Elias Pettersson hasn’t scored a purpose at 5-on-5 since March 5, 2024. It is the one 5-on-5 purpose he is scored since he signed his eight-year, $11.6 million contract extension.

Together with the playoffs, that is 34 video games with out a 5-on-5 purpose. That is merely not adequate, one thing Pettersson can be the primary to acknowledge. Getting Pettersson’s recreation in gear will go an extended method to serving to the Canucks get again on observe after three-straight losses to kick off the 2024-25 season.

“It is early nonetheless however that is not an excuse,” mentioned Pettersson after Wednesday’s apply. “We have got to alter it now. We’re not proud of the beginning.”

Pettersson and the Canucks will probably be taking over the defending Stanley Cup champions, albeit a defending champion lacking the 2 gamers who led the staff in scoring within the playoffs: captain Aleksander Barkov and star winger Matthew Tkachuk.

The Florida Panthers are 3-2-0 to start out the season, with Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennet, and Anton Lundell stepping as much as lead the staff in scoring within the absence of Barkov and Tkachuk. Reinhart, specifically, is choosing up proper the place he left off after scoring 57 targets final season. He already has 4 targets by way of 5 video games.

Vancouver Canucks projected strains

With no morning skate on Thursday and no Canucks media on the street for the staff’s apply on Wednesday, projecting the Canucks strains is a speculative endeavour.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet may hold related strains to their earlier recreation, hoping the staff rebounds from a foul loss, or he may shake issues up. My wager is on a shakeup, with Tocchet probably going with the brand new strains he used within the third interval towards the Lightning.

Listed here are the projected strains, which will probably be up to date when the Canucks take the ice for his or her warm-up skate (UPDATE: The strains had been much more modified than anticipated):

Searching for a spark on Tuesday, Tocchet moved Jake DeBrusk to the highest line with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, then bumped Nils Höglander and Conor Garland as much as the second line with Elias Pettersson.

In warm-ups on Thursday, Höglander and Garland remained with Pettersson however Arshdeep Bains went again with Miller and Boeser. That left DeBrusk to play on a new-look third line with Teddy Blueger and Kiefer Sherwood. It is solely potential that will not final, as DeBrusk may discover himself up with Miller and Boeser if the staff begins poorly. 

Additionally bumped down the lineup is Danton Heinen, going all the best way to the fourth line with Pius Suter and Nils Åman.

Åman got here into the lineup for Aatu Räty, who has been despatched right down to the AHL. Meaning Daniel Sprong will probably be a wholesome scratch for a second recreation.

On defence, Derek Forbort has taken a depart of absence from the staff for private causes. Erik Brännström is anticipated to make his Canucks debut after getting known as up within the morning. Tocchet was not sure if Brännström would get into the sport earlier within the day however appeared excited to see what he may carry to the lineup. 

“I am undecided about Brännstrom, if he is moving into but,” mentioned Tocchet. “He got here in late final night time, so we’ll see after warm-up…He can get the puck up. He is a one-pass breakout man, plus he walks the blue line very effectively. Whenever you get a man that may stroll the blue line and make that one go out to play quick, I believe that is one thing we’re on the lookout for.”

Brännström will play with a veteran in Tyler Myers on what’s ostensibly the second pairing, although it stays to be seen how a lot ice time Brännstrôm will get.

Vincent Desharnais will get again into the lineup on a 3rd pairing with Carson Soucy, with whom he performed a lot of coaching camp.

Kevin Lankinen would be the Canucks’ beginning goaltender because the staff continues to alternate begins between their two stoppers.

Florida Panthers projected strains

The Panthers could also be lacking two of their finest gamers however they’re nonetheless a harmful staff with a number of offensive firepower.

They’ve additionally been getting loads of physicality from former Canucks prospect Jonah Gadjovich, who leads the NHL in hits with 25 by way of 5 video games regardless of averaging simply 8:29 in ice time per recreation.

Listed here are the projected strains courtesy of beat reporter Colby Man:

Eetu Luostarinen — Anton Lundell — Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe — Sam Bennett — Evan Rodrigues
A.J. Greer — Jesper Boqvist — Mackie Samoskevich
Jonah Gadjovich — Patrick Giles — Uvis Balinskis

Gustav Forsling — Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola — Dmitry Kulikov
Adam Boqvist — Nate Schmidt

Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight

The Canucks’ finest wager with the Panthers down a few high forwards will probably be attempting to check the Panthers’ depth by getting good match-ups towards the third and fourth strains. Boqvist and Giles have been totally out-shot at 5-on-5 thus far this season and have given up a variety of probabilities, so there will probably be alternatives for the Canucks if they will discover the proper match-ups.

Sergei Bobrovsky is anticipated to get the beginning regardless of a 35-save efficiency by Spencer Knight within the Panthers’ final recreation, a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bobrovsky has an .894 save proportion in three begins thus far this season.