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Nikita Tolopilo, Vancouver Canucks (Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Canucks News & Rumours: Tolopilo, Patera, Pettersson & Mancini

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 2:20 PM ET

The Vancouver Canucks get another crack at the New York Islanders on Monday night, and at this point, they’ll take any chance they get to reset the narrative. In December, the Canucks beat the Islanders 4–1. At the time, it felt like a small turning point. Since then, things have gone in the opposite direction.

The Canucks are riding a 10-game winless stretch (0–8–2), and the last couple of weeks have been particularly rough. Saturday’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers was another reminder of how quickly things can unravel. Six goals allowed in the second period alone erased any sense of structure and left the team chasing the game emotionally as much as on the scoreboard.

Tonight doesn’t get any easier. Kiefer Sherwood remains out, thinning an already stretched forward group, and the goaltending situation remains unsettled. Kevin Lankinen gets the start again, carrying a 6–13–4 record, .887 save percentage, and a 3.37 goals-against average into the matchup. Nikita Tolopilo started Saturday but was overwhelmed during that disastrous second period. For the Canucks, consistency in goal has been hard to find, and confidence is fragile everywhere else as a result.

Item One: Canucks Make Goalie Swap After Tough Tolopilo Night

Saturday was a difficult lesson for Tolopilo. Forced into the crease with Lankinen sidelined by illness, the young goalie surrendered six goals on 35 shots in a 6–0 loss to the Oilers. Even without Leon Draisaitl in the lineup, Edmonton turned the second period into a one-way avalanche, leaving Tolopilo exposed behind a team that couldn’t slow the game down.

Over his last two NHL appearances, Tolopilo has allowed 12 goals on 76 shots. The numbers aren’t flattering, but context matters. Being asked to carry a full NHL start under those circumstances is a tall order for any developing goalie, especially one still trying to establish rhythm.

The Canucks responded quickly. On Sunday, Tolopilo was reassigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) Abbotsford Canucks. There, he’ll get a chance to reset, play regularly, and rebuild confidence away from the pressure cooker that Vancouver has become.

Item Two: Jiri Patera Back in the NHL as Canucks Shuffle Goalies

In a corresponding move, Vancouver recalled Jiri Patera from Abbotsford under emergency conditions. He steps in to back up Lankinen while Thatcher Demko continues to work his way back from a lower-body injury.

Jiri Patera, Vegas Golden Knights (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Patera’s NHL résumé is limited. He’s made one appearance this season, an 8–5 loss to the Florida Panthers in November, where he allowed seven goals on 40 shots. That game didn’t go well, but his AHL body of work tells a more balanced story. In Abbotsford, he’s put up a 7–6–2 record with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage over 16 games.

For Vancouver, this move is about stability, not sparks. Patera gives them a capable backup option, Tolopilo gets a chance to breathe, and Lankinen avoids being overworked. It’s not a solution to the broader goaltending problem, but it’s a needed adjustment while Demko remains out of the lineup.

Item Three: Blueliner Elias Pettersson Returns to the Lineup

After a brief stint in Abbotsford, defenceman Elias Pettersson is back with the Canucks. The recall adds familiarity and edge to a lineup that’s been searching for both.

In 38 games this season, Pettersson has a goal and five assists, along with 64 hits, 42 blocked shots, and 12 penalty minutes. The raw offensive numbers won’t turn heads, but his game has never been about points alone. He plays a physical, engaged game and is willing to do the hard, unglamorous work that keeps shifts from tilting the wrong way.

Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)

For a team struggling to maintain energy, Pettersson’s return feels timely. Vancouver doesn’t need heroics right now. They need players who understand the system, compete consistently, and help settle things when games start to drift.

Item Four: Victor Mancini Sent Back to Abbotsford

Victor Mancini’s brief NHL stay came to an end Sunday as he was reassigned to Abbotsford. Over four games, Mancini didn’t register a point, but he averaged 16:32 of ice time, blocked seven shots, and showed he could handle NHL minutes without looking overwhelmed.

The move was made as a way to make room for Pettersson’s return. For Mancini, heading back to the AHL isn’t a setback so much as a continuation of his development. Regular minutes, special teams work, and confidence-building reps matter more right now than sitting in the press box at the NHL level.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

Tonight’s game against the Islanders isn’t about standings math or long-term narratives. It’s about resilience. Can the Canucks respond after a discouraging stretch? Can they simplify their game, protect their goaltender, and rediscover something resembling identity?

The answers won’t come all at once. But for the Canucks this season, the team has reached a point where effort, structure, and belief either reappear or fade. Tonight’s game is a chance to see which direction this group is leaning.