The Vancouver Canucks had their pre-season win streak come to an end as they fell 4-3 to the Edmonton Oilers. With the loss, the Canucks drop to 2-2-0 with two games remaining in the pre-season. Here is a look at three standouts from Sunday's loss.
Filip Chytil
Filip Chytil had an impactful game against the Oilers. He recorded a primary assist, went 11 for 20 in the faceoff dot while recording 19:48 of ice time. As for his analytics, Vancouver outshot Edmonton 11-2 at even strength while holding a 4-1 high-danger chances advantage.
Chytil's ability to create controlled zone entries continues to stand out. He hits the blue line with speed which often pushes defenders back and results in an opportunity to set up in the attacking zone. So far, Chytil has looked good in the pre-season, which bodes well for his chances to be an impactful second-line center this year.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki
Jonathan Lekkerimäki was arguably the Canucks most dangerous forward all night. He scored late in the third period, recorded three shots on goal and finished with six shot attempts. Lekkerimäki also won the even-strength analytics battle with Vancouver, outshooting the opposition 7-1 when he was on the ice.
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After a slow start to the pre-season, Lekkerimäki has kicked his game into high gear. He is creating scoring chance with his shot and is finding patches of open ice in the offensive zone. Lekkerimäki also showed that he can have an impact while playing against NHL players which should help his case for an opening-night roster spot.
Braeden Cootes
At this point, it is hard to come up with new ways to describe how well Braeden Cootes played. The 18-year-old scored for the second straight game, while going six for 11 in the faceoff dot during his 16:58 of ice time. As for his analytics, the Canucks held an 8-6 shots advantage while outscoring the opposition 2-1 at even-strength.
Based on his performances on Sunday and throughout the pre-season, Cootes deserves to be on the opening night roster. He understands how the pro game is played and is able to execute plays that make it appear as if he has been in the NHL for a couple of seasons. While it won't become clear for a few years, it seems as though Vancouver has hit a home run by selecting Cootes in the 2025 draft.
The Canucks will get two days off before playing their next pre-season game against the Calgary Flames. Vancouver and Calgary have already played once this pre-season, with the Canucks picking up a 3-1 victory. Puck drop is scheduled for October 1 at 6:00 pm PT from the Scotiabank Saddledome.
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