3 key takeaways from Vancouver Canucks’ 2025-26 NHL schedule release

The Vancouver Canucks 2025-26 regular-season schedule has been officially released. With it comes the scrutiny of knowing what lies ahead for the club.

In particular, the Canucks face a grueling schedule this upcoming season. That’s why getting off to a strong start will be more important than ever for the team.

So, here’s a look at three key takeaways from the Vancouver Canucks’ 2025-26 regular season schedule.

3 key takeaways from Vancouver Canucks’ 2025-26 regular season schedule

#3 Major returns

The Vancouver Canucks will play two key return games this upcoming season. First, the Canucks will take on the St. Louis Blues on October 13 at Rogers Arena in a game that could feature Pius Suter’s return to Vancouver.

Then, the Canucks will take on the Philadelphia Flyers on December 30 in a game that will feature the return of Rick Tocchet and Noah Juulsen. The game at Rogers Arena will be one of the most anticipated matchups this season.

It’s worth pointing out that the Hughes brothers will face off against one another on December 14 in New Jersey and January 23 in Vancouver.

#2 Grueling road trips

The Vancouver Canucks will face numerous grueling road trips this upcoming season. The tough away games begin in October with a five-game swing. The Canucks open the season at home, go to Edmonton for one game, return to face the Blues, and then go on the road for five.

The Canucks will also have a five-game East Coast trip in December, taking the team through New Jersey, New York, to play the Rangers and Islanders, Boston, and Philly.

The longest trip the Canucks will endure this season is a six-game swing after the New Year. That trip will take the team to Buffalo, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the finale in Columbus. This trip includes back-to-back games and a three-games-in-four-nights situation.

On the bright side, the Canucks will have two eight-game homestands. So, even if the grueling road trip stands to be a challenge, at least the lengthy homestands can provide some measure of relief.

#1 Abundant Back-to-back sets

The Vancouver Canucks will play 13 back-to-back sets this upcoming season. The reason for the compressed schedule this year is the Olympic break in February. So, the league was forced to condense as many games as possible, as the NHL will pause for three weeks to accommodate the Milano-Cortina Games.

The Canucks stand to face rested teams in 10 of the 13 back-to-back sets they'll play in 2025-26. That situation will add to the challenge of playing these sets. So, the club will have to prioritize rest as much as possible.

As it stands, January figures to be the most demanding month as the Canucks will play 16 games. The good thing is that the team will have a chance to regroup once the Olympic break begins.