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7 takeaways from day two of Canucks training camp in Penticton

Photo credit: Daily Faceoff Vancouver

By Jeff Paterson

Sep 18, 2026, 20:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 18, 2026, 20:12 EDT

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Penticton, B.C. — After opening training camp on Thursday with a focus on defensive zone coverage and structure, Vancouver Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra turned his team’s attention to offensive systems on Day 2 in Penticton. Here are seven takeaways from the second day of on-ice activity at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Attack mode

Early in the first session (Group B), Manny Malhotra stopped a drill and, raising his voice, implored his group to ‘ATTACK’. The coach felt players were letting up and coasting as they moved into the offensive zone, and he wanted to see his skaters keep building speed and make plays off the rush. Players took the coach’s advice, as the tempo of the drills picked up immediately.

Consistent Karlsson

It was another solid day of work for Linus Karlsson, who clearly understands he’s been put in a prime position early in this camp. Skating for a second straight day on right wing with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk, Karlsson pushed the pace in line rushes and was his usual effective self in battle drills. It’s too soon to know when Karlsson will see his first preseason action, but it seems highly likely, with the work he’s put in here in Penticton and the chemistry he’s trying to forge with his two veteran linemates, that he won’t get at least one look with those two in exhibition action.

Pettersson perked up

After a fairly indifferent first day of camp, the aforementioned Elias Pettersson seemed to be more engaged on Day 2. And to be clear, Pettersson didn’t struggle on opening day, but he didn’t seem to have any singular moments where he flashed or popped. It all looked rather routine. But Friday he had a few moments that stood out. Again, it’s the second day of training camp – and that’s all it is – so this is no grand proclamation about what’s to come this season. But in the moment on Friday, Pettersson had some jump in his step. He stepped up his compete level in one on one battle drills and feathered a silky saucer pass through defenders that landed flat on the stick of Jake DeBrusk in a rush drill. The sequence would have been more memorable had DeBrusk managed to tuck the puck in, but the sequence was a reminder of what Pettersson is capable of. He just needs to show more of that creativity once he gets into game action.

Lethal Lekkerimäki

In a Group B rush sequence, Jonathan Lekkerimäki took a pass as he moved in on the right wing and, in the blink of an eye, went bar down on goalie Aleksei Medvedev. It was so quick and so effortless. Quite frankly, it was a goal not every forward in this camp could pull off with such ease. Lekkerimäki absolutely has an NHL-ready shot. And in that moment, it was on display for all at the South Okanagan Events Centre to see. Even the young Swede seemed to enjoy the successful snipe as he playfully celebrated the goal with teammates. Now he just needs to keep finding ways to do that as the stakes get higher.

Boom goes Buium

In one of the lighter moments of camp so far, Zeev Buium stepped on a puck during a rush drill on Friday morning. That sent the young defenceman sprawling to the ice, much to his teammates’ delight. Sheepishly, Buium picked himself up, dusted himself off and got right back in line for his next turn in the drill.

Net detective

With two daily sessions on two sheets of ice in Penticton, there is a lot going on at all times at Canucks camp. For a first year head coach, it would seem like plenty for Manny Malhotra to process. While evaluation of skaters is constant, the Canucks also have assessments and decisions to make in goal. Some head coaches leave netminding evaluation to the team’s goalie coach. But not Malhotra. On Friday afternoon, he said he was not only watching his shooters closely, but also taking mental notes on the performances of the six guys in camp trying to stop those shooters from scoring. “You have to keep an eye on everybody,” Malhotra said with a chuckle. “You have to be aware of what everybody looks like out here.”

Off to the Emerald City

After just two days of training camp, a game group will skate in Penticton, bus to Kelowna and fly to Seattle to open the preseason on Saturday. It’s hardly ideal to play games after just a pair of on-ice sessions. But that is the reality of an earlier-than-normal NHL schedule. The preseason starts this Saturday and is over next Saturday. In that span, the Canucks will have to make all their roster decisions before setting their opening-day roster. As a reminder, the new collective bargaining agreement limits NHL veterans to just two of the team’s four exhibition contests.

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