The Vancouver Canucks are 6-7-0 through their first 13 games of the season.
The Vancouver Canucks have had a complicated start to the 2025-26 season. Injuries have started to pile up, resulting in a 6-7-0 record through Vancouver's first 13 games. For most teams, a game in early November might mean much, but for the Canucks, Monday's game has become a must-win situation.
On Monday, Vancouver will take on the Nashville Predators in the final game of a three-game road trip. This will be the Canucks second visit to Nashville this season, as the two teams played on October 23. Just like Vancouver, the Predators have struggled to generate offence early on this year, as their 33 goals are two fewer than Canucks' 35 in the same number of games.
The big news heading into this game for the Canucks is the return of captain Quinn Hughes. The former Norris Trophy winner has missed the past four games, but is projected to return on Monday. While Vancouver was able to go 2-2-0 without Hughes, the team struggled to score, recording just 10 goals over the four-game span.
As for Nashville, the injury bug has hit them hard, as they will be without captain Roman Josi. The 35-year-old has been dealing with injuries all season, but was recently placed on IR with an upper-body injury. While the Predators have other offensive weapons in their lineup, missing Josi will create some problems when trying to generate offence on Monday night.
Based on the Canucks recent play, the return of Hughes and the issues Nashville is currently dealing with, Monday at least has the feeling of a must-win game. As mentioned, it is very early in the season, but Vancouver needs to take advantage of every situation if their goal is to become a playoff team. On the other hand, if the Canucks come out flat again, serious questions will need to be asked about roster construction and whether Vancouver can remain a competitive team for the rest of the year.
The Canucks wrap up their three-game road trip with a matchup against the Predators on Monday. Vancouver's last match against Nashville was only a little over a week ago, during which they lost 2–1. Puck drop for Monday's game is scheduled for 5:30 pm PT from Bridgestone Arena.
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