Elias Pettersson is giving the Vancouver Canucks exactly the kind of start that can change the tone of a season.
Through five games, the Canucks’ top centre has piled up two goals and six assists, and he’s riding a five-game point streak that matches the longest opening run of his career. That mark goes all the way back to his rookie year in 2018-19, which tells you just how sharp he’s been out of the gate.
The next test comes Saturday against a New Jersey Devils team that has already shown some cracks. New Jersey is 1-2-0 to start the season, and its only victory came in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers. Since then, the Devils have been outscored badly, dropping a 6-0 decision to the New York Islanders before falling 5-3 to the Utah Mammoth.
They’ve had three days to sit with that loss to Utah, and they’ll be looking for a response. This was supposed to be the year New Jersey pushed forward after missing the playoffs, but the early results haven’t matched the billing.
Vancouver, meanwhile, comes into the game without a full picture on its lineup. The Canucks didn’t practice Friday, and with an early 3:30 p.m. local start in New Jersey, there won’t be a morning skate Saturday either. That leaves the projected lineup as a bit of a puzzle.
Up front, the top six is expected to look like this: Jake DeBrusk with Pettersson and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, then Paul Cotter centering Marco Rossi and Brock Boeser. The third line projects as Liam Öhgren, Max Sasson and Linus Karlsson, with Arshdeep Bains, Drew O’Connor and Brendan Gallagher on the fourth.
On the blue line, the Canucks are projected to go with Zeev Buium and Filip Hronek, Jamie Oleksiak and Tom Willander, plus Elias Pettersson and Luke Schenn. In goal, Leevi Meriläinen and Kevin Lankinen are both listed, but the starter has not been confirmed.
The expectation is that the goalie who doesn’t start Saturday will get the nod Sunday against the New York Rangers, since Vancouver is on the second night of a back-to-back. After Meriläinen came on in relief Thursday when Lankinen allowed six goals on 18 shots, Saturday would seem to be the spot for Meriläinen.
There could also be some changes among the forwards and on defense. After Aatu Räty and Victor Mancini had a rough night against the Carolina Hurricanes, Brendan Gallagher and Luke Schenn would not be surprising additions back into the lineup.
Cotter has his own storyline in this one. He’s set to face the Devils for the first time since they let him go to free agency, and he comes in with momentum of his own.
Across two seasons in New Jersey, he scored 25 goals and totaled 37 points. With Vancouver, he’s on pace for a massive year: 66 goals and 98 points.
New Jersey’s lineup also has a few moving parts, though both of its injury concerns appear manageable. Jonas Siegenthaler was hurt Tuesday, and Jack Hughes missed practice Thursday for what the team called a maintenance day, but both are expected to play Saturday.
The Devils’ projected lineup has Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and Luke Evangelista on the top line, with Anthony Mantha, Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt behind them. Arseny Gritsyuk, Evan Rodrigues and Dawson Mercer form the third line, while Amadeus Lombardi, Cody Glass and Jesper Boqvist are slotted on the fourth.
On defense, New Jersey is projected to roll with Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce, Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton, and Brenden Dillon and Declan Chisholm. Jake Allen and Nico Daws are listed in goal.
In Other News...
Senators Wins Will Mean Even More To Ottawa Fans This Season
Ottawa fans already had a reason to track every Senators win this season, and now there is one more layer to the celebration. Captain Thomas Chabot and alternate captain Tim Stutzle have tied a charitable pledge to the teams results, with each player committing to donate for every victory to benefit the CHEO Foundation, a push supported by the Senators Community Foundation and amplified through a dedicated website for fans who want to contribute.
The effort carries a deeply personal meaning, honoring Griffin Bell, a young Senators fan who died of cancer. The campaign had already gotten off to a meaningful start by the time it was announced, with the players having logged donations based on three wins, and it adds a human stake to a season in which Ottawas success now reaches beyond the standings and into the community around the team. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Fans Will Notice A New Game Day Push At Both Arenas
Canucks Sports & Entertainment has lined up a fresh arena upgrade through a new partnership aimed at making game nights a little easier on the fans in Vancouver and Abbotsford. The agreement centers on a broader beverage selection at Rogers Arena and Rogers Forum, with familiar names like Canada Dry, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta now part of the in-building mix, all supported by local production and distribution in British Columbia.
The move is about more than just whats pouring at the concession stand. Both sides say they want the arrangement to show up in the arena experience itself, with activations and integrated branding designed to keep the partnership visible from the moment fans walk in until the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Cotter Is Giving Canucks Fans A New Reason For Belief
Paul Cotter made an immediate impression in his first game for the Canucks, scoring twice in the season-opening victory over Edmonton and showing the kind of impact Vancouver hoped to get when it brought him in. The performance put him in rare company right away, as he became just the sixth player in franchise history to score multiple goals in his Vancouver debut.
Cotter also talked afterward about the mindset behind keeping that level of play rolling, which is exactly the sort of detail that matters now that the first-night buzz has already faded. Vancouver will get a more revealing test next as he heads back to New Jersey, where he spent two seasons and is set to see a familiar group of former teammates across the ice. [Read more 🡒]