5 Canucks Players To Watch In Pre-Season Game 1 Against The Kraken

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5 Canucks Players To Watch In Pre-Season Game 1 Against The Kraken

Izzy Cheung · The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 ·

3 min read

Braeden Cootes

The main question surrounding Cootes in this year's pre-season and training camp is whether he will ultimately end up making Vancouver's main roster or not. He'll have a big opportunity to prove himself in tonight's game, as he is projected to center the Canucks' first line while also getting some minutes on Vancouver's first-unit power-play.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki

Lekkerimäki is one of a few players that have had a very strong 2026 training camp thus far. While he's proven himself capable of securing a full-time roster spot in the past, Vancouver currently has a glut of forwards that could ultimately end up pushing him out depending on his pre-season performance. As it stands, this doesn't seem like it will be the case, though a strong performance tonight will definitely help.

Trey Fix-Wolansky

An under-the-radar pick for a player that could make Vancouver's main roster is Fix-Wolansky, who has impressed so far at training camp and has played NHL minutes in the past. The forward enters tonight's pre-season game projected to be paired with Ilya Safonov and Adam Novotný. He also spent Vancouver's practice this morning on their second-unit power-play. As one of the more veteran players in tonight's game, he'll have a good opportunity to prove himself against the Kraken.

Ilya Safonov

Safonov has been an interesting player to keep tabs on throughout the pre-season, training camp, and prospects showcase. The forward, who is currently slotted in at centre for tonight's game, enters the 2026–27 season with an eye on a full-time roster spot, having signed out of the KHL in order to achieve that.

Kirill Kudryavtsev

Possibly the most intriguing narrative to follow in tonight's game will be who makes the best case to take Vancouver's seventh-defenceman spot. As it stands, the battle looks to be primarily between Kirill Kudryavtsev and Victor Mancini , though in 2025–26 it was Mancini who ended up playing in more NHL games between the two. That being said, Kudryavtsev has had himself a stronger camp thus far and appears to have been given more opportunities — such as quarterbacking Vancouver's first-unit tonight as well as during the prospects showcase last week.

Oct 9, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Braeden Cootes (80) and forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki (23) during a stop in play against the Calgary Flames in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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