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Scenes from practice: Mancini appears set to make season debut as Canucks start road trip in Carolina

Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

By Jeff Paterson

Oct 7, 2026, 14:30 EDTUpdated: Oct 7, 2026, 14:23 EDT

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The Vancouver Canucks appear ready to make a change on their blueline as they begin a six-game road trip in Carolina on Thursday.

For the second straight day, Victor Mancini has had a regular spot in the team’s top six defencemen.

What we saw

Thomas Drance

@ThomasDrance

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#Canucks lines and pairs at practice Wednesday in Raleigh, based on rushes: DeBrusk-EP40-Lekkerimäki Cotter-Rossi-Boeser Öhgren-Sasson-Karlsson Bains-DOC-Gallagher Extra: Räty Buium-Hronek Oleksiak-Willander DPetey-Mancini Brisebois-Schenn

5:53 PM · Oct 7, 2026

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According to The Athletic’s Thomas Drance, who is on the road covering the Canucks, Mancini skated alongside Elias Pettersson on the Canucks third defensive pair at practice as he did on Tuesday. Mancini has been a healthy scratch in each of the team’s first four games of the season after an indifferent training camp and spotty exhibition performances.

Luke Schenn, who has been a physical force early in the season, with a fight and nine hits, appears like he will sit out for the first time this season. Aside from heavyweight Nic Deslauries, who has dressed for just two of Carolina’s first four games, the Hurricanes are not an overly physical hockey club. They are, however, fast and highly skilled. Injecting Mancini into the lineup perhaps offers the Canucks more mobility on the back end.

Elsewhere, the forward lines were the same as Tuesday’s practice at Rogers Arena. Jake DeBrusk looks like he’ll return to the lineup after missing a pair of games over the weekend due to illness. It’s been a slow start for the veteran winger, who figured in just one of the 13 goals the Canucks scored in his first two games.

Based on Wednesday’s practice, it appears Aatu Raty will come out of the lineup to make room for DeBrusk. Raty scored an empty netter to seal a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Saturday night. He has also won 16 of his 26 faceoffs so far (61.5%).

Thursday’s game starts at 4 pm Pacific time. The Canes beat the Canucks 4-3 in overtime in their game in Raleigh last season.