The Vancouver Canucks open their 2024-25 National Hockey League schedule when they host the Calgary Flames tonight at Rogers Arena. 
The Canucks went 3-1 against their Pacific Division rivals last season, dropping their first meeting and then winning the final three.

What we saw

It was a well-attended optional for the Canucks this morning at the rink. However, not all members of the Canucks took the ice so there were no line combinations or defensive pairings. Rick Tocchet says Arturs Silovs will get the start in goal and there is a strong chance Aaty Räty will draw in for Pius Suter. Tocchet says Suter is still not 100% healthy after suffering an upper-body injury late in preseason.
It’s expected the Canucks will line up as follows:
Heinen-Miller-Boeser
DeBrusk-Pettersson-Sprong
Höglander-Räty-Garland
Åman-Blueger-Sherwood
Hughes-Hronek
Soucy-Myers
Forbort-Desharnais
JT Miller will appear in his 800th NHL game tonight. He has 143+259=402 in 364 games with the Canucks. Elias Pettersson scored his first NHL goal against the Flames on opening night in 2018. In his career, he has scored a dozen goals in 26 games against Calgary.
Brock Boeser scored a career-high four times in an 8-1 romp over the Edmonton Oilers in last year’s season opener. The Canucks won their first two games of last season, were 5-2 through seven games and 10-2-1 in their first 13 games.
The Canucks made the most of home-ice advantage last season, posting a record of 27-9-5 in front of the home fans.
The Flames went 5-2-1 in the preseason, including a home-ice win and an overtime loss against the Canucks. They were led in preseason scoring by former Vancouver Giant Samuel Honzek. The 19-year-old had two goals and seven points.
Calgary will be without its leading goal scorer from last season, as 31-goal man Yegor Sharangovich is listed as week to week with a calf injury. Nazem Kadri was the Flames’ top scorer last season, registering 75 points.
Dan Vladar will get the start in goal tonight.
Last season, the Flames finished 11th in the Western Conference with a 38-39-5 record (81 points). After tonight, Calgary will return home to face Philadelphia on Saturday.
These teams will meet four times this season, with their next meeting on November 12th in Vancouver.
Tonight’s referees: Steve Kozari & Trevor Hanson
Tonight’s broadcasters: John Shorthouse & Ray Ferraro
Tonight’s anthem: Elizabeth Irving

What we heard

Rick Tocchet on Canucks looking for more offence off the rush starting tonight: “Yeah, I want to see what we worked on in training camp and practice and watched a ton of video on it. I want to see them do it tonight. Don’t be afraid to do it. You’ve go to be calculated. We are who we are, but I think there is more in there and I’d like to see it.”
JT Miller on playing in his 800th NHL game tonight: “The older I get, the more I respect guys that can play a long time. Super fortunate especially health-wise to play in this many games. There was a time ten, eleven years ago where I was just trying to get into the line-up. I feel very lucky to be where I’m at, but I’ve had a lot of help from coaches and stuff along the way.”
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