oilers for the better half of the period, before Kudryavtsev took a tripping (weak) penalty in the offensive zone. The Oilers needed all of three seconds to capitalize, as he rips a slapshot perfectly into the top left corner past Demko.

3-0 Oilers.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/2IxDDkWSH2

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

3-0 Oilers.

In the dying seconds of the period, Chytil enters the zone skating alongside the Oilers defenceman. He spins back to create space and find O’Connor as the trailer, who rips a snapshot off before time expires, but can’t stop Skinner’s shutout streak.

Filip Chytil makes a nice play to set Drew O'Connor up for a scoring chance at the end of the 2nd period.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/G7few16yXJ

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

Third period​

Thatcher Demko led the Canucks out for the third period – something he didn’t do in his first preseason game. The Canucks wanted to give their starting goaltender some support, coming out with a mission to get back into this game.

Räty got the Canucks on the board four minutes into the game, with a lot to like on the play.

Lekkerimäki intercepts the outlet pass to keep the Canucks in the offensive zone. Hronek steps up on the Oilers winger and jumps in front to allow Räty to pick up the loose puck. He loads up a wicked wrister from the right faceoff dot and fires it up-high, short-side on Skinner to get the Canucks on the board.

Aatu Raty gets the Canucks on the board with a perfect shot

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/PzE4uvZGi3

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

3-1 Oilers.

Just moments after the goal, the Canucks were back on the attack. O’Connor took the puck hard to the net, with his attempt sliding wide. Cootes picks up the loose puck in the corner, sending it back to Forbort. He goes D-to-D, with Hronek finding Cootes’ back-pedalling in the left hand circle.

Without looking, Cootes fires the puck to the front of the net for O’Connor, but he couldn’t connect. Instead, it deflects off Mattias Ekholm’s skate and past Skinner to put the Canucks within one just 43 seconds after their first tally.

Braeden Cootes picks up his 2nd goal of the preseason!

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/PkGBd6XI2r

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

3-2 Oilers.

Under 30 seconds later, the Oilers had a chance of their own. Kasperi Kapanen fires a quick shot off Demko’s pads, which perfectly bounces to Josh Samanski, who gets enough on the puck to send it on net. Demko dives to his right, extends his paddle just enough to make the save right on the goal line.

THATCHER DEMKO MAKES AN INCREDIBLE SAVE!

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/JGFcZeoGr5

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

Save of the preseason candidate? Might even be the save of the year candidate before the 2025-26 regular season even starts.

The Canucks continued the pressure, but there’s not much any team can do when McDavid and Draisaitl get a two-on-one.

Leon Draisaitl puts the Oilers up 4-2.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/FzjAv8SGfK

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

4-2 Oilers.

With nothing to lose, the Canucks got aggressive and pulled their goalie with over four minutes remaining.

The Canucks demonstrated solid, crisp passes around the edges of the neutral zone before anything finally opened up. Hronek finds Chytil on the right half wall. It looks like he’s about to rip a shot, but he fires a cross-ice pass to Lekkerimäki, who’s wide open in the left faceoff dot, and fires a one-timer past Skinner to bring the Canucks back to within one.

Filip Chytil rips a rink wide pass to Jonathan Lekkerimaki who one times it home! What a goal!

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/FXEns6U3yE

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

4-3 Oilers.

Despite their best efforts, Vancouver couldn’t tie the game.

Takeaways​

– Drew O’Connor was noticeable tonight – something you don’t say every night. He always seemed to be in the right area in the offensive zone and was good along the walls to help free the puck for his linemates, despite not finding his way onto the scoresheet.

– Jonathan Lekkerimäki looked good for the second consecutive game. His newfound ability to use his body to protect the puck has opened up so much more for him in the offensive zone.

– Braeden Cootes continues to do the little things right. For being much smaller than the competition he plays against, he’s great against the wall and in tight spaces to get the puck out of danger and to his teammates.

What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game, Canucks fans? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/instan...iod-surge-not-enough-4-3-loss-edmonton-oilers

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Jim Rutherford talks Quinn Hughes, Canucks’ centre depth, and more

With just over a week before the 2025-26 regular season gets underway, one of the Vancouver Canucks’ top executives has addressed a couple of topics surrounding the team heading into the new campaign.

President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford appeared on the latest episode of 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon, and the trio discussed a number of things, including the status of captain Quinn Hughes’ future with the Canucks.

Rutherford admitted that the team’s focus is to ensure the star defenceman feels comfortable and optimistic, hoping that leads to him wanting to stay in Vancouver.

“We want to have the best team we can,” Rutherford said. “We want to be a playoff team. We want to contend. We do think our team’s improved. We like our coaching staff. We like the direction they’re taking the team. … The question is, do we have enough players to compete and to contend? So, that’s something that all players look at. You look at other players that are talking about signing extensions and staying with their teams. It’s important for any player to know that the organization’s going in the right direction.”

The topic of Hughes and the Canucks has been a hot-button piece of conversation ever since Rutherford brought it up during his end-of-season availability in April. Along with mentioning that Quinn wants to play with his brothers, New Jersey Devils stars Jack and Luke, he noted that the Canucks must ensure they have the cap space to pay Quinn “the kind of contract that he deserves.”

Rutherford hinted at the possibility of trading Hughes at next year’s trade deadline, though that isn’t what the team wants to come to.

“We can run that decision out until the trade deadline, not this trade deadline, but the year after, and still get a great return on him. So, but that’s not what we’re looking for. That’s not what our goal is. Our goal is to have Quinn Hughes be a Vancouver Canuck for a long time.”

Co-host Darren Millard asked Rutherford why he has been so open to discussing Hughes and his future with the team.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to shy away from it,” Rutherford stated. “Everybody’s going to talk about it, rightfully so. It’s a huge story for the Canucks and for their future. I think as much as I can say about it, it’s important, whether people want to agree with me or not. That’s the way things work, but I’m just giving my honest opinion of Quinn Hughes and where he goes forward.”

Hughes has two more seasons left on his current contract, which has a cap hit of $7.85 million. He’s eligible to sign an extension next July. Rutherford acknowledged that, while they can’t officially work a deal out with Hughes’ camp until next summer, the conversations surrounding the team’s top blueliner will be ongoing.

“Our focus and Quinn’s focus is on winning hockey games. That’s where it should be for this season. At the same time, people are going to talk about this. It’s important that Quinn stays focused to the task at hand. When the appropriate time comes, then we’ll deal with it. At the same time, there’s going to be people like yourselves and other media people and fans that are going to be curious as to what the organization feels and what they think. I do the best I can to give them as much as I can.”

The Canucks’ upcoming season was also discussed on the show. One of the things Rutherford mentioned was that he would like to add his depth at centre, something he’s clearly wanted for some time.

“Even though we like our centre ice position…if we could add another centre to give more depth there, we’d feel much more comfortable about our team.”

When it came to expectations for the team, which had missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one year after winning the Pacific Division, Rutherford gave a rather blunt response.

“I don’t think anybody knows. We haven’t played any games. I think that’s why we play the games. I don’t know exactly where we fit. I feel that we’re a very competitive team. I like what the coach has done, what Adam Foote’s done to prepare this team, the system he’s put in place. He’s simplified our system for our players. They bought into it. We have strong goaltending. We have strong defence. We have forwards that are capable of having good years. So, I really don’t know. I do feel strong that we have a good enough team to compete for a playoff spot.”

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/jim-rutherford-talks-quinn-hughes-vancouver-canucks-centre-depth-more

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Canucks announce Nils Höglander out 8-10 weeks after lower-body surgery

On Monday evening, Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced that forward Nils Höglander underwent successful lower-body surgery and will be out 8-10 weeks.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that F Nils Höglander underwent successful lower body surgery, out 8-10 weeks.

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 30, 2025

Höglander left in the second period of the Canucks’ second preseason game against the Calgary Flames in the Abbotsford Centre. Flames defenceman Etienne Morin hits Höglander into the boards at the centre line, and he comes out of the hit skating a little funny. He would finish the shift, but would not return to the game afterwards.

From what I can tell this was Nils Höglander's last shift. Gets hit by Etienne Morin in the neutral zone, then again by Daniil Miromanov behind the play at the end. #Canuckshttps://t.co/aaAALyhg0S pic.twitter.com/Fj2JKuogQ2

— Lachlan Irvine (@LachInTheCrease) September 25, 2025

The 24-year-old winger skated on a line with Teddy Blueger and Conor Garland during training camp. Höglander was sent to Seattle for their preseason opener against the Kraken, taking Evander Kane’s spot on a line with Filip Chytil and Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The trio would not factor in the scoring, all finishing the game with minus-2 ratings. Höglander failed to register a shot on goal, but landed two hits in 19:37 minutes of ice time in the contest.

Höglander suited up in Vancouver’s second preseason game, where he scored the opening goal of the contest at the net front on the power play.

Nils Hoglander opens the scoring in Abbotsford

pic.twitter.com/6XtdsVYaXj

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 25, 2025

That would be his only shot of the game before he exited with an injury. Following the game, TSN’s Farhan Lalji reported that Höglander was seen leaving the rink in a walking boot.

The 5’9″ Swede is entering year one of a three-year, $9 million contract extension he signed on October 6, 2024, three days before opening night of the season. Höglander had a down 2024-25 campaign following a 24-goal, 36-point breakout 2023-24 season. He scored just eight goals and 25 points in 72 games, finishing with a plus-5 rating in 12:08 minutes of average ice time.

Höglander started to find his game again as the Canucks made their playoff push. After the 4 Nations Face-off, Höglander was trusted in a top-six role, oftentimes playing with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser. Höglander scored four goals and 13 points over a 19-game span.

With Höglander now on the shelf until at least the end of November, that opens the door for NHL hopefuls like Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Aatu Räty, Linus Karlsson, Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson and Braeden Cootes who could potentially fill the void Höglander leaves in the lineup.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancou...s-hoglander-out-8-10-weeks-lower-body-surgery

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Scenes from Canucks practice: Demko takes personal day as roster battles ramp up

Following a team day off on Monday, the Vancouver Canucks returned to the practice ice at Rogers Arena on Tuesday morning. The team skated for a full hour with 26 players taking part.

What we saw​

After significantly trimming the roster yesterday, the Canucks enter the final week of the preseason with raised stakes for jobs. The coaches hoped the day off Monday would allow the remaining players the chance to rest up and come back to work ready to battle. The team plays in Calgary on Wednesday and is expected to send a veteran-laden group to face the Flames.

These were the lines at practice, but do not necessarily represent the line-up the Canucks will send to Calgary.

lots of bodies skating this morning #Canucks
DeBrusk-EP40-Boeser
Bains-Chytil-Garland
Kane-Cootes-Lekkerimaki
O’Connor-Blueger-Sherwood
Labate-Raty-Karlsson

Hughes-Hronek
Forbort-Mancini
MPettersson-EPettersson
Jospeh-Willander
Myers mixed in

Lankinen/Tolopilo

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) September 30, 2025

Thatcher Demko was given Tuesday off to tend to a personal matter. The hockey club insists that the team’s top netminder is not dealing with any sort of injury. There was no word around the rink about how long he’d be away from the team.

Max Sasson, Vitali Kravtsov, and Nils Aman all remain on the NHL roster, but the three skated together prior to the main group and were not included in practice. Interestingly, rugged winger Joseph Labate, who was placed on waivers on Monday and cleared on Tuesday morning, was part of the main practice group. It’s unclear if he will suit up at the Saddledome on Wednesday night.

Rookie sensation Braeden Cootes was relegated to an on-looker for much of the early part of practice Tuesday. The 18-year-old has had a strong showing through training camp and three preseason outings. He skated on a line with Evander Kane and Jonathan Lekkerimäki during drills, but was not involved in any power play work which may be an indication he will sit out in Calgary.

With the unfortunate news of Nils Höglander’s surgery keeping him out until December, it was interesting to see Arshdeep Bains getting a turn on left wing with Filip Chytil and Conor Garland. It was also noteworthy to see Aatu Räty centring a fifth line while Teddy Blueger was in the middle between Drew O’Connor and Kiefer Sherwood. Blueger and O’Connor also skated together as the top penalty-killing forwards when the club worked on special teams. Other PK duos included Sherwood and Labate along with Räty and Bains.

The Canucks had nine defencemen on the ice at practice on Tuesday. That included veteran Tyler Myers who had missed three straight days of workouts following his lone preseason appearance in Abbotsford last Wednesday. Assistant coach Brett McLean alluded to a handful of players battling through nagging preseason ailments and said that could impact line-up decisions for both Wednesday in Calgary and the preseason finale at home to Edmonton on Friday. McLean said the team will not push anyone into action this week. He wants all of the team’s top players to be fully healthy for the season opener on October 9th against the Flames.

While no goaltending plans were revealed on Tuesday, don’t be surprised to see Kevin Lankinen go the distance in Calgary on Wednesday night. The hope is likely that Thatcher Demko will be ready to handle the netminding duties in Friday’s dress rehearsal versus the Oilers.

What we heard​

Assistant coach Brett McLean on dealing with so many bodies on the ice: “Obviously with this time of year it’s little bit awkward in that. We had five lines. Some guys took maintenance days the other day and they’re working through little training camp type injuries, so you don’t know the exact numbers until practice starts. So we had the five lines going and we thought we’d have eight D and we had nine. We were just kind of working through those numbers and trying to make sure everybody gets as many reps as they can. We said to a few of the guys ‘there’s lot of competition here. Don’t look at the line-up and think anything toward that.’ We’re just looking at different combinations and thing. Lots is in flux right now.”

Arshdeep Bains on battling for his spot on the opening night roster: “It’s been good just building off each day. The group has been doing a good job of that as well. We’re getting better through the days of practices and games. It’s been pretty exciting to see how guys are getting better seeing what they can do. This has been the most competitive camp (he’s been to) yet. There’s a lot of good players. Maybe guys you don’t expect. You’ve got Cootes coming in. He’s a super young kid. He just got drafted and he’s pushing for a spot. Then there’s guy like me and Karly who have been here for a while pushing for spots. So it’s a good competitive nature and we kind of knew that coming in here that it was going to be competitive and that’s what makes everybody better at the end of the day.”

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/scenes...mko-takes-personal-day-roster-battles-ramp-up

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

How should the Canucks’ forward lines look without Nils Höglander?

By now, you’ve heard the news. The Vancouver Canucks will be without Nils Höglander for the next 8-10 weeks after the 24-year-old forward underwent surgery to fix a lower-body injury sustained in the Canucks’ September 24th preseason game against the Calgary Flames.

It’s obviously a tough blow for Höglander, who got off to a solid start this preseason and looked poised to be a key contributor to the Canucks’ top-nine forward group. As a result, the Canucks are left with a fairly sizable hole in their forward group. So how should the Canucks configure their lines for the next couple of Höglanderless months? Let’s explore.

There are two forwards who we’ve got a close eye on as the preseason winds down: Braeden Cootes and Jonathan Lekkerimäki. Both players, who were far from shoo-ins to be on this roster when camp opened, have stood out and are continuing to get more opportunities to show what they can do before the regular season begins. The fate of these two — especially Lekkerimäki — will largely dictate how the Canucks configure their forward lines.

Option 1: Lekkerimäki is ready, Cootes goes to junior.​

It’s tough to know for sure if Jonathan Lekkerimäki is NHL-ready, but his last two preseason games have certainly suggested as much. On Friday, Lekkerimäki picked up an assist on Braeden Cootes’ goal after some hard work along the walls and real determination to get to the middle of the ice before letting go of one of his signature shots through traffic.

Then on Sunday in Edmonton, Lekkerimäki showed off his dangerous release on a one-timer goal that pulled the Canucks within one against an NHL-looking Oilers lineup.

Filip Chytil rips a rink wide pass to Jonathan Lekkerimaki who one times it home! What a goal!

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/FXEns6U3yE

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 29, 2025

And who passed him that puck? Filip Chytil, the Canucks’ obvious choice for second-line centre.

Aside from the points, Lekkerimäki’s work off the puck has been exceptional this preseason, and his defensive IQ is a strength as well. The question for Lekkerimäki isn’t whether or not he has the skill required to compete at the NHL level, it’s more about finding success while dealing with the physicality and speed of the NHL game. And truly, the book is still out on if Lekkerimäki is ready for that. But if he is? That sure helps the Canucks withstand the loss of Höglander.

If Lekkerimäki is able to play on the Canucks’ second line from the get-go, that would free up Conor Garland to move to the third line, giving the Canucks three solid forward lines instead of a clear top six and clear bottom six. Garland has proven time and time again that he can drive play on a line himself, and that would be a welcome skill set to have on a third line. The lines in this scenario would look something like this:

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Boeser
Kane-Chytil-Lekkerimäki
O’Connor/Sherwood-Blueger-Garland
Sherwood/O’Connor-Räty-Karlsson
Extras: Bains, Sasson

Option 2: Lekkerimäki and Cootes both make the team​

And how about if Braeden Cootes makes the team? At 18 years old, Cootes likely wouldn’t stick around beyond nine NHL games, but he’s pivoted a strong training camp into an even stronger first NHL preseason, meaning we at least need to talk about the possibility. The lines might look something like this if that’s the case:

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Boeser
Kane-Chytil-Lekkerimäki
O’Connor/Sherwood-Blueger-Garland
Sherwood/O’Connor-Cootes-Karlsson
Extras: Bains, Räty

Two more preseason games to go…

Option 3: Lekkerimäki gets sent down, Cootes makes the team​

In the event that the Canucks decide Lekkerimäki needs to begin his season at the AHL level, they’d likely need Conor Garland to move up to the second line to play with Filip Chytil.

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Boeser
Kane-Chytil-Garland
O’Connor-Blueger-Sherwood
Bains/O’Connor-Cootes-Karlsson
Extras: Räty, Sasson

Kiefer Sherwood’s ability and willingness to play both the left and right wing allow them to get both he and O’Connor into the bottom six, and Sherwood has played top six minutes for this team before. Could he do it again? That would allow the Canucks to swap him and Garland, getting the same benefit from options one and two, where Garland goes down to be the primary play driver on the third line. Something like this:

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Boeser
Kane-Chytil-Sherwood
O’Connor-Blueger-Garland
Bains/O’Connor-Cootes-Karlsson
Extras: Räty, Sasson

Option 4: Something totally different​

Today’s practice lines — more to come in Scenes from Canucks practice later today — give an interesting glimpse at some other scenarios. Could Evander Kane go down to the third line? He looked good playing alongside Cootes and Lekkerimäki in the Canucks’ recent preseason game, but will the coaching staff want that to be a line in an actual NHL regular season game?

How about Arshdeep Bains playing in the top six? Bains’ offensive abilities have been somewhat stifled through his first 13 NHL games, but his bottom line game has been enough for him to skate on a top six line in the past. He skated alongside Chytil today.

lots of bodies skating this morning #Canucks
DeBrusk-EP40-Boeser
Bains-Chytil-Garland
Kane-Cootes-Lekkerimaki
O’Connor-Blueger-Sherwood
Labate-Raty-Karlsson

Hughes-Hronek
Forbort-Mancini
MPettersson-EPettersson
Jospeh-Willander
Myers mixed in

Lankinen/Tolopilo

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) September 30, 2025

Conclusion​

While Lekkerimäki and Cootes both still need to earn their spots, it’s hard to say anything other than options 1 and 2 are the best case scenario for the Canucks as they try to withstand the multi-month loss of Nils Höglander. The only question now is: can these two young players earn themselves NHL roster spots? We’ll soon find out.

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/how-should-vancouver-canucks-forward-lines-look-nils-hoglander

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

‘He‘s the best player of all-time’: Zegras happy to see Quinn Hughes less after trade to Flyers

This season looks a whole lot different for Trevor Zegras. After being dealt from the Anaheim Ducks to the Philadelphia Flyers in early June, he’s excited for a fresh start in a new Conference for more than one reason.

In a piece Tuesday from ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, Zegras spoke in depth about what went wrong in Anaheim, what’s next for him with his new team, and his friendship with the Hughes brothers. Gearing up to make his Flyers debut, he shared he’s happy to be in a new division now to be farther away from Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes:

Zegras said he’s happy to be in the same division with Jack and Luke Hughes, because it means he’s no longer in the same division as their brother.

“I never want to play Quinn ever again. He’s the best hockey player of all-time,” he said.

Last season, the Ducks faced off against the Vancouver Canucks four times. Now a whole Conference apart, Zegras and the Flyers will only meet Quinn Hughes and the Canucks twice – both times in late December.

Zegras only has one goal in his last seven games against the Canucks, and the Quinn Hughes-led blue line is a big factor in shutting him down. Consistently ranked as one of the league’s top-two defencemen in offseason lists, it’s easy to see why Hughes would be a frustrating player to face as a forward. Add that to his over a point-per-game totals over the last two years, and he makes for a real menace all across the ice.

In Philadelphia, Zegras is working under former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, who he refers to as ‘Taco,’ a nickname he apparently stole from the Hughes brothers. He shares that he got it after spending the summer with the trio of brothers, including lots of time out on the golf course, offering the following assessment:

“I like Jack’s game because he is the quickest, fastest golfer player I have ever seen in my entire life. He will have a full conversation with you while he’s putting the tee in the ground, and then he’ll swing quick and then finish his conversation. Whereas Quinn is the exact opposite. He’ll take 10 practice swings and then hit one.”

While Zegras is a little further away from Quinn now, he’s primed to face off more against Jack and Luke, the latter having just signed a seven-year extension with the New Jersey Devils. But for now, it seems like that’s a tradeoff he’ll gladly take.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/hes-be...y-quinn-hughes-less-trade-philadelphia-flyers

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Instant Reaction: Quinn Hughes makes magic happen as Canucks beat Flames 8-1

Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!

We’re getting closer and closer to the end of the preseason, which, as always, has felt too long. With one game left after this one, both the Canucks and Flames rolled out lineups that looked pretty similar to the ones we’ll see when they open their regular seasons against each other on October 9th.

Projected #Canucks lines vs. @NHLFlames

DeBrusk. EP40. Boeser.
O’Connor. Blueger. Garland.
LaBate. Räty. Sherwood.
Bains. Sasson. Karlsson.

Hughes. Hronek.
MP29. Myers.
Forbort. Mancini.

Lankinen

6pm on @Sportsnet650 https://t.co/J6DNM1E8Qt pic.twitter.com/Tvg24wY7aT

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) October 2, 2025

First Period​

Elias Pettersson took a tripping penalty to give the Flames the first power play of the game, and it was there that we nearly saw the game’s first goal. But it’s not what you think! Kiefer Sherwood linked up with Drew O’Connor, who moved in on a breakaway with a prime chance to open the scoring:

Kiefer Sherwood and Drew O'Connor nearly link up for a shorthanded goal, but Ivan Prosvetov shuts them down.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/axMYTJDC6v

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

The Canucks managed to kill off the penalty in its entirety, and it didn’t take much longer for Quinn Hughes to do something special. The Canucks’ captain sprung Brock Boeser in all alone on a breakaway, and Brocktober got off to a good start:

PERFECT PASS, PERFECT GOAL
Quinn Hughes finds Brock Boeser wiiiide open for a breakaway, and Boeser makes no mistake. 1-0 Canucks!!#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/iyFsqakAhO

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

1-0 Canucks.

This game opened up quite a bit from here, as the Canucks’ new aggressive style of play under Adam Foote with the defencemen pinching is naturally going to lead to more odd man rushes, and yes, breakaways. Jonathan Huberdeau found himself in all alone on a breakaway, but Kevin Lankinen made a big save to preserve the Canucks’ lead.

Jonathan Huberdeau gets a breakaway chance, but Kevin Lankinen and Conor Garland team up to stop him.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/BhqJ1WcF1j

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

The Canucks got a power play chance of their own, and PP1 continues to look good. This time it was Elias Pettersson blasting home a one-timer to give the Canucks a two goal lead.

CANUCKS SCORRRRRE

Elias Pettersson has never been more back, baby. #Canucks lead 2-0!!
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/BZQvG8S9Ra

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

Oh, and Quinn Hughes already has two assists in this game, for those keeping track at home. The Canucks quickly pushed their lead to three when Tyler Myers blasted home an Arshdeep Bains faceoff win to make it 3-0.

CANUCKS SCORE AGAIN

Tyler Myers steps into a rocket that beats Prosvetov clean and the Canucks lead 3-0!

: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/v61IepNRK5

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

And before I could even finish writing about the Myers goal, *checks notes* Derek Forbort scored a *checks notes again* shorthanded goal to make it 4-0.

SHORTHANDED GOAL

Derek Forbort off a feed from Garland puts the #Canucks up 4-0 in the first!!
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/V0Dg8uGmlx

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

Well that was wild.

Some takeaways from the first:

-Really liking Adam Foote hockey so far.
-If you’re going to play a more aggressive style like the Canucks have been, I can’t think of a better goaltending tandem to serve as your last line of defence than Kevin Lankinen and Thatcher Demko.
-The Canucks did a great job of hounding the Flames’ D on the forecheck in the first 20 minutes. Their neutral zone pressure seemed to give Calgary plenty of issues as well.
-What route do you think is best for the 2025-26 Canucks Stanley Cup parade?

Second Period​

The Flames scored early in the second after being blatantly offside on the zone entry:

A look at the obvious offside (no coaches challenges tonight) pic.twitter.com/2m0UOwlege

— Lachlan Irvine (@LachInTheCrease) October 2, 2025

But of course, there are no replay challenges in the preseason, and that allowed the Flames to get on the board:

Flames score a weird one where they're a mile offside and Lankinen catches an edge at the wrong time. 4-1 Canucks lead now.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/3RMpFminmO

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

The goals kept coming, as Max Sasson and Jake DeBrusk executed a nice give-and-go off the rush.

CANUCKS SCORRRE

Jake DeBrusk and Max Sasson link up for a gorgeous give-and-go play to put the #Canucks back up by four!

: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/rTqBOLRyh3

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

5-1. I don’t think Ivan Prosvetov is making the team. I mean, he might. The Flames’ backup job is between him and Devin Cooley. Tonight certainly wasn’t a good night for him though. Hopefully he gets the start on October 9th!

The game’s pace slowed down considerably in the second, but the Canucks got another power play chance that they once again made good on later in the second. This time it was Aatu Räty who found the back of the net for his second goal of the preseason.

Canucks score again!
Aatu Räty hits the post on his first shot attempt, then manages to stuff the puck between Devin Cooley and the post. 6-1 Canucks!#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/qC2D5b26Pw

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

6-1.

Joel Hanley slashed Elias Pettersson on a breakaway, resulting in a penalty shot. Pettersson pulled off the move he wanted to, but Devin Cooley made a great save to keep the Flames within five.

EP40 gets slashed by Joel Hanley and is awarded a penalty shot, but he's unable to lift the puck over Cooley's pad. #Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/9pFus8AwBw

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

Some takeaways from the second:

-Dustin Wolf should’ve gotten more Hart Trophy consideration.
-The Canucks seem to be playing a more aggressive style on the penalty kill, and so far, I like it.

Third Period​

On tonight’s broadcast, John Shorthouse talked about how he’s going to make more of an effort to appreciate what we see from Quinn Hughes. He certainly isn’t alone, either. It’s so easy to take what we see from Hughes for granted because he’s not only been one of the greatest, but one of the most consistent Canucks players we’ve ever seen.

Just moments after that comment from Shorthouse, Hughes gave us something to appreciate.

QUINN HUGHES OFF THE RUSH
Canucks lead 7-1!!#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/CW3InJto5B

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

7-1. I appreciate Quinn Hughes.

The Canucks got plenty of power play opportunities tonight, and while some looked better than others, it was overall a good night for the power play personnel.

A scary moment occurred late in the third as Jonathan Huberdeau went awkwardly into the Vancouver goal post after taking a bump from Filip Hronek. After staying down for an extended period of time, Huberdeau managed to skate off on his own power, which was obviously a great sign.

Filip Hronek went off for holding as a result of the play, and Max Sasson scored his second goal of the game on the Calgary power play.

MAX SASSON WITH THE BRACE
Another Canucks shorthanded goal and it's 8-1 late!#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/31pGgivmai

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

8-1 Canucks final.

Some takeaways from the third:

-Quinn Hughes is just unbelievable.
-Two goals for Max Sasson… nice.
-Solid game for Aatu Räty. Are we any closer to figuring out which forwards should be cut from this roster?

What’s your instant reaction to this game? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/instan...c-happen-vancouver-canucks-calgary-flames-8-1

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Scenes from practice: Cootes slides to 3C, Räty to the wing as Canucks skate at UBC

There was plenty of line-up movement as the Vancouver Canucks practiced at UBC on Thursday morning. There may have been more than a few clues about what the team is thinking as it moves towards Monday’s 2pm PT deadline to set its season opening roster.

What we saw​

After taking a personal day on Tuesday, Thatcher Demko was back on the ice with his teammates and was a full participant in the 40 minute workout. Derek Forbort, who saw just one shift in the third period of Wednesday’s 8-1 blowout win in Calgary, was given the day off as part of a load management plan for the veteran defenceman. Fellow blueliner P-O Joseph suffered a minor groin strain at practice on Tuesday and was not on the ice today. Nils Aman was shifted to defence to give the team eight blueliners for today’s practice.

Other developments included rookie Braeden Cootes moving to the team’s third line between Drew O’Connor and Kiefer Sherwood while Aatu Räty slid to left wing on a line with Teddy Blueger and Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The Abbotsford trio of Max Sasson, Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson skated together on what appeared to be an extra line during drills.

Thursday #Canucks practice lines

DeBrusk. EP40. Boeser.
Kane. Chytil. Garland.
O’Connor. Cootes. Sherwood.
Räty. Blueger. Lekkerimäki.
Bains. Sasson. Karlsson.

Hughes. Hronek.
MP29. Myers.
EP25. Willander.
Åman. Mancini.

Demko.
Lankinen.
Tolopilo.@Sportsnet650 pic.twitter.com/LHLrNvcu4W

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) October 2, 2025

The Canucks devoted a portion of practice to full ice three-on-three play which hasn’t been part of the program in recent years. Of course, the team struggled in three-on-three overtime last season going 7-12 in games decided in OT.

Following practice head coach Adam Foote said he planned to dress a fairly full NHL line-up for the team’s preseason finale on Friday against Edmonton. He said Forbort would not play in that game, but otherwise he suggested he’d be going with most of his veteran players. He also confirmed that Thatcher Demko would get the start in goal.

What we heard​

Adam Foote on resting Derek Forbort late last night again today: “We’re managing him. I mean 8-1. He had some tweaks during training camp. My main concern for him is playing the home opener, right? He’s a great penalty killer. We don’t want to push that. He won’t play tomorrow night. We’ll make sure he gets extra days. I thought maybe in camp we brought him back one day too soon. I just want to make sure that he’s clear.

Adam Foote on P-O Joseph’s absence from practice: “He’s got a groin issue that happened in the previous practice late in the last drill. Just a tweak. He can’t go for us right now.”

Aatu Räty on how he evaluates his own play during NHL preseason: “Four games now, not having given up any goals against, I think that’s the big thing. Obviously trying to be solid in the D zone and trying not to give up anything against. (Offensively) you can have a bad game and then have a shot go in, so you can’t really be all about that. But it’s good to be scoring. I’ve had some good shots. But I think I’m most happy about not giving anything against.”

Elias Pettersson on finding his form with the one-timer power play goal in Calgary: “It felt good. Good set up by Quinn and Garly. When Quinn skates in like that, fakes, shoots and slides it over to me, I just pretty much have to hit the net. But it felt good.”

new day. Same one timer.@CanucksArmy @RinkWideVAN pic.twitter.com/YrlpP8gH2D

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) October 2, 2025

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF SURVIVOR POOL​

Think you’ve got what it takes to outlast everyone else? Test your hockey smarts in the Daily Faceoff Survivor Pool — a high-stakes game of elimination with a $2,500 grand prize for the last fan standing. The contest continues until there’s only one survivor — and that winner takes it all. Are you ready to survive? Sign up now and make your picks!

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/scenes-practice-cootes-slides-3c-raty-wing-vancouver-canucks-skate-ubc

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Irfaan Gaffar talks Canucks’ interest in Lukas Reichel, recent NHL contracts, and more: Canucks Conversation

On Wednesday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, Irfaan Gaffar joined Harman Dayal and David Quadrelli to cover a mix of NHL topics – from recent big-ticket contracts to whether Lukas Reichel could be a fit in Vancouver.

The conversation started with Kirill Kaprizov’s new 8 year, $136 million contract, which Irf noted was another sign of how the market shifts when a superstar is involved.

“Kaprizov’s contract is massive. The landscape changes a bit if you’re a superstar; if you’re a guy that knows you can command that certain type of money and you have an owner who’s willing to do it, you’re going to get your money,” Irf said.

He contrasted that with Luke Hughes’ extension in New Jersey: “For a guy like Luke Hughes, it’s a bit different – he got his money, but I don’t know they would’ve given him any more than he got. The interesting part about Hughes’ contract is he has a modified no-trade list in year six and seven, so they could trade him at any point between now and then, not to say they will but just an interesting note.”

Irf added a story from Hughes’ early years with the Devils when Travis Green was on staff: “Travis Green, when he was assistant coach there, wanted Luke to run the power play, but someone said what would that say about our $9 million guy Dougie Hamilton — Dougie has to do it. Luke, all these years later, is now the $9 million dollar guy.”

The show then turned to Chicago’s Lukas Reichel, who looks like he could be on the move.

“Both the Blackhawks and Reichel want to move on from each other, and the Blackhawks should take whatever they can get,” Irf said. “Whether that’s a late 6th, 7th round pick for a guy who hasn’t really panned out in the NHL with 169 games played and only 54 points — but he’s also been on some really bad Blackhawks teams, where a lot of the numbers for most players on that team aren’t good. He’s a guy that’s young, relatively cheap, and he brings the Canucks a little more depth than what they have.”

Irf pointed out the question marks with Vancouver’s current forward group: “When you look at the Canucks, Bains is a great story – he does a lot of good things on and off the ice but is he an everyday NHLer? I’m not sold on that. Has Aatu Raty done enough to show us he’s an everyday guy? I’m not sold on him. Jonathan Lekkerimaki — has he done enough either? No. Not yet. Reichel’s got some games, he’s young enough, can play both wing and centre if you need. Cootes is going to be a player in the NHL, I don’t think we should rush and try and get him into the lineup opening night… at 18 years old, the jump from playing against preseason teams is going to be a lot different than October ninth when they take to the ice for the regular season.”

From Irf’s perspective, that makes Reichel a worthwhile gamble. “It’s a good flyer to take if you’re the Canucks, if it’s only going to cost you a sixth or seventh round pick, to go get a guy you can plug into the lineup, you go and take that shot.”

Harm agreed that with Nils Höglander sidelined, the opportunity is there: “Especially with Nils Hoglander out, I wouldn’t mind throwing a seventh round pick and seeing if Reichel can beat out a guy like Arshdeep Bains, who’s skating in their top six right now. And that’s the thing; if Bains is skating in the top six, you can’t look at this Canucks team and say they’re so loaded on talent that Reichel wouldn’t be worth the roll of the dice if he’s cheap.”

For Irf, the bigger issue is organizational depth up front. “When you look at this organization, the depth isn’t really there. It might be at defence and goalie, which does look great, but their forward depth they just don’t have it. They have a bunch of tweener NHL/AHL guys who you’re hoping can pan out and play in a bottom six role. If you can get a guy that’s going to be motivated – he’s 23 years old, was drafted 17th overall, so maybe a change of scenery and an organization willing to develop him at the NHL level, why not take that risk?”

Watch the full segment below!

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/irfaan...hel-recent-nhl-contracts-canucks-conversation

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

‘It will be a little strange’: Kane talks facing ex-Oilers teammates in Canucks’ final pre-season game

Friday night will be a reunion of sorts for Evander Kane.

Kane and his new Canucks teammates are set to face his former team, the Edmonton Oilers, in their preseason finale. Kane is 34 and coming off a 2024-25 where he missed the entire regular season recovering from knee surgery, but returned to play in Edmonton’s second straight run to the Stanley Cup Final.

The last time he was on the ice with these Oilers, he was being tossed from Game 6 of the Final with a game misconduct. But the preseason meeting won’t be the same as meeting them next Saturday, with two points up for grabs.

“I think it’s preseason, so it’s a lot more tame,” Kane said to reporters after Friday’s morning skate at Rogers Arena. “I’m sure it will be a little strange when I get on the ice for warmup for sure.”

Both teams will be icing their expected opening night rosters, save for a few final tryouts for roster spots. In the morning skate, Kane was paired on a line with Braeden Cootes and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, two young players looking to put a stamp on their names in the opening night roster. But Kane isn’t approaching it where he’s “got to help them through the game”.

“I played with them the game here [against Seattle] last week. I thought we got better as it went on, and I know they’ve had a couple of games since,” Kane said.

“I’m looking forward to playing with them tonight against an NHL roster.”

Kane’s noted the progress in particular of his centre, the 18-year-old Cootes. “He’s just continuing to get better and more comfortable on the ice, and I think it’ll be interesting to see how he continues to develop,” Kane said.

This will be Kane’s second and final preseason game before the regular season kicks off on Wednesday. His head coach, Adam Foote, said Thursday that he would’ve liked to get Kane in more than just two exhibition matchups. But he also felt the veteran knows what to do to be ready for the regular season, a sentiment Kane agrees with.

“I can go with zero,” Kane said. “But I think two is a great number, and no matter how many you play, you still have another week until the regular season starts. So there’s lots of preparation, and tonight it will be good to get in the lineup.”

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/it-wil...mates-vancouver-canucks-final-pre-season-game

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Instant Reaction: Lekkerimäki scores twice to help Canucks defeat Oilers 3-2 in overtime

Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!

Mercifully, the final preseason game came and went with the Vancouver Canucks rolling out a lineup that looked as close to “opening night” calibre as could be and two players put in noticeable efforts toward being a part of that group. Let’s get into it!

Warmup #Canucks lines vs. @EdmontonOilers

DeBrusk. EP40. Boeser.
Bains. Chytil. Garland.
Kane. Cootes. Lekkerimäki.
O’Connor. Blueger. Sherwood.

Hughes. Hronek.
MP29. Myers.
EP25. Willander.

#DemkoTime

7pm on @Sportsnet650 https://t.co/J6DNM1E8Qt pic.twitter.com/iJcsqFpZCu

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) October 4, 2025

First Period​

Three or so minutes elapsed without so much as a shot on target. Elias Pettersson (F) threw a hefty body check on Matthias Ekholm that dislodged the veteran defenceman’s stick, prompting a decent cycle opportunity for the home team. Edmonton’s Isaac Howard drew First Scrape when he launched a wrist shot into Thatcher Demko’s right shoulder. Tyler Myers responded a minute or so later with a howitzer off the blue line into Calvin Pickard’s chest off a breakout feed from Jonathan Lekkerimäki.

Lekkerimäki drove through the middle for a meaty snap-shot off Pickard’s shoulder a minute or so later that caught Pickard off guard.

The Oilers generated a handful of shifts inside the Canucks’ zone, culminating in a really slick sliding block from Elias Pettersson (D) to take away the one-timer pass on a sure goal.

The game’s back-and-forth action came to a screeching halt on a Kiefer Sherwood tripping penalty against Connor McDavid.

Kiefer Sherwood gets the gate for tripping Connor McDavid. Better to do it in the preseason than the regular right?#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/Kiul3IK0Xf

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

The Canucks PK group went to work without one of their premier penalty killers and held up! Adam Foote rolled out forward duos of Conor Garland with Teddy Blueger, followed by Pettersson (F) alongside Drew O’Connor. Upon the conclusion of Sherwood’s penalty, Garland dove to knock a puck up the ice to give Sherwood a breakaway opportunity out of the box. Unfortunately, Garland’s pass sailed just barely out of Sherwood’s reach, negating the chance.

The Canucks would conclude the period with a power play opportunity of their own, with Marcus Pettersson drawing a tripping penalty against Kasperi Kapanen.

The first power play unit looked a little lethargic and a little too predictable, cycling the puck around the perimeter without so much of a meaningful attempt on goal. Seconds after the penalty expired, Braeden Cootes fished out a loose puck from a swarm of bodies out to Lekkerimäki, who looked like prime rookie Elias Pettersson (F) rifling a one-timer blast over Pickard’s shoulder to make it 1-nothing.

CANUCKS SCORRRRRRRRE
Jonathan Lekkerimäki rips a shot, served on a TEE by Braeden Cootes, that Pickard has no chance on. Canucks open the scoring late in the first.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/Qyye8WFF38

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

1-0 Canucks

Some takeaways from the first:

-A rookie-heavy fivesome of Pettersson (D), Cootes, Kane, Lekkerimäki, and Tom Willander saw themselves pinned inside the d-zone against a veteran-heavy Oilers fivesome. Although they struggled to settle the puck and regain possession, it was noticeable how hard the young guns were battling to stick to a double-up of puck-carrier coverage. Under previous regimes, this line would have seen their minutes carved up due to their inability to break the puck out of the zone. Adam Foote didn’t care that they got hemmed. Clearly, their head coach appreciated the battle and commitment to their d-zone coverage scheme, because the young guns were rolled out for their next shift as if nothing had happened. After years of seeing players like Nikolai Goldobin scratched for missing a single D-to-D pass, I really liked this new head coach’s approach and trust in letting the process play itself out.

-Yes, preseason asterisk and all that, but Cootes and Lekkerimäki did a tremendous job in the first period to cement their place in the starting twelve. At times, this Canucks roster looks starved for offence. I don’t see them getting creativity or goals from anyone else. It feels like this team needs these two.

-Arshdeep Bains looked solid against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night; I forgot he was playing against Edmonton, a quiet first period for a player also trying to make their case to crack the starting lineup.

Second Period​

The opening five minutes of the middle frame were very scrambly. A gratuitously long shift hemmed in the d-zone against the McDavid-Draisaitl line for Sherwood, O’Connor, Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and Fil Hronek somehow concluded with an icing by Sherwood, a d-zone faceoff win, and an end-to-end breakout rush led by Hughes for an offensive zone cycle. You could only laugh at the audacity of Hughes to remain completely unfazed after being pinned in the d-zone for three minutes by the Oilers’ best five-man unit.

All told, Hughes spent 2:34 on the ice against the Oilers’ top group before gaining the zone and changing off. Hughes took a minute-and-change to rest on the bench, then went back out for his next shift.

With six minutes left in the frame, Kasperi Kapanen ripped a one-timer past Demko that evened the score at 1-all.

It was a pretty bad look for the Garland, Bains, and Filip Chytil trio. After a run of chances, all three forwards were caught below the goal line, gifting the Oilers an easy-as-pie 4-on-2 rush against a woefully inexperienced duo of Pettersson (D) and Willander.

oilers score
Edmonton gets an odd man rush and Kasperi Kapanen has all the time to blow the puck past Demko. Tie game, 1-1#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/WZbrCq8Jym

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

On his next shift, Willander got caught hanging his arm around Noah Philp for too long behind Demko’s net, giving Edmonton their second power play of the game. This time, the Oilers’ power play didn’t mess around. Evan Bouchard rifled a shot over a sprawling Blueger and off of Demko’s glove. Bouchard’s rebound deflected right onto the tape of Leon Draisaitl’s stick. Yadda, yadda, yadda: 2-1 Edmonton.

Oilers score.
Patience from McDavid, a shot from Bouchard and a rebound for Draisaitl on the power play. 2-1 EDM#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/NTqFUCEICK

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

Making matters worse, Vasili Podkolzin sent Pettersson (D) to the room early, taking the rookie defenceman out with a hard hit behind the goal line.

DePetey gets hit awkwardly by Vasily Podkolzin and was slow to get to the Canucks' bench.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/7NwexBvorZ

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

Demko provided the only positive moment of the period for Vancouver, robbing Trent Frederic with a sprawling pad save.

Thatcher Demko robs Trent Frederic to keep the Canucks down by one going into the third period.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/kmWjvv3fs1

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

Some takeaways from the second period:

-Yeesh.

-Elias Pettersson (F), Brock Boeser, and Jake DeBrusk played the most minutes against the McDavid-Draisaitl combo, getting outshot 2-to-1, which is fine. What was not fine was that trio generating absolutely nothing against the rest of the Oilers’ lineup on home ice. Yes, yes, it’s preseason. Still, the Canucks needed signs of life in the second period, and their first line generated <checks notes> just two shot attempts from Pettersson? Not great!

Third Period​

After initially being MIA, Elias Pettersson (D) returned to the bench shortly after the start of the period.

Early into the frame, Demko showed off his absurd flexibility while taking away space from Andrew Mangiapane.

Thatcher Demko stretches out to prevent Andrew Mangiapane from getting a shot away.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/pYm1iOys8y

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

A dominant shift from Sherwood and O’Connor seemingly spun momentum back in Vancouver’s favour.

After making an incredible diving backcheck on Mangiapane, Pettersson (F) sprang up ice with DeBrusk for a rush chance, drawing a holding penalty against Matthias Ekholm to give Vancouver a second power play opportunity.

Forty-three seconds into the man-advantage, Lekkerimäki further made his case for an opening night roster spot with his second one-timer goal of the game.

Prime Time gets his second off another absolute rocket pic.twitter.com/nxzcq3PVFG

— Wyatt Arndt (@TheStanchion) October 4, 2025

2-2 Tie

Not long after tying the game, Demko was forced into heroics again when Edmonton’s Matt Savoie blitzed past a flatfooted Willander for a breakaway try.

Demko makes *another* game-saving stop, this time on a Matt Savoie breakaway.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/Q57unJFQtY

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

Arshdeep Bains had his best chance of the game, rifling a rebound off the post.

Past the midway point of the period, Conor Garland drew a roughing minor against Mangiapane. Then, seconds after the opening draw, Pettersson drew a “removing an opponent’s helmet” minor penalty against Leon Draisaitl, giving Vancouver a lengthy 5-on-3 power play opportunity.

Unfortunately, Evander Kane took a lazy tripping minor against Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to start the 5-on-3, giving the Canucks 1:20 of 4-on-3 time, starting from the d-zone. Interestingly, Foote went with a group of Hughes, Pettersson, DeBrusk, and Boeser.

Evander Kane takes a bad penalty now, a tripping call that makes it a 4-on-3 power play for 1:20.#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/nmcdJWA5VH

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

Nothing came of either man-advantage, but the Canucks felt like they were firmly in the driver’s seat until the conclusion of the period.

Some Third Period takeaways:

-Adam Foote needed one power play shift to see what Lekkerimäki could do with time and space and a one-timer before moving him to a power play unit featuring Hughes. Yet, he did not trust Lekkerimäki enough for the 5-on-3, or 4-on-3 opportunity, despite being the club’s most lethal shooter. Curious.

-Evander Kane looked a step behind all night. A concerning number of passes from Lekkerimäki and Cootes went within reach, only for Kane to look two steps behind to catch the pass. The best compliment I can give Kane is that he had a handful of OK chip-and-chase efforts. Otherwise, colour me unimpressed.

Overtime​

To start overtime, Foote rolled a trio of Hronek, Pettersson, and DeBrusk. After winning possession, Hronek changed off for Hughes and DeBrusk for Boeser.

Smelling an opening, Conor Garland drove through the middle and around Pickard’s left leg for the game-winner! Not just against anyone, against McDavid and Draisaitl no less!

CANUCKS WIN IN OOOOOOVERTIIIIME
Conor Garland finds his lane, gets behind the Oilers defence and tucks the puck past Pickard, and the Canucks close the preseason with a 3-2 OT victory!!#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/AkYtbmtGHr

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 4, 2025

3-2 Canucks final.

Some takeaways from the game:

-Hughes looks like he’s already campaigning for his second Norris Trophy. I don’t know what he does for cardio training, but he’s a freak. He’s the fastest kid alive.

-Lekkerimäki and Cootes looking both dynamic offensively, sound defensively, and a step faster than their veteran linemate, Evander Kane, has surely guaranteed both’s place on the opening night roster. They were difference makers against an opening night calibre Edmonton Oilers roster. That’s saying something.

-I don’t want to do the “he’s back” thing, but Demko looks so back. I really liked his game tonight. ‘Regular-season Hellebuyck’ tier of composure between the pipes tonight.

What’s your instant reaction to this game? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/instan...twice-help-canucks-defeat-oilers-3-2-overtime

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Canucks assign Max Sasson to Abbotsford

The Canucks are another cut closer to their opening night roster after announcing that forward Max Sasson has been assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks. The 25-year-old centre is waiver-exempt and is free to join the AHL team immediately.

Sasson played in three preseason games for the Canucks over the last two weeks, picking up a pair of goals in the process during their 8-1 win over the Flames. And while the Canucks’ centre depth has been a major talking point all offseason and into October, the skills Sasson provides as a depth forward don’t align with those needs currently.

MAX SASSON WITH THE BRACE
Another Canucks shorthanded goal and it's 8-1 late!#Canucks
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/31pGgivmai

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 2, 2025

The centre position has a glut of players fighting for the three spots behind Elias Pettersson, and so far rookie Braeden Cootes has been the most surprising outside option. Filip Chytil has impressed well enough to fill the second line job (at least for the time being), while the fourth spot is a battle between Teddy Blueger (a bonafide lock) and Aatu Räty, who’s also waivers exempt.

Sasson is returning to an Abbotsford squad where he was a crucial part of the team’s Calder Cup championship, finishing third on the team and ninth in AHL postseason scoring with 14 points. As far as his NHL future is concerned, it’s clear that Sasson will be one of the first call ups should an injury fell a forward.

Sasson’s 29 games with the Canucks yielded only seven points, but his standing as one of Abbotsford’s top forwards and waiver-exempt status make him an easy player for Patrik Allvin to promote early.

Sasson’s league minimum cap hit of $775,000 on his one-year deal also makes him a very team-friendly depth option.

He’s appeared in 104 AHL games over the last two years with the Canucks, scoring 32 goals and 76 points. He had a strong run for the team enroute to their Calder Cup win last year, scoring five goals and 14 points in 24 games.

Sasson joined the organization in 2023 as free agent after finishing two years of collegiate hockey at Western Michigan University.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-assign-max-sasson-abbotsford

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

What are the betting markets saying about the 2025-26 Canucks?

The Vancouver Canucks have their final dress rehearsal tonight against the Edmonton Oilers before kicking off their season in less than a week against the Calgary Flames.

While there are still many questions to be answered regarding the Canucks’ roster and who will make the opening night lineup, the betting market appears to have a sense of how Vancouver will perform in 2025-26.

Following a breakout 2023-24 season, the betting markets thought highly of the Canucks, projecting them as one of the favourites to repeat as Pacific Division champions. However, nobody could have expected the injuries and turmoil in the locker room that resulted in the Canucks regressing enough to miss the postseason entirely.

Can the Canucks return to the playoffs? Or will fans see their team miss the postseason for the fifth time in six years? Let’s see what the betting markets think:

Team Stats​

Canucks to make the playoffs (+105)

Examining the odds board, the betting market indicates that the Canucks will likely miss the playoffs this season. They have the Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, Utah Mammoth and St. Louis Blues all with better odds of making the postseason.

Canucks regular season points 90.5 (-105)

Following a 109-point 2023-24 season, the Canucks had a regular season point total of 99.5. Heading into this season, they’ve dropped nine points in the projections down to 90.5. As reflected in the odds to make the playoffs, the Canucks have the 10th-highest regular season point total in the Western Conference, trailing only the Blues and Mammoth by two points.

Canucks to win Pacific division (+1400)

As defending Pacific Division champions, Vancouver was given +300 to repeat. However, this season has seen their odds drop substantially to +1400. The betting markets have the Pacific Division as a two-horse race between the Golden Knights (+150) and Oilers (+155). The Kings, who had one of the worst July 1s in the league, have a far better chance to win the division at +425 odds, which makes sense considering they finished second last season.

Canucks to win the Stanley Cup (+5500)

Many believed the Canucks had officially broke out of a hopeful playoff team to a Stanley Cup contender, as they were just +1400 to win the Stanley Cup. However, their missed postseason dropped their odds all the way down to +5500. To put that into perspective, the Blues are one spot ahead of them at +4000, and the Philadelphia Flyers are the one below them at +7500 odds.

Odds courtesy of bet365

Player Stats​

Here are the top seven Canucks players’ point and goal projections, according to the betting markets.

Evander Kane – 17.5 goals | 35.5 points

The 34-year-old is far from his prime days, as he was in Winnipeg, Buffalo, and even San Jose. Before missing the entire 2024-25 season due to sports hernia surgery, Kane had 39 points in 43 games, 28 points in 41 games and 44 points in 77 games. The 6’2″ power forward has proven he’s still got the offensive chops to produce, but it’s been his health that has restricted him. However, heading into a contract year and playing in his hometown, Kane should be extra motivated to prove to his new organization that he’s worth an extension.

Filip Chytil – 18.5 goals | 39.5 points

The 2025-26 season presents Chytil’s biggest opportunity yet in the NHL, starting the season as a No. 2 centre. Chytil has only ever reached the 40-point mark in one season – the 2022-23 season, when he scored 22 goals and 45 points in 74 games. But like Kane, it’s not skill that will hold Chytil back; it’s injury. We all know about his concussion history, but if he is to stay healthy and produce in his elevated role, Chytil should smash this line and have a career year.

Jake DeBrusk – 23.5 goals | 45.5 points

Last season, DeBrusk had a betting line of 48.5 points. This was ultimately a fantastic line, as DeBrusk scored 28 goals and 20 assists for 48 points. This season, DeBrusk’s line drops three points to 45.5 – a feat he has surpassed in two of the past three seasons. According to training camp and preseason, DeBrusk is skating on a line with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser on the top line, and that configuration has not varied much. And if fans believe in a Pettersson bounce-back, it should trickle to his linemates’ success as well.

Conor Garland – 20.5 goals | 53.5 points

Garland has been great since joining the Canucks. However, he has yet to hit either of these projections. In his four seasons in Vancouver, Garland has always finished between the 17-20 goal and 46-52 point mark. One big question mark surrounding Garland heading into the 2025-26 season is where he’s going to play. He skated with Nils Höglander and Teddy Blueger in training camp, but in yesterday’s practice, he skated with Kane and Chytil on the presumed second line. If that’s where he begins the season, and those linemates stay healthy, then Garland could certainly have his best season as a Canuck.

Brock Boeser – 28.5 goals | 58.5 points

Boeser has only eclipsed these projections in the 2023-24 season, where he scored 40 goals and 76 points in 81 games. Last season, the betting markets had Boeser projected to score 32.5 goals and 64.5 points. Even if he played a full 82-game season, Boeser’s 25 goals and 50 points would still have him short of those projections. Now slated to be Pettersson’s running mate, Canucks brass are hoping the two can spark their old chemistry from the early 2020s.

Elias Pettersson – 27.5 goals | 76.5 points

There were high expectations for Pettersson last season, as the betting markets had projected the Swede to score 34.5 goals and 90.5 points. However, a knee injury affected his offseason training, which led to a slow start to the season, and that really didn’t turn around until March. He finished far below last year’s projections, scoring just 15 goals and 45 points. But coming into this season, Pettersson looks dangerous and determined to show Canucks fans that he can bounce-back to the player they remember him to be. Pettersson has surpassed the goal projection in four of his seven seasons and his point totals twice in his career.

Quinn Hughes – 15.5 goals | 84.5 points

There should be no doubt about Quinn’s ability to hit these projections. Hughes exploded onto the scene in 2023-24, where he scored 17 goals and 92 points in 82 games. Had injuries not limited him to just 68 games, Quinn would have smashed last year’s point projection of 84.5 points, as he was on pace to replicate his 92-point season. Hughes has carried the team on his back for the previous two seasons; there’s no reason to expect he can’t surpass this year’s totals with a full bill of health.

Kane, Chytil, Garland, DeBrusk, and Boeser odds courtesy of PlayNow.

Pettersson and Hughes odds courtesy of bet365.

Awards​

Here are the five of the Canucks’ odds to win significant hardware this season:

James Norris Trophy – Quinn Hughes (+200) / Hart Trophy – Quinn Hughes (+4000)

Coming off his 2023-24 Norris Trophy campaign, Hughes was given +700 odds to repeat. And he very well could have had he not missed 14 games. In fact, he was so dominant that many started to give him Hart Trophy consideration. This season, the betting markets view the Norris Trophy as a two-horse race between Cale Makar and Hughes. The two defencemen are the only two blueliners with under +1000 odds.

It’s much more of a long shot for Hughes to win the Hart Trophy at +4000 odds. However, suppose it’s a repeat of last season, where Pettersson can’t find his game and Hughes leads the team in points and into the playoffs. If that’s the case, the Canucks captain should be viewed as one of the most valuable players to his team across the league – if he isn’t viewed as that already.

Jack Adams – Adam Foote (+2500)

The Jack Adams Award typically goes to the coach who turns around a struggling organization and brings them to the postseason. Well, after Rick Tocchet won the award in 2023-24, and the Canucks missed the playoffs last year, they fall into that category this season – especially for first-year Head Coach Adam Foote. However, Foote has a few other coaches who are in the same situation with better odds to win the award: Andre Tourigny (Utah Mammoth), Joel Quenneville (Anaheim Ducks), Dean Evason (Columbus Blue Jackets), Mike Sullivan (New York Rangers), and Todd McLellan (Detroit Red Wings).

Vezina Trophy – Thatcher Demko (+4000)

These odds seem a little disrespectful for a goaltender who finished runner-up for the award just two seasons ago. By all accounts, it appears Demko is fully healthy heading into the 2025-26 campaign. He will need to stay healthy to earn consideration this season, but with the best defence corps to start the year he’s had in his career, Demko has extreme value on this line. However, with the coaching staff likely managing his starts, especially with a quality 1B in Kevin Lankinen behind him, he may not play enough games to garner votes for the trophy.

Calder Trophy – Jonathan Lekkerimäki (+5000)

Now, this is a long shot. However, with the Höglander injury, Lekkerimäki has a chance at making the opening night roster. And if he can continue to play as he has in the preseason, Lekkerimäki could carve out a role at the NHL level. He’ll need to fit in the top six to get any consideration. But if you read into the Canucks’ training camp lines, they had Höglander with Blueger and Garland on the presumed third line and Lekkerimäki in the top six with Kane and Chytil. So, there’s an even clearer path for the 21-year-old to take this opportunity and run with it. However, the betting markets have Ivan Demidov as a runaway favourite at +180 odds.

What do you think, Canucks fans? Do you think the betting markets are being fair to the Canucks and their player projections? Will they go over or under those totals? Let us know in the comments below!

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/what-betting-markets-saying-about-2025-26-vancouver-canucks

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Scenes from practice: Blueger absent as Canucks skate for final time before Monday’s roster dealdline

With the set-up for Monday’s NBA preseason game taking over Rogers Arena, the Vancouver Canucks skated at UBC on Sunday morning. It was the team’s final on-ice session before the season-opening roster had to be set at 2pm PT on Monday afternoon.

What we saw​

The Canucks had 20 skaters and two goaltenders on the ice. Defencemen Derek Forbort and P-O Joseph were absent for a third straight day. Both are nursing minor injuries while veteran centre Teddy Blueger was also given the day off. He is ‘a little dinged up’ in the words of assistant coach Scott Young.

Defenceman Elias Pettersson was among the first skaters on the ice for practice. That was a good sign since the young blueliner was on the receiving end of a hard hit by former Canuck Vasily Podkolzin in Friday’s 3-2 overtime win. Pettersson left the game briefly on the orders of the league concussion spotter, but did return. However, if he was feeling any after effects of the collision he likely would have been held out of Sunday’s practice. Instead, he was a full participant.

#Canucks on Sunday at UBC
DeBrusk-EP40-Boeser
Bains-Chytil-Garland
Kane-Cootes-Lekkerimaki
O’Connor-Raty-Sherwood
Karlsson

Hughes-Hronek
MP29-Myers
EP25-Mancini
Willander

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) October 5, 2025

Arshdeep Bains took the first line rushes with Filip Chytil and Conor Garland, although Linus Karlsson did spot in on occasion. But the early indications are that Bains is going to get that opportunity after playing in that spot on Friday night.

The Canucks will have another team day off Monday before beginning their final preparations for Thursday’s season opener against Calgary.

#Canucks going with the two nets in one zone at practice pic.twitter.com/eQn5mFu1V2

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) October 5, 2025

What we heard​

Assistant coach Scott Young says the organization was pleased with camp and the preseason: “As a coaching staff, we certainly feel like this group is ready. It’s not just the work ethic, it’s their attitude. They’re happy. They’re working hard. They’re enjoying their time at the rink. They’re showing up at the rink ready to work. And that’s all we can ask of them.”

Rookie Braeden Cootes on still being on the roster a day before final cuts are made: “I try not to worry about it. That’s not really in my control. I take everything day by day. I’m just tyring to earn another day.”

Arshdeep Bains on skating once again in top six role with Chtyil and Garland: “Just making sure I’m in the right spots for them. They can both make great plays and they’re pretty good at hunting pucks, too. And I think I’m pretty good at that. So we’re just trying to take advantage of what we’re all good at.”

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Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/scenes...ucks-skate-final-time-monday-roster-dealdline