Big hits still turn heads, and right now the Canucks have two blueliners delivering exactly that kind of jolt.
Luke Schenn has built a career on playing on the edge and through contact, and Elias Pettersson - the defenceman - has been right there with him through the first four games of the season. Together, they’ve helped Vancouver control play, bring a heavy physical presence to a Canucks team that has needed it, and even chip in offense. Pettersson’s surprise goal was a game-winner.
The two may not line up together on Thursday in North Carolina, when Vancouver opens a six-game road trip, but their early work has already left a mark. Schenn, in his 19th NHL season, remains a throwback in a league that keeps leaning harder into speed and skill. Pettersson has fit that mold in his own way, and the pairing has given the Canucks exactly the kind of edge that gets a crowd involved.
“He’s had a hell of a career … so far,” a grinning Pettersson said last Saturday when asked if he would like to be his defence partner when he grows up.
That came after Vancouver’s 4-1 comeback win over Calgary, a game Schenn helped tilt with his usual brand of hard-nosed play. He set the tone with an early hit, fought as a result of it, and later stood up for his team when Adam Klapka was trying to stir chaos near the Canucks’ bench.
None of that was out of character for Schenn, who is in his third stint with Vancouver. The crowd knew exactly what it was seeing, and responded accordingly with repeated roars.
There’s also a clear mutual respect between the two defencemen. Schenn didn’t know what to expect from Pettersson coming into the season. Pettersson was drafted in the summer of 2022, while Schenn was in the middle of his second run with the Canucks, and Schenn had already been out of the organization by the time Pettersson made his NHL debut midway through the 2024-25 season.
Head coach Manny Malhotra said assistant coach Jordan Smith has also been a key part of Pettersson’s early comfort level.
“There’s a lot that goes into why he’s playing so confident,” Malhotra said post-game Saturday about the young defenceman. “Obviously, another year under his belt, he has a better understanding of who he is as a player, Smithy’s done a great job talking to him and just making sure he again simplifies the game, recognizes what he does well, and then plays physical and direct for us.”
In Other News...
Canucks Already Have An Aatu Rty Problem To Sort Out
Aatu Rty has barely gotten a foothold to start the 2026-27 season, sitting out the first two games as a healthy scratch and averaging just 9:43 of ice time when he has dressed. Before the Canucks headed out on their road trip, he was the extra forward at Tuesdays practice, which is not exactly the kind of usage that suggests a growing role. For a young player still trying to carve out a place in the lineup, it is already a delicate spot.
The bigger issue is what comes next, because the Canucks do not have many easy options if they decide he is not fitting cleanly into their system. Rtys path to a more secure role may involve a shift to wing, but even that comes with its own challenges, and the club cannot simply tuck him away in the AHL without risking losing him on waivers. For a team that would rather keep developing depth than giving it away, that makes his situation one to watch closely. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Loss Exposed The Early Problem Fans Were Worried About
Ottawas season opener had the kind of uneven start that can follow a team for a while, especially when the first period gets away from it early. The Senators fell 5-3 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena, and while there were positives on the scoresheet, the broader concern was familiar: Ottawa spent too much of the game on the back foot and had to chase after a rough opening stretch.
Tim Sttzle, William Eklund and Drake Batherson each chipped in with a goal and an assist, so the offense did show life. Samuel Ersson also settled in for his first start with Ottawa and made 31 saves, but the Senators were still dealing with early pressure and penalty trouble, the sort of issues that can quickly turn a tight game into one that feels like a scramble. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Schenn Knows What This Canucks Road Trip Could Really Build
On the eve of a long road trip, Luke Schenn was talking less about matchups and more about the small routines that can hold a team together when it leaves home. The veteran Canucks defenseman has spent years around different NHL rooms, and he said the culture around bonding has changed over time, but the purpose has stayed the same: team dinners, time away from the rink and a chance for players to connect and unwind.
For Vancouver, that matters now because the next stretch will keep the group away from home long enough for those habits to matter. Schenn framed the road as a place where a team can build something beyond the standings, and the Canucks are about to find out how much of that chemistry carries through a demanding trip through Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Florida and Tampa Bay. [Read more 🡒]