New York Islanders (26-17-5, 57 pts) at Vancouver Canucks (16-27-5, 37 pts)
Venue: Rogers Arena
Date: Monday, January 19
Time: 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT

TV: ESPN+ / MSG Networks / Sportsnet
Radio: 
New York Islanders – 103.9FM LI News Radio
Vancouver Canucks – Sportsnet 650 AM

DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:
New York Islanders -1.5 ML -142
Vancouver Canucks +1.5 ML +120
O/U 6.5

New York Islanders News and Notes:

Although they are a top team in the Eastern Conference, the New York Islanders have been the definition of inconsistent since the start of 2026. They’ve been winning very tough games against very tough opponents like the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Minnesota Wild, as well as a 9-0 throttling of the New Jersey Devils. But, on the other hand, they have been losing very winnable games against very beatable teams like the Winnipeg Jets, the Calgary Flames, or the Nashville Predators. The Islanders haven’t been able to find an ounce of consistency, and part of the reason is that Ilya Sorokin has been looking like the Vezina trophy favourite all season long. If the Islanders want to get into the contender talks, the offensive production needs to start matching the All-Star performances in the crease because Sorokin can’t play every game.

Vancouver Canucks News and Notes:

One of the core members of the Vancouver Canucks is officially slotted to make his long-awaited return to the ice. Teddy Blueger, after going down with a lower-body injury on October 19th after only playing 2 games so far this season, is finally in talks to return to the lineup. Some more promising injury news for a struggling Vancouver Canucks roster as Filip Chytil has been getting some non-contact ice time in recent practices, finally completing the final look of the young and promising Canucks forward core, along with the Minnesota newcomers, Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren. With such a rough stretch in Vancouver, going 0-8-2 in their last ten, they’re at least getting close to their complete team back.

New York Islanders Projected Lines:

Lee-Barzal-Duclair
Drouin-Pageau-Holmstrom
Shabanov-Ritchie-Heineman
MacLean-Cizikas-Gatcomb

Schaefer-Pulock
Pelech-DeAngelo
Boqvist-Mayfield

Sorokin
Rittich

Vancouver Canucks Projected Lines:

DeBrusk-E. Pettersson-Boeser
Kane-Kampf-O’Connor
Ohgren-Blueger-Garland
Hoglander-Sasson-Karlsson

M. Pettersson-Hronek
Buium-Myers
Willander-Mancini

Lankinen
Tolopilo

Players to Watch:

New York Islanders:

I’d be remiss if I didn’t call attention to the Islanders’ golden boy, Matthew Schaefer. He has been one of the most dynamic defenseman we’ve seen straight out of the gate in the NHL in a long time. Not only has he been productive all season with 13 goals and 19 assists, but he also has been great as of late with three points in the last three games, including two assists against the Flames on Saturday. However, since recovering from an injury that was taking him in and out of the lineup, Anthony Duclair has been enormous for the Islanders on the top line with seven points in his last six games.

Vancouver Canucks:

With the Canucks only having one game in the last six with over one goal scored, there have not been many members of the lineup who have grabbed the reins and found the back of the net at a consistent rate, if not at all. Watch out for Teddy Blueger, though. In his first game back, he has one goal in two games this year, and he needs redemption this season. Despite this depressing stretch of hockey for the Canucks, their quasi-leader, Elias Pettersson, has finally been getting on the boxscore at a consistent rate with three points in his last four games. But it’s at the point for President Jim Rutherford where whether he sees that progress as adding to the team’s outcome or adding to Pettersson’s trade value.

Injury Report:

New York Islanders:

C Bo Horvat – Dat to Day
D Alexander Romanov – IR
RW – Kyle Palmieri – IR
G Semyon Varlamov – IR
LW Pierre Engvall – LTIR

Vancouver Canucks:

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

Next Game:

New York Islanders: Wednesday, January 21 at Seattle Kraken – 9:30 pm ET
Vancouver Canucks: Wednesday, January 21 vs Washington Capitals – 10 pm ET

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.