The Vancouver Canucks registered their first win of the 2026 pre-season against the Seattle Kraken.
The Vancouver Canucks registered their first win in their final game of the 2026 pre-season, defeating the Seattle Kraken by a score of 4–3. Overall, this was Vancouver’s best effort of the pre-season, with virtually every player demonstrating a good effort level throughout the game. Here are three Canucks standouts from Saturday’s game.
The Drew O’Connor – Max Sasson – Linus Karlsson Line
The best collective effort by a line in last night’s game was that of Drew O’Connor, Max Sasson, and Linus Karlsson. The trio kicked the game off with urgency, playing with a level of speed that factored well into allowing them to gain possession. This line was noticeable right from the start, even when the Canucks looked a little less put-together earlier on. While they didn’t combine for a goal, O’Connor, Sasson, and Karlsson had the highest CF% of all Canucks lines with 66.67%. They also contributed a team-high seven scoring-chances for while only allowing two against.
Tom Willander
In his first pre-season game since Tuesday’s 3–1 loss to the Calgary Flames, Willander made a strong impression as part of a near-complete Canucks lineup. He played in the second-most minutes of all Canucks with 20:01, even getting some time on both the power play and penalty kill, but allowed only two total scoring chances against. On Zeev Buium’s power-play goal, it was Willander who kept the play alive along the boards, shaking off the defenceman before feeding it to Karlsson to set up Buium.
The Power Play
Both of Vancouver’s power play units shone in last night’s win, with both finding the scoresheet by the time the game ended. The Canucks’ first-unit in particular found heaps of success, maintaining a strong presence in the O-zone in all of their opportunities. Their first goal, initially shot from the blueline by Filip Hronek, bounced off Jake DeBrusk and then Brock Boeser. As well, while the scoresheet did not mark it as such, Vancouver’s fourth goal of the game was set up while the Canucks were on the power play.
Sep 26, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (8) celebrates a goal with teammates against the Seattle Kraken during the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn ImagesMake sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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