Canucks open 2026 preseason vs Kraken with mostly young roster at Climate Pledge Arena

The Story

The Vancouver Canucks will play their first preseason game of the 2026 schedule on Saturday, Sept. 19, when they visit the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., marking the next step after the club began training camp only two days earlier. The short turnaround has left less time than usual to install systems and tune line combinations before exhibition action begins.

According to Malhotra, the coaching staff faced a steep learning curve during the brief window from camp opening to the preseason opener. He said that covering all team systems in two days was a “tall task,” while also indicating the group had made progress in touching on everything needed for players to understand what structure should look like. For Vancouver fans, the game will function as an early test of how quickly the roster can translate camp work into game-ready execution.

The Canucks are expected to bring a young group to Seattle as a direct result of changes in the NHL collective bargaining agreement. The new CBA eliminated the previous requirement that each preseason game include a minimum number of veteran players. Veterans are now limited to two preseason appearances, which in turn reshapes how teams can construct their lineups for exhibition contests.

While the article describes Vancouver’s projected roster as largely players aged 26 and under, it also identifies the two oldest Canucks on defence expected to see time. AHL veteran Jimmy Schuldt and Guillaume Brisebois, who has been with the organization since being drafted in 2015, are listed as the defensive veterans anchoring that side of the lineup. The organization’s tenure is also noted for other longer-serving players, with only Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko described as having been part of the Canucks organization longer than Brisebois.

Vancouver’s projected forward lines for the preseason opener include multiple audition opportunities, reflecting the push to evaluate who can handle NHL roles. The projected top line has Braeden Cootes, a first-round pick from 2025, centering a group with Arshdeep Bains and Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The article frames that combination as a potential top line for the Abbotsford Canucks this season, while acknowledging that each player is pressing for an NHL opportunity.

The lineup also features Max Sasson, who spent the prior two days at centre between Drew O’Connor and Brendan Gallagher during training-camp action. For the game in Seattle, Sasson is projected to return to the wing, with Aatu Räty taking the centre spot. Räty is described as looking to secure consistent minutes, while O’Connor and Gallagher are positioned as part of the group’s evaluation framework even as roles are shuffled ahead of exhibition competition.

Another player in the NHL-forced evaluation mix is 2026 first-round pick Adam Novotný, who the article says has a chance to earn an NHL “cup of coffee” at the start of the season and could also be assigned to play in the AHL this year. The team is also expected to keep a close watch on Ilya Safonov, a 25-year-old centre with KHL experience who, according to the report, has not yet made a major impression at camp. With more structure introduced as preseason games arrive, the article suggests Safonov’s two-way game could fit expectations.

Defence figures prominently in Vancouver’s internal competition, particularly for the seventh spot. The article describes Victor Mancini as the natural choice for the right side because he shoots right, while Kirill Kudryavtsev, a left shot, has shown the ability to play both sides effectively. Both players are identified as favourites to hold the seventh defenceman role, with Mancini or Kudryavtsev potentially stepping in on the right side if needed.

There is additional context in how lineups are likely to differ between the two teams. On the Kraken’s side, the report says Seattle has kept a tight lid on which players will be in the lineup for Saturday’s game. However, because the game is in Seattle, the Kraken are expected to use a lineup that more closely resembles their NHL roster and aims to make a strong impression with home fans.

The Kraken’s potential contenders are presented through two groups from training camp, labeled Group Blue and Group White. Group Blue includes players such as Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, Kaapo Kakko, Shane Wright, Curtis Douglas, and Eduard Sale, along with Oscar Fisker Molgaard and several defensive options and goaltending. The listed Group White includes Bobby McMann, Chandler Stephenson, Jordan Eberle, and other forwards and defence candidates, with multiple goaltenders also shown. While these groups do not confirm the final preseason lineup, they provide a map of who is in the mix as the Kraken prepare to dress players in front of their supporters.

For Vancouver viewers deciding how to watch, the report indicates the game is available on Sportsnet Plus and that the Canucks have also said it will be streamed on their website. For local fans and Canadian hockey audiences, the match carries practical significance beyond the exhibition label: with veterans limited under the new CBA and a largely younger Vancouver group expected to play, the game offers an early glimpse at which players can adapt to systems quickly and how the Canucks’ depth could look heading into the regular season.

The night’s roster choices and line adjustments underscore a broader preseason theme for Vancouver: experimentation within a limited timeframe. With camp concluding in rapid fashion and several roles projected to differ from what was seen during the initial days, Saturday’s game at Climate Pledge Arena should provide a concrete snapshot of the coaching staff’s early direction—especially on defence, where the internal race for minutes is expected to shape the organization’s depth chart.