Scoring only eight goals in their first three games (1-2-0), the Canucks are shaking things up ahead of the contest on Thursday against the Dallas Stars. Lekkerimaki will be a healthy scratch and Braeden Cootes was reassigned to Seattle (AHL), paving the way for Max Sasson and Linus Karlsson to make their season debuts. The 21-year-old Lekkerimaki has one point (1G / 0A) in three games this season.
Derek Forbort will be a healthy scratch on Monday against the St. Louis Blues, allowing Mancini to draw into the lineup for his season debut. The 23-year-old Mancini made his NHL debut last season, splitting time with the Canucks and New York Rangers, scoring eight points (2G / 6A) in 31 combined games.
Buium was Minnesota's 12th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut in this postseason, often quarterbacking the top powerplay unit, scoring one point (0G / 1A) in 4 games. He will head to the sidelines as a healthy scratch, being replaced by Jon Merrill.
Sasson will slot in for Ty Mueller, who is a healthy scratch on Wednesday. Sasson has three goals and four assists in 28 games this season.
Mueller will take a seat for Vancouver's season finale after suiting up in each of their last two games. Max Sasson will draw into the lineup in his place.
The Kings are already locked into the second spot in the Pacific division, so Thomas will slot in along with Caleb Jones, Trevor Lewis, and Kyle Burroughs for Tuesday's game in Seattle. Mikey Anderson, Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, and Quinton Byfield will all get the night off.
Buium was Minnesota's 12th-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old defenseman just completed his second season with the University of Denver, scoring 48 points (13G / 35A) in 41 games.
Kudryavtsev was a seventh-round pick, 208th overall, of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old defenseman been solid in the AHL, his first professional season, scoring 26 points (5G / 21A) in 63 games with the Abbotsford Canucks.
Mancini will be the odd-man out on the Canucks blue-line when they visit the Islanders on Wednesday. Elias Nils Pettersson will draw into the lineup in his place.
Pettersson will draw back into the Canucks lineup after sitting out the last two games. Victor Mancini will sit in his place.
With Thatcher Demko (lower-body) being activated from injured reserve earlier today, the Canucks currently have three goalies on their roster. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet will take advantage of this and give Lankinen the night off entirely by having Artus Silovs back up Demko.
