3 standouts from Canucks’ preseason loss to Oilers

On Thursday night, the Vancouver Canucks dressed very close to their opening-night lineup against an Edmonton Oilers lineup that consisted mostly of AHLers. The Canucks’ roster featured 6,789 games of NHL experience, while the Oilers had 912. In a 2-1 loss, the Canucks outchanced the Oilers’ depleted lineup with 55 shot attempts to 36. The total shots were 26 to 21 for the Canucks.

After falling behind 2-0 in the second period, the Canucks were never able to get much momentum going. They sprinkled in a few strong shifts of offensive zone possession but never strung anything together.

Despite the disheartening loss, this game was the first chance to see some of the Canucks’ young players alongside veterans in game action. Here are a few Canucks who stood out.

Linus Karlsson

For the first time in his career, there seems to be no doubt that Linus Karlsson will start the season in the Canucks’ NHL lineup. After a semi-breakout season in 2025-26, posting 15 goals and 35 points in 79 games for the Canucks, Karlsson proved he belonged at the NHL level.

At 26 years old, Karlsson still has the potential to reach an even higher level. Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra placing Karlsson on the top line with Elias Pettersson and Jake Debrusk shows the Canucks believe in that higher potential.

Karlsson led an efficient forecheck for his line all game. In the first period, after the Canucks fell behind the Oilers 1-0, Karlsson got in on the forecheck and laid a hard hit on the Oilers defenceman retrieving the puck. Following the hit, the puck popped free to a well-positioned Elias Pettersson, who found an open Jake Debrusk in the low slot for a strong scoring chance.

In the second period, Karlsson made his presence felt in front of Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry. On an early Canucks power play, the young Canucks’ second power play unit came over the boards. Jonathan Lekkermaki, Braeden Cootes, and Zeev Buium played catch along the blue line. Lekkermaki then fed Buium as he streaked down the left flank and let a shot go on net. Positioning himself at the top of the Oilers’ crease, the rebound landed right on Karlsson’s stick and he buried the puck into the open cage after a quick move to his forehand.

Karlsson and his linemates continued their strong forecheck and zone possession throughout the rest of the game. In Karlsson’s 13:59 at 5v5 for Vancouver, the Canucks outchanced the Oilers 17-9.

Zeev Buium

After inking a massive $75 million contract extension with the Canucks a few weeks ago, Thursday night was our first look at the 20-year-old in his sophomore season.

As the centrepiece in the return for Quinn Hughes and the face of a big extension, Zeev Buium carries a lot of pressure. However, Buium looked confident with the puck last night and led all Canucks skaters with just over 25 minutes. Early in the first period, Buium stripped an Oilers forward in the neutral zone and rushed the puck into the offensive zone, but his shot attempt was blocked. Later in the first, Buium looked confident quarterbacking the second power play unit.

As mentioned earlier, Buium recorded an assist on Karlsson’s power play goal. As he skated downhill, Buium let a shot go, not looking to score, but to find a rebound. Finding a rebound is exactly what he did as the puck landed right on Karlsson’s stick for an easy goal.

Several times in the game, Buium danced through the neutral zone and created shot attempts off the rush. Buium looked assertive on the power play with the puck, even though not all of his moves worked, he was confident enough to try to make things happen. With the Canucks down 2-1 and an empty net late in the game, Malhotra trusted Buium as one of the six skaters trying to earn the tying goal.

With Buium on the ice at 5v5, the Canucks doubled their opponents’ shot attempts 22-11. While it wasn’t a perfect performance from Buium, it’s a strong foundation he can build off of.

Luke Schenn

The veteran defender has returned to Vancouver for his third stint with the Canucks. Many Canucks fans know what they are getting in Schenn: a strong defender who can lay the body. That’s exactly what we saw in his first game back in a Canucks jersey.

Schenn was not on the ice for either of the Oilers’ goals and only allowed the Oilers to muster three shot attempts in his 14:49 time on ice. The biggest highlights of Schenn’s night were his two massive hits; he totalled three on the night, but two really stood out.

Aatu Räty’s older brother, Aku Räty, broke into the Canucks’ zone and dumped the puck into the corner. He then went to step around the Canucks defender. That defender was Schenn, who was having none of it, as he crunched Aku into the boards.

The second big hit of the night took place in the neutral zone. As a multi-player puck battle took place, Schenn set his sights on a vulnerable Oilers skater, who was focused on digging the puck out. Schenn took a couple of strides and flattened the Oiler, who was not expecting the bone-crushing collision.

Schenn may not be the player he once was, but if he can help young players feel safer and play with more confidence, it would be a major benefit for the Canucks.

Honourable mention: Jonathan Lekkermäki

Jonathan Lekkermäki was a major talking point following the Canucks’ pre-season opener in Seattle. The game against the Oilers was not an outstanding performance from Lekkermäki, but he showed positive flashes that made him stand out.

Lekkermäki didn’t record a shot on goal, which is a red flag for a sniper of his calibre. However, early in the game, Lekkermäki had a couple of sequences where he found the open ice, received the puck and tried to get a shot off, but most of them were blocked. While he didn’t register any shots, he didn’t look afraid to try his release, either.

Lekkermäki factored in on the Karlsson power play goal, as he found Buium skating down the left flank, earning himself an assist. Late in the game, Lekkermäki made a nifty drop pass just inside the offensive blue line to Debrusk, who went in on a 2-on-2 and almost found Braeden Cootes for a backdoor tap-in.

Lekkermäki certainly has much higher levels to his game. In a pre-season game where not many Canucks played well, the flashes of skill from Lekkermäki made him stand out. If he can display that skill more often and start shooting the puck more, he will start making a bigger impact at the NHL level.