Canucks Notebook: Line Combos, Defence Pairings & Malhotra's Coaching Style

The Vancouver Canucks are set to play their first preseason game against the Seattle Kraken tonight. With a compressed training camp, new head coach Manny Malhotra is pushing an intense pace. Players report high energy as they prepare for the season opener on September 29th.

Early Line and Defence Combinations Hint at Opening Night

The shortened preseason means the Canucks must finalize their lines quickly. Coach Malhotra advised against overanalyzing early combinations, but some are likely to stick for opening night.

Elias Pettersson is skating with Jake DeBrusk again. Linus Karlsson has joined them on what could be the top line. Karlsson's aggressive play and strong battle level, noted last season, have impressed. Malhotra, familiar with Karlsson from Abbotsford where he scored 14 goals during their Calder Cup run, has given him a prominent opportunity.

Liam Ohgren – Marco Rossi – Jonathan Lekkerimaki

Malhotra has not reunited Liam Ohgren, Marco Rossi, and Brock Boeser. Instead, he has placed Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Abbotsford's top goal scorer last season, with the former Minnesota Wild duo. Lekkerimaki, recovering from shoulder surgery, has showcased his NHL-ready shot in camp, notably against prospect Aleksei Medvedev. As a 2022 first-round pick, he's expected to be a key part of the rebuild. His chemistry with close friend Ohgren, evident in Sweden, will be interesting to watch in game action.

Paul Cotter – Filip Chytil – Brock Boeser

Filip Chytil is a player to watch this preseason, aiming to build on last year's rehab. He's shown speed and effective transition play in camp, elements noticed when he joined the Canucks in 2024-25.

While there was speculation about Chytil's position, he appears set to play centre. Malhotra has paired him with Brock Boeser and newcomer Paul Cotter, forming a potential second line. Boeser and Chytil have played together before but lacked consistent time to build chemistry. Cotter's physical presence is expected to create offensive opportunities for the other two.

Drew O’Connor – Max Sasson – Brendan Gallagher

It's somewhat surprising that Max Sasson is centring this line instead of Aatu Raty, given Raty's faceoff ability. Drew O’Connor and Brendan Gallagher are expected wingers. Sasson and Raty have previously been top-six centres for Malhotra, suggesting familiarity isn't the sole reason for Sasson's placement.

Raty has been practicing with Trey Fix-Wolansky and Ty Mueller, forming a potential AHL line. It seems unlikely Sasson will start the season ahead of Raty, but he is being auditioned alongside two established NHL players.

Jamie Oleksiak – Filip Hronek

Filip Hronek is not paired with his usual partner, Zeev Buium. Instead, he's skating with the 6-foot-7 newcomer Jamie Oleksiak. This pairing could be tasked with shutting down opponents' top lines, allowing Buium more freedom to focus on his offensive game against weaker competition. Oleksiak's experience as a shutdown defenceman, known for blocking shots and physical play, suggests this could be an effective minute-munching top pairing.

Zeev Buium – Luke Schenn

Luke Schenn is expected to mentor another defenceman, similar to his role with Quinn Hughes. While Buium might have been expected to pair with Hronek again, Schenn was acquired to guide the blue line. Pairing him with Buium, who recently committed to Vancouver for nine years, makes sense for development.

Buium will soon understand why Schenn was valued by Hughes, not only for his defensive zone presence enabling offensive play but also for his off-ice contributions.

Elias Pettersson – Tom Willander

This young pairing of Elias Pettersson and Tom Willander could form the Canucks' future second defence pair. Pettersson has shown flashes of elite two-way play, while Willander has the potential for 50-60 points in his prime. Willander has arrived at camp looking stronger, more confident with the puck, and with improved passing skills. If this pair develops significantly this season, the Canucks' defence could become the NHL's most improved unit, barring injuries.

Could the Canucks Have the Next Rod Brind’Amour Behind the Bench?

Based on the initial days of camp, the possibility of new head coach Manny Malhotra emulating Rod Brind’Amour's success is intriguing. While it's early, Malhotra's approach so far is promising.

Like Brind’Amour, Malhotra appears to be in excellent shape. He's running practices with a focus on aggressive, high-energy play and solid defensive habits. He even participated in a bag skate with the players, surprising some veterans.

“Yeah, that would be a first where you’re getting toasted in the bag skate by your head coach,” said Luke Schenn.

Malhotra explained his philosophy: “Don’t ask others what you’re not willing to do yourself. Obviously, I time it so that I know that they’re a little bit more tired, so I can be a part of it. Our mentality as a coaching staff is that we’re all in this together; it’s not you guys and us. We’re a part of doing the work and … building something.”

This approach echoes Brind’Amour's style. While the season will be the true test, these early signs are a positive indicator for the Malhotra era.

Preseason Begins Against the Kraken

Canucks hockey is back. Tonight's preseason game against the Kraken will offer the first look at Malhotra's system in action. Fans can watch the game for free on Canucks.com or via Sportsnet+ with a subscription.