Canucks wrap Day 1 of training camp in Penticton with Malhotra setting the pace

The Story

The Vancouver Canucks finished their first day of 2026-27 training camp on Wednesday at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, where the team ran separate on-ice sessions and began installing the systems they will use throughout the preseason.

According to the team’s recap, a total of 52 players were divided into two groups for the day, with the plan centered on learning the coaching staff’s approach and competing against one another in drills. The structure allowed both squads to get time on the ice while working through the basics associated with a new season.

Head coach Manny Malhotra and his staff took part in line and bag skates with the players, a choice described as setting the tone early. The decision placed an emphasis on shared standards from the first day, with the staff actively participating rather than strictly observing.

Malhotra said the balance of high intensity with teaching fundamentals was a priority going into Day 1. He referenced that the team had identified what they wanted to see early, and he characterized the first-day execution as positive, noting that players appeared to pick up on the “cues and tendencies” the coaching group presented and were able to carry them out in practice.

Players also pointed to the tempo of the sessions and the compressed nature of camp time. Forward Brendan Gallagher said the group was “itching” to get the season started, and he described the pace as strong while also emphasizing that camp doesn’t leave a lot of time to make up missed details.

Gallagher said Malhotra’s preparation and clarity of expectations stood out. He described the coaching style as intense and organized, with no “gray areas,” and said that matters for players because it clarifies what has to be done immediately. Gallagher also characterized the opportunity to learn from Malhotra’s experience as an added motivation for the players.

While chemistry and role clarity are always part of training camp, Malhotra said lines and pairs were not being treated as fixed for the long term. Instead, the coaching staff’s priority in early practices was described as developing how the team wants to play and how players combine together, with the expectation that this process will shape pairings and groupings as camp progresses.

Gallagher said he skated with Max Sasson and Drew O’Connor during Day 1 and that he enjoyed the grouping. He also expressed appreciation for the character and skill shown by prospects he shared drills with during the first session, reflecting a broader focus in camp on evaluating both veterans and younger players.

On the defensive side, Jamie Oleksiak described a video session that preceded the on-ice work on Day 1 and said the group arrived ready with the right mindset. During drills, Oleksiak noted he received on-ice contact as the session progressed, and he characterized the overall tempo as good with players competing throughout the practice.

Oleksiak also outlined his pairing in some drills with Filip Hronek, saying Hronek’s read of plays, footwork and passing stood out. He referenced Hronek’s overall game profile, including his skill as a point shot threat, and said seeing him operate in drills was “fun,” aligning with the broader theme of players responding to how the systems are taught and reinforced early.

From Group B, Filip Chytil said the first day offered a strong look at what lies ahead, including skating with Paul Cotter and Brock Boeser. He credited coaching communication with helping the group process information quickly within a limited window, and he also commented on the staff joining bag skates as an example of how coaches were pushing the group alongside the players.

Zeev Buium summarized Day 1 as important for establishing expectations for the season, describing both the video work and on-ice tempo as meeting the team’s goals. He also referenced that players who have previously been in Malhotra’s systems helped explain concepts to others as the group adapted, while adding that his season aims include being able to shut down opposing top lines and contributing offensively.

Camp continues with a Day 2 session scheduled for Thursday at the same venue, the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton. For Vancouver fans following the club’s early preseason work, the first day offered an initial window into how Malhotra wants standards set—through intensity, fundamentals, and direct coaching involvement—before line combinations and roles continue to take shape over the rest of camp.