The Vancouver Canucks returned to the ice on Monday at Rogers Arena as they look to ramp up before the season starts in less than a month.

For the 2026-27 season, there are four new additions to the squad: Brendan Gallagher, Paul Cotter, Jamie Oleksiak, and Luke Schenn. For Schenn, this isn’t the first time he’ll be donning the Canucks crest. He spoke about how much it means to him to represent the Canucks logo for a third time:

“It’s exciting; surreal in a lot of ways as well,” Schenn said proudly. “Obviously getting the chance to play here one time, and then getting a second opportunity was a bit of a dream come true, and I would have never predicted ever a third time around would ever come and I’d get this opportunity. It’s a place that I really enjoyed playing the first two times around, and never ever wanted to leave. Ultimately, some things are out of your control, and the business side of hockey takes over.

“But when I heard this could become a reality, it was an absolute no-brainer to come back and wear this logo. It means so much to wear that jersey and get the chance to represent this organization, the city, and the province of BC. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.”

Schenn was later asked if winning creates culture, or culture creates winning. His response:

“Oh man, there’s different ways to look at it,” Schenn explained. “I think culture is a pretty broad term. When everyone says, ‘Oh, you’ve got to change the culture, or we have good culture,’ there’s a lot that goes into it. Obviously, everyone’s got to get along and bring a good energy to the room, but also hold each other accountable. On the ice, it’s work ethic and compete. Not just going out there and working, but also, you’ve got to play well. You’ve got to execute. Good culture is when you play, and guys are happy that you made the play to them and set them up.

“I mean, there’s a lot of things that go into it. On top of that, you’ve got to be positive; have a common goal and push each other. You could get into it all day about what that word means; it’s used a lot in broad terms. But there’s a lot of different ways to spin it and a lot of ways we’re going to chip away, work at it, and build something.”

Fellow newcomer Gallagher was asked the same question about culture:

“Everything starts with culture,” Gallagher said. “You don’t get to win without it. There’s a lot of work that goes in before you get to feel those good feelings. You know, the fact everyone is here right now is a good step. I think in that locker room, I can only speak for what I’ve experienced; it’s been a couple of days, but guys really enjoy being here. Guys are excited and getting along, and having some fun together, and that’s important. That’s a really good first step.”

These two veterans were brought in to uplift the culture in the Canucks locker room, and based on these responses, it appears they’re making an early impression.

You can watch the full Gallagher and Schenn availability below!