NHL Predictions: January 17th, Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, we will look at the Vancouver Canucks taking on the Edmonton Oilers. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.

NHL Predictions: Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks

2025-2026 Season Series: Edmonton 1-1 Vancouver

Time: 10:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), 7:00 p.m. Pacific

How to Watch: Sportsnet+, SN, CBC, CITY, TVAS, ESPN+, NHL Centre Ice

Location: Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Vancouver Canucks return home to Rogers Arena after a disastrous road trip. The stage is set for a Pacific Division showdown on Hockey Night in Canada. Vancouver continues to reel, with nine-consecutive losses coming into this game. The Oilers look to battle their way closer to the top of the Pacific Division with a win tonight. Edmonton sits at 23-17-8 after 48 games, with 54 points, while Vancouver sits at 16-26-5 after 47 games, with 37 points. This is the third of four meetings between these two teams. The Canucks won the previous game, 4-3 in overtime, on October 26th.

The Oilers Story

Edmonton has somewhat found their form after a slow start. They are currently second in the Pacific Division, after being out of the Stanley Cup Playoff picture for a while. They jumped into a playoff spot on December 6th, and haven’t looked back since then. Much of the improvement comes from Connor McDavid‘s increased scoring, with 46 points in his last 20 games. In the first 27 games of the season, he only had a modest 36 points. Yes, for him, that is a modest total. One thing that has not necessarily improved for the Oilers would be their goaltending. The new starter in Tristan Jarry, despite having a 3-0-1 record, only has an .878 save percentage. Connor Ingram, the backup, has a 4-2-1 record and a .904 save percentage. If there is a weakness to this team, it remains to be keeping the puck out of their net.

The Canucks Story

What else really needs to be said about this team? They are frankly, getting sad to watch. Nine-consecutive losses, 17 goals scored, 39 goals against. The franchise record for losses in a row is getting within reach at this point. Not only can you declare their playoff odds to be near zero, but we have to wonder, have they given up on head coach Adam Foote? With how they have been playing recently, it is hard to imagine them winning another game. A win is sure to come eventually, but that will only come when players return from injury, most likely.