Edmonton Oilers (23-17-8, 54 pts) at Vancouver Canucks (16-26-5, 37 pts)
Venue: Rogers Arena
Date: Sunday, January 17
Time: 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT

TV: ESPN+ / Sportsnet
Radio: 
Edmonton Oilers – Oilers Radio 880 CHED
Vancouver Canucks – Sportsnet 650 AM

DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:
Edmonton Oilers -1.5 ML -180
Vancouver Canucks – +1.5 ML +150
O/U 6.5

Edmonton Oilers News and Notes:

If there is one way to describe the play of the Edmonton Oilers just two weeks into 2026, it would be wishy-washy. The second-place team in the Pacific Division hasn’t been able to find any momentum through this recent stretch, going 3-2-2 through 7 games, with only one of those opponents currently in a playoff spot, their most recent game against the New York Islanders, losing 1-0. The Oilers have been consistently giving up points and giving up wins in very winnable games, so today is a chance to find some semblance of momentum, taking on the team with the worst record in the league, the Vancouver Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks News and Notes:

The Vancouver Canucks have come into the year of 2026 with one plan in mind, tanking. The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a road trip where they went 0-6 against the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively. All members of the front office, including President Jim Rutherford, are happy with the direction the team is headed with their large amount of young talent and expect the rebuild to only take 2-3 years instead of 6-10 years. Nevertheless, all parties have officially fully embraced the rebuild and are now prioritizing team chemistry and a healthy spot in the 2026 draft. It is important to state that the Canucks aren’t finished, though, and will definitely remain sellers as we get closer and closer to the NHL trade deadline.

Edmonton Oilers Projected Lines:

Nugent Hopkins-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-Draistaitl-Kapanen
Howard-Roslovic-Savoie
Janmark-Lazar-Frederic

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Emberson
Walman-Stastny

Ingram
Pickard

Vancouver Canucks Projected Lines:

DeBrusk-E. Pettersson-Karlsson
Garland-Kampf-Boeser
Ohgren-Sasson-O’Connor
Bains-Raty-Kane

M.Pettersson-Hronek
Buium-Myers
Willander-Mancini

Lankinen
Tolopilo

Players to Watch:

Edmonton Oilers:

Now obviously the Edmonton Oilers are one of, if not the most, top-heavy team in the NHL with names like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, etc. But there have been some quiet producers for the two-time Stanley Cup runner-ups as well. For example, Kasperi Kapanen has risen up the ranks in Edmonton, hopping right back on the second line after being out with an injury for almost three months, but since returning on January 6th against the Nashville Predators, Kapanen has logged one goal and four assists through those six games. Ty Emberson has also become one of the top young pure physical defenders in the NHL, providing the Oilers with a defensive anchor for the next generation, taking over for the older Mattias Ekholm. Although it doesn’t always show up in the boxscore, Ty Emberson consistently impacts all aspects of the Oilers’ play.

Vancouver Canucks:

In what is a tank-heavy stretch for the Vancouver Canucks, look for some quiet producers to shine. Linus Karlsson is definitely one of those names, getting pushed up to the top line alongside Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson, and has shown immense talent with a point in two of the last three games. Victor Mancini is also back in the lineup after being out with an injury and with the Abbotsford Canucks for over a month. The young defenseman who came over in the JT Miller deal last season from the New York Rangers has been very trustworthy and solid on the backend for the Canucks, with 6 blocked shots over the last three games and 4 just in his last game against the Columbus Blue Jackets as he takes over the bottom two defensive slot from Pierre-Olivier Joseph over that stretch.

Injury Report:

Edmonton Oilers:

C Adam Henrique – LTIR

Vancouver Canucks:

RW Kiefer Sherwood – Day to Day
C Marco Rossi – IR
C Filip Chytil – IR
C Teddy Blueger – IR
G Thatcher Demko – IR
D Guillaume Brisebois – IR
D Derek Forbort – LTIR

Next Game:

Edmonton Oilers: Sunday, January 18 vs St. Louis Blues – 8pm ET
Vancouver Canucks: Monday, January 19 vs New York Islanders – 10pm ET

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