For the first time in a long time, it’s a Vancouver Canucks game day!

Of course, that means it’s also the first edition of Scenes from Morning Skate for 2026-27! Let’s get into it.

Here is the Canucks’ anticipated lineup for tonight’s game against the Seattle Kraken:

Bains-Cootes-Lekkerimäki
Novotny-Safonov-Fix-Wolansky
Sasson-Räty-Pattersson
Alriksson-Wouters-Stienburg

DPetey-Mancini
Brisebois-Kudryavtsev
Mynio-Schuldt

Tolopilo (starter)
Medvedev

The Canucks’ game group showed power play units as well:

PP1: Bains-Cootes-Alriksson- Kudryavtsev-Lekkerimäki

PP2: Novotny-Fix Wolansky-Sasson
Steinburg-Mynio

Tonight’s game is available via video stream at canucks.com, with Brendan Batchelor and Randip Janda on the call. You can also listen to their call on the radio via the new radio home of the Canucks, KISS Radio 104.9 FM. 104.9 FM (Abbotsford: 92.5 FM and Chilliwack: 107.5 FM). Puck drop is scheduled for shortly after 6 PM Pacific Time from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

Head coach Manny Malhotra met with the media Saturday morning before the playing group hit the ice. Here is what the Canucks’ bench boss had to say:

On what he’s looking for from tonight’s playing group:

“We’ve talked about it from day one, just talking about our foundational habits. We recognize that it’s not going to look like a polished version of our team, but we’re looking for the details that we’ve discussed: the intensity in winning puck battles, positionally being in the right spots. We want to make sure they’re picking up on those things, and then ultimately it’s how hard they compete. I think the messaging being: we all know how short training camp is. The opportunity to get into a game is an opportunity to prove yourself, so just look to make the most of that opportunity.”

On Aatu Räty:

“For everybody, again, the messaging is the details within your game and the habits. He obviously knows how our practices are run and knows my expectations, so he’s been real sharp in his details. So the messaging for him is the continued expectations of making sure we’re getting better. And we harp on those and execute on those details daily.”

On Braeden Cootes:

“He’s done a good job of showing what he’s capable of doing. We’ve talked about how big a difference a year can make. He’s much stronger on his feet, he’s much more confident with the puck, and he’s made some really good plays. But again, coming back to those detailed things, his ability to get stick on puck and get through hands and execute on the details that we’ve talked about through our meetings is impressive; he’s able to implement them right away. But overall, his play on the ice, he’s shown his intelligence; he’s shown what he’s capable of doing.”

Also, for the person in the comments section yesterday who wanted us to ask Manny if yelling at his players to “attack” in practice was something he took from playing for Alain Vigneault, I asked him exactly that this morning:

“Oh, it’s, you know, it’s kind of Hockey 101. You don’t want to see players coasting in the offensive zone. You want to get pucks and bodies to the net as quick as possible.”

We tried!

Watch the full morning media availability from Malhotra below!