Two more helpers in loss.
Notched two assists, three blocked shots and a minus-2 rating in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Hronek helped out on goals by Arshdeep Bains and Jamie Oleksiak. The 28-year-old Hronek has four helpers, three shots on net and six blocks across the first two contests of the season. While he has yet to log a hit, Hronek can still throw the body around while contributing plenty of offense. He has multi-category upside from the Canucks' top pairing, making him a decent depth option in fantasy.
Contributes pair of points.
Scored a goal, dished an assist, added two PIM, doled out two hits and blocked two shots in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Oleksiak is off to a strong start in his first year with the Canucks, earning three points, five hits, four blocks and a minus-2 rating over two contests. The 33-year-old is seeing a resurgence in ice time so far as a top-four shutdown option while the Canucks shelter younger blueliners like Elias Pettersson and Tom Willander. Oleksiak has fallen short of the 20-point mark in three straight years, and while he may get more ice time for Vancouver than he did for Seattle, the offense is far from a guarantee to stick around.
Another two-point game.
Scored a goal, dished an assist and added five hits in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Cotter has opened the season with back-to-back multi-point efforts. He was involved in the Canucks' first two goals Thursday, scoring their first before setting up Brock Boeser for the second. Cotter isn't seeing power-play time yet, but he could earn a role there if he continues to produce in a bottom-six role. He's added four shots, seven hits and a plus-3 rating, and the physicality should remain steady even once the offense fades.
Collects two points in loss.
Scored a goal and added an assist in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Bains made the Canucks' Opening Night roster and has featured in a bottom-six role to begin the season. These were his first two points of the year to go with two blocked shots and a plus-2 rating. The 25-year-old winger had logged just six points over 49 career NHL games prior to this year, and he was limited to 24 points in 34 regular-season outings for AHL Abbotsford last year. Given his expected role on a weak team, Bains likely won't be a steady source of offense in 2026-27.
Earns two points in loss.
Scored a goal on two shots, dished a power-play assist and added two hits in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Boeser has started the season well thanks to a couple of high-scoring games between these teams. He has one goal, two power-play assists and three shots on net over those contests. The 29-year-old winger is on the second line but also features on the first power-play unit. His 48 points last year represented his lowest total in four years, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him bounce back to the 50-55 point range in 2026-27.
Produces three points.
Scored a power-play goal, added two assists and doled out eight hits in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Both of Pettersson's tallies this season have come on the power play. The Oilers' defense isn't anything to write home about, but Pettersson starting the year with four points over two games should give him some confidence. Prior to his plunge on offense over the last two seasons, he displayed point-per-game potential. It may be tough to get to that level this year, but it's worth it for fantasy managers to see if they can buy low on the 27-year-old if he's setting the foundation for a rebound year.
Racks up three points in loss.
Scored twice on four shots, dished a power-play assist, added two PIM and logged two hits in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Rossi was involved in three goals in a span of 5:44 early in the third period. The 25-year-old center is off to a positive start with four points, five shots on net and two hits across two games this season. While most of the Canucks' roster can be ignored in fantasy, Rossi's spot on the second line makes him a moderately intriguing option if he can keep his scoring numbers up.
Makes team debut in relief appearance.
Stopped 10 of 11 shots in relief of Kevin Lankinen in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Merilainen did his part in the latter half of the game, almost allowing the Canucks to put together a comeback. Lankinen has struggled heavily to start the campaign, though it's tough to expect Merilainen to do any better behind a roster that will be outmatched most of the time. Both goalies should get a start this weekend since the Canucks will host the Flames on Saturday and the Golden Knights on Sunday.
Chased from Thursday's loss.
Allowed eight goals on 20 shots before he was pulled in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Analysis: Lankinen stole a win over the Oilers on Tuesday, but he couldn't do it again. He's now allowed 13 goals on 57 shots over two games versus Edmonton, though not all of his appearances will be against such a tough offense to face. Still, the Canucks' defense looks about as bad as expected, which means it will be a long campaign for the team's goaltenders. With a back-to-back up next -- Saturday versus the Flames and Sunday against the Golden Knights, both at home -- expect Lankinen and Leevi Merilainen to split the next two starts.
If you are wondering what to make of the Vancouver Canucks after Thursday's 9-7 carnival-ride loss to the Edmonton Oilers, you are not alone.
The Oilers almost gave away an 8-2 lead Thursday night before doing enough to beat the Canucks. After two games, it’s clear Mike Babcock has plenty of work ahead when it comes to team defence.
Gets in on goal fest.
Scored a goal and added two hits in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.
Analysis: Michaels is filling a third-line role in the absences of Jason Dickinson (foot) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (lower body). The goal was Michaels' first at the NHL level in just his second game. The 24-year-old forward was a solid producer in the NCAA, earning 26 points in 39 games with Western Michigan University in 2025-26. Michaels will need to perform well to keep his place in the NHL once the Oilers get healthy.
Buries goal in win.
Scored a goal and went plus-3 in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.
Analysis: Shea has a goal, an assist and a plus-2 rating over two contests with the Oilers. He broke out to the tune of 35 points and a plus-30 rating over 80 regular-season games with the Penguins last year, establishing himself as a top-four option before signing a five-year deal with the Oilers. Edmonton's defense is still a work in progress, but Shea has been good enough and should have freedom to contribute on offense with a steadfast defender in Connor Murphy as his partner.
Finds twine in high-scoring win.
Scored a goal on two shots, added two PIM and logged two hits in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.
Analysis: Frederic has handled fourth-line minutes so far this season, and his spot in the lineup should be safe while the Oilers are battling a handful of injuries. The winger has a goal, three shots on net and six hits over two contests. Frederic is coming off an abysmal seven-point performance in 74 regular-season outings last year, so there's almost nowhere to go but up. He'll be a better source of hits and PIM than offense, but he should still be able to get into the 15-20 point range if he plays regularly.
+1 faceoffs lost on Sep 30.