Breadcrumb Trail Links
Published Oct 01, 2026 • 4 minute read
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Can the Canucks maintain their momentum and continue to outplay the Oilers?
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We can only hope they carry this momentum into their home opener at Rogers Arena tonight against Edmonton, following their surprising victory on the road.
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Patrick Johnston provides a preview of tonight’s matchup.
Remember Tuesday? That was fun. That was silly. That was everything Canucks fans want: they just want to see a team with heart. And Paul Cotter certainly has that in spades.
Playing at home, feeling the vibes of a hopeful home crowd? You know the Canucks will want to go an improbable two for two.
The history: Tuesday saw Cotter score twice and singles from Marco Rossi, Max Sasson, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Elias Pettersson (the forward). The Canucks went 1-3-0 against the Oilers last season.
The hope: The Oilers looked brutal defensively and goalie Tristan Jarry was just as bad. Head coach Mike Babcock was greatly displeased post-game; can he find any solutions in the 48 hours between games? The Canucks hope not.
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Patrick also shares a feature on the journey of the Canucks’ new head coach, Manny Malhotra, and what his arrival means for the team.
In Edmonton, the organization is shuffling players between the NHL and its minor-league affiliates after a single loss, yet the focus of criticism remains on the Oilers’ goaltending.
As weak as Jarry was, Mike Babcock was right when he refused to blame the goalie for the loss, noting that plenty went wrong for the Oilers in the game.
Said the Oilers coach: “We didn’t do things right. We turned the puck over. We stayed out too long on the ice. We made poor decisions.”
He later added, “Our part is to play way better. That was ridiculous.”
It was indeed ridiculous.
And there were indeed poor decisions.
Each goal against was marked by an Oilers player or two or three being out of position for one reason or another.
How to fix all this? Better goaltending is critical, given how many more Grade A shots Edmonton had compared to Vancouver.
But as I see it, the Game 1 loss also had to do with growing pains, with Babcock and the players trying to find out what does and doesn’t work, with all of them sorting out a new system and a more aggressive manner of play.
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We can expect more of the same in games to come, but we can also expect the coach and the players to start solving one issue after another. Recalling Samanski and playing Levi would represent two solid steps in the right direction. Better decision-making on defence is also crucial.
The autopsies and inquests are just beginning in Edmonton but if we harken back to former columnist Ed Willes’ penchant for weaving in classic rock references, when you think of the Oilers and Babcock, a hard-ass defensive minded coach who was brought in to steel up the soft Oilers, you can’ help but think of The Who’s famous lyric in the aptly-name Won’t Get Fooled Again, ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’.
Tracking this development should prove interesting, provided you can tolerate the commentary of longtime Canucks critic Mark Spector this season.
There was a time when the Oilers were thrilled with a game like this, but that time has passed. This season was supposed to be about defensive responsibility, limiting chances, and responsible play.
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Then the 32nd-place team walks into your barn on Opening Night and scores six on you.
Yikes!
“We can talk about these guys and talent, but we have to do things right as a group,” said a disgusted head coach. “Tonight, while it looked like we were trending in the right direction … the great thing about the National Hockey League is if you don’t do it right, you feel bad when you leave the rink.”
Folks in Edmonton have watched a version of this game for years. This was Babcock’s first screening.
Puck Luck
For those interested in betting on the Canucks, ESPN has examined one wager for each NHL franchise.
Vancouver Canucks Under 74.5 Regular Season Points (-110): The Canucks will likely register more than the 58 points earned last season, but not that many more. New GM Ryan Johnson, along with the rest of his management team, is playing the long-game. There’s no pressing sense of urgency. On paper, Vancouver’s squad is the weakest in the league and there are only so many points to go around. If they accumulate 70 by April 10, that will be viewed as a step in the right direction.
Although the opening win was encouraging, it has not significantly altered Vancouver’s season outlook. The Athletic’s algorithm still projects the Canucks at roughly a six percent chance to reach the playoffs and under a one percent chance to win a playoff round or the Stanley Cup.
Canucks Live runs every Monday‑Friday through the season, we’ll update the post several times throughout the day whenever news from the team emerges.
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