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The Vancouver Canucks open their 2025-26 NHL season at home on Thursday, against the Calgary Flames. The Canucks failed to make the playoffs last season in a rather disappointing season.
Vancouver didn't make a ton of moves this offseason, as the Canucks are hoping for players like Elias Pettersson to have a much better season. Ahead of its season opener, here is the Canucks' projected lineup for Game 1 of the season.
Canucks projected lines
Forwards
- Jake DeBrusk - Elias Pettersson - Brock Boeser
- Arshdeep Bains - Filip Chytil - Conor Garland
- Evander Kane - Braeden Cootes - Jonathan Lekkerimaki
- Drew O'Connor - Aatu Raty - Kiefer Sherwood
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The biggest news of the Canucks lineup is Braeden Cootes making the roster. Cootes was selected No. 15 in the 2025 NHL draft and impressed enough to earn the third-line center spot.
“I think we owe it to Braeden, obviously, he earned his way to be here today and [it’s] looking like he’s playing on Thursday, but I think we’ve got to be a little bit careful here and evaluate as we go along," Canucks GM Patrick Allvin said, via CanucksArmy.
"No difference from what we have done since he earned his first game in Seattle and continued to earn another day. So he’s young, but he’s playing a very, very mature game, so we’ll see here as we move along.”
The Canucks also added Evander Kane this offseason to add more toughness to the roster.
Defense
- Quinn Hughes - Filip Hronek
- Marcus Pettersson - Tyler Myers
- Derek Forbort - Elias Nils Pettersson
The Canucks have the same defensive unit from last season, which is led by Quinn Hughes, who is one of the top defensemen in the NHL and Vancouver's best player.
Goalie
- Thatcher Demko
- Kevin Lankinen
Demko is healthy and should start on the opening nigh,t as the Canucks have a good two-goalie tandem. Demko dealt with injuries last season as he went 10-8-3 with a 2.90 GAA and a .889 SV%. He's 7-5-3 with a 2.87 GAA and a .910 SV% in his career against the Flames.
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