Vancouver Canucks Player News

MacEachern will slot in for Arshdeep Bains, who is a healthy scratch on Friday. MacEachern has no goals and one assist in three games this season.

Bains will take the night off on Friday as MacKenzie MacEachern draws into the lineup in his place. Bains is yet to score a goal through 18 games this season.

Mancini has not played since suffering an upper-body injury in the final week of October. The 23-year-old defenseman was averaging 10:32 time-on-ice in five games before his injury.

O'Connor has been effective in a middle-six role this season, playing every game this season, but could miss his first game of the season, as he continues recovering from an illness. The 27-year-old forward has eight points (4G / 4A) in 18 games this season.

With Thatcher Demko (groin) out week-to-week, Lankinen should see the majority of action between the pipes for the Canucks, beginning with Friday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 30-year-old Lankinen has been inconsistent this season but was excellent in relief of Demko on Tuesday, saving 20 of 21 shots (.952 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Lankinen has a 3.57 GAA and .885 SV% in nine games this season (3-5-1). The Canucks enter Friday's contest as sizeable +229 road underdogs against a Hurricanes team with an 11-5-0 record.

Rossi didn't show any signs of an injury in Minnesota's most recent game, but head coach John Hynes announced that Rossi will miss some time due to a lower-body injury. The 24-year-old was off to a decent start this season, scoring 13 points (4G / 9A) in 17 games, but was limited to only one point (1G / 0A) in his last five.

With Dylan Samberg return from a wrist injury, Schenn will exit the lineup as a healthy scratch. The 36-year-old Schenn has been in and out of the lineup for the Jets this season. He has 18 blocks and 29 hits in 13 games.

O'Connor has been effective in a middle-six role this season, but could miss his first game of the season, as he was absent from practice due to an illness. The 27-year-old forward has eight points (4G / 4A) in 18 games this season.

The Senators allowed three unanswered goals in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, and will revert to Merilainen in their crease on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. Merilainen has only played three games this season (2-1-0), but has looked solid lately. After a disastrous opening contest, allowing seven goals on 26 shots (.731 SV%), Merilainen has followed up with two excellent outings (2-0-0), saving 55 of 59 combined shots (.932 SV%). The Senators enter the action on Thursday as -159 road favorites against a Bruins team riding a league-best seven-game winning streak.

The Senators allowed three unanswered goals in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, and will revert to Merilainen in their crease on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. Merilainen has only played three games this season (2-1-0), but has looked solid lately. After a disastrous opening contest, allowing seven goals on 26 shots (.731 SV%), Merilainen has followed up with two excellent outings (2-0-0), saving 55 of 59 combined shots (.932 SV%). The Senators enter the action on Thursday as -159 road favorites against a Bruins team riding a league-best seven-game winning streak.

Demko has battled a myriad of injuries over the previous several seasons and will be sidelined once again. The positive news is this injury is not related to the injury that kept him out of games this past weekend, nor the injury that sidelined him for half of the 2024-25 season. Expect Kevin Lankinen to see a heavy workload between the pipes during Demko's absence.

The Canucks did not dress Demko in either of their games last week as they continue managing his workout after an injury-plagued season in 2024-25. The 29-year-old Demko returns to the crease on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets, looking to build on a solid 2.57 GAA and .911 SV% through nine games this season (5-4-0). The Canucks enter Tuesday's contest as slight +104 home underdogs against a Jets team amid a season-worst three-game losing skid (0-3-0).