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Canucks' Elias Pettersson: Buries goal in Sunday's loss
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Pettersson scored a goal on two shots, added four hits and went plus-2 in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Rangers.
While the Canucks lost, Pettersson was a bright spot. The defenseman has two goals through seven games this season, though he hasn't supplied an assist. He has added eight shots on net, 13 hits, 12 blocked shots and a plus-6 rating, which is impressive defensive work on a team that is struggling as a whole. Pettersson doesn't have widespread fantasy appeal, but he could help in banger leagues.
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Canucks' Jake DeBrusk: Scores again in loss
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DeBrusk scored a goal in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Rangers.
DeBrusk has earned three goals and an assist over three games since he missed two contests due to an illness. The 29-year-old winger is filling a top-line role with the Canucks, though the lines have shuffled frequently as the team is off to a 2-5-0 start to the season. DeBrusk has three goals, two assists, 16 shots on net, five hits and an even plus-minus rating. Given his significant power-play role, he's worth a look for fantasy managers who can afford to take a risk with a depth forward.
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Canucks' Kevin Lankinen: Tagged for six goals in loss
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Lankinen stopped 19 of 25 shots in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Rangers.
Lankinen took the loss in a brief relief appearance Saturday, but he was not good in his start Sunday. After winning his season debut, Lankinen has lost his last five outings, allowing six or more goals in three of those defeats. He's also been pulled twice. Lankinen won't be winning anyone over with a 6.88 GAA and a .779 save percentage through six appearances. If he continues to struggle, Leevi Merilainen could supplant him as the Canucks' top goalie until Thatcher Demko (hip) is ready to play. The Canucks' road trip continues against the Islanders on Tuesday.
Lankinen is expected to defend the road net against the Rangers on Sunday, according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic.
Lankinen has struggled mightily early in the 2026-27 campaign, posting a 1-4-0 record and surrendering 23 goals on 106 shots. The Rangers (4-2-0) have scored 16 goals in six outings to begin the season.
Cootes scored a goal and added two assists in AHL Abbotsford's 4-3 win over Colorado on Saturday.
Cootes has taken to the AHL quickly, earning two goals and two assists over four games to start the season. The 19-year-old forward is taking advantage of a change in the AHL-CHL agreement, which now allows 19-year-old first-rounders to move to the AHL. Cootes could be a call-up candidate if he continues to dominate for Abbotsford, but don't expect the rebuilding Canucks to rush his development.
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Canucks' Linus Karlsson: Strikes for first goal of season
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Karlsson scored a power-play goal in Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Devils.
The 26-year-old opened the scoring early in the first period with a one-timer from the faceoff circle, but New Jersey dominated play the rest of the afternoon. Karlsson is coming off a solid first full season in the NHL in 2025-26, producing 15 goals and 35 points in 79 regular-season contests, and he's had a quick start to the current campaign with a goal and five points in five games.
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Canucks' Kevin Lankinen: Stuck with tough-luck loss in relief
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Lankinen allowed one goal on three shots in relief of Leevi Merilainen to take the loss in a 4-1 defeat against the Devils on Saturday.
Merilainen got the start but left the ice with less than six minutes remaining in the first period for some skate repairs. During that brief time, Lankinen gave up what proved to be the game-winning goal by Jesper Boqvist. Getting stuck with the unlikely loss sums up how Lankinen's season has gone so far. In five appearances (four starts), he's 1-4-0 with an atrocious .783 save percentage. The 31-year-old will likely get the nod for Sunday's road game against the Rangers, but his hold on the top spot on the Vancouver depth chart appears increasingly tenuous.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Busy day in New Jersey
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Merilainen stopped 31 of 34 shots for the Canucks during a 4-1 loss to the Devils on Saturday.
The 24-year-old netminder managed to avoid having the loss go on his record -- Merilainen left the ice late in the first period to get his skate repaired, and Kevin Lankinen wound up allowing the game-winning goal during his brief relief stint. All three pucks that got past Merilainen came on Devil power plays, and he made a number of big saves just to keep the game as close as it was. Through four appearances (two starts) this season, he boasts a .929 save percentage, compared to Lankinen's woeful .783 mark in five outings (four starts). Lankinen should get the start for Sunday's road contest against the Rangers, but Merilainen is making a strong case to take over the larger share of the workload in the crease for Vancouver.
Merilainen is set to start on the road against the Devils on Saturday, per Mike Morreale of NHL.com.
Merilainen has a 1-0-0 record, 1.62 GAA and .941 save percentage across three appearances this season. That's in stark contrast to Vancouver's other goaltender, Kevin Lankinen, who is 1-3-0 with a 7.06 GAA and a .786 save percentage in four outings. With that in mind, there might be an opportunity here for Merilainen to earn a bigger share of Vancouver's starts. New Jersey has gotten off to a slow start offensively, averaging just 2.00 goals through three games.
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Canucks' Anthony Romani: Pops off in Friday's win
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Romani scored two goals and added an assist in Michigan State University's 6-2 win over Northern Michigan University.
Romani is off to a strong start this year with a three-point game. He had 14 goals and 14 assists over 37 appearances for the Spartans as a freshman last season. Romani's decent offense in college bodes well for his long-term development despite the Canucks scooping him up in the sixth round in 2024.
Canucks' Elias Pettersson: Two helpers in Carolina
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Pettersson picked up two assists in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
The 27-year-old center had a hand in Jake DeBrusk tallies in the second and third periods, although the Canucks were already in a 4-0 hole before they got on the board. Pettersson is turning back the clock to begin 2026-27 after a couple rough campaigns, putting together a five-game point streak that features two goals and eight points along with 21 hits, eight shots on net, six blocked shots and a plus-3 rating. The talent that allowed him to rack up 39 goals and 102 points in 80 regular-season contests back in 2022-23 may be re-awakening.
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Canucks' Jake DeBrusk: Lights lamp twice in ugly loss
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DeBrusk scored both of the Canucks' goals in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
The veteran winger got pucks past Pyotr Kochetkov in the second and third periods, both times jumping on rebounds and wiring them home, but Vancouver was in a 4-0 hole before DeBrusk even scored his first one. It was a strong return to the lineup after he'd missed the prior two games due to an illness, and through three contests to begin the season DeBrusk has two goals on eight shots and three points in total.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Needed in relief again
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Merilainen turned aside 15 of 16 shots after replacing Kevin Lankinen to begin the third period of Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
It's already the second time this season that Lankinen has gotten an early hook, and Merilainen has looked sharp in a low-pressure relief situation. While Lankinen has faced the tougher assignments, the difference in their numbers so far couldn't be more stark -- Merilainen has won his only start while producing a 1.62 GAA and .941 save percentage in five periods of action, while Lankinen is 1-3-0 with a hideous 7.06 GAA and .786 save percentage. The Canucks play back-to-back games this weekend on the road against the Devils and Rangers as they continue an east coast swing, and if Merilainen outplays Lankinen once again, he could make a quick push to the top of the depth chart.
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Canucks' Kevin Lankinen: Chased from net again Thursday
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Lankinen gave up six goals on 18 shots before being replaced by Leevi Merilainen to begin the third period of Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
It's the second time in four starts to begin the season that Lankinen has gotten the hook, and the third time he's coughed up at least five goals. The 31-year-old netminder's dreadful 7.06 GAA and .786 save percentage can't even be blamed on the defense in front of him, as Merilainen has a 1.62 GAA and .941 save percentage in his start and two relief appearances. Lankinen's hold on the No. 1 job in the Vancouver crease may not last much longer if he can't regain some confidence quickly.
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Canucks' Kevin Lankinen: Defending road crease Thursday
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Lankinen was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports, indicating that he'll draw the road start against Carolina.
Lankinen will start for the fourth time in the Canucks' first five games of the regular season. He hasn't been particularly sharp over his first three starts, going 1-2-0 with a 6.49 GAA and .812 save percentage.
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