The Vancouver Canucks wrap up their 2025-26 regular season against the Edmonton Oilers.
Thursday marks the conclusion of the Vancouver Canucks' disappointing 2025-26 season. Regardless of what happens in the final game of the campaign, Vancouver will finish 32nd overall and have the best odds at first overall for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. A campaign that no one saw coming, 2025-26 will go down as one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
Just because Tuesday's game will not impact the Canucks' place in the standings doesn't mean it has no stakes. In fact, the result will determine how the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will look. Simply put, the Edmonton Oilers desperately need to collect points; otherwise, it could create a less-than-ideal matchup in the first round.
If Vancouver beats Edmonton in regulation, the Oilers will finish the season with 31 regulation wins at 91 points. As of writing, that would leave them as the second seed in the Pacific. The problem is that the two teams below them in the standings, the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings, would have the chance to leapfrog the Oilers and push them into the Wild Card.
For this scenario to happen, the Ducks and Kings would both have to win while Edmonton would have to lose in regulation. Anaheim faces the Nashville Predators in their season finale, while Los Angeles takes on the Calgary Flames. Both the Predators and Flames are out of the playoff race and are currently fighting for draft lottery position.
If both the Ducks and Kings pick up wins while the Oilers fall in regulation, that would mean Edmonton goes from facing a California team to the Colorado Avalanche. Yes, the Presidents' Trophy-winning, 119-point Avalanche. Sounds less than ideal for an Oilers team that is already dealing with a key injury to Leon Draisaitl.
The Canucks will wrap up their season on Thursday against Edmonton. This season, Vancouver has beaten Edmonton just once in three attempts. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT.
Jan 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) stick checks Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-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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