Canucks’ Jake DeBrusk to miss game against Flames due to illness

The Vancouver Canucks will be without left winger Jake DeBrusk for their first Saturday night game of the season as they take on the Calgary Flames in a battle between two teams widely expected to finish at the bottom of the Western Conference. 

Head coach Manny Malhotra told reporters DeBrusk came to Rogers Arena feeling ill and was promptly sent home to recover, leaving him out of the lineup against their Pacific Division foes. 

The 29-year-old played in Vancouver’s first two games of the season and posted a single assist in the 6-5 win and 9-7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers to open the 2026-27 campaign. 

Entering a full rebuilding season, there were reports of DeBrusk looking for other options this season, but the Canucks opted to hold onto the Edmonton native, keeping him for the third year of a seven-year, $38.5 million contract, which features a $5.5 million average annual value through the 2030-31 season. 

Last season, DeBrusk took the ice in 81 games for the Canucks and posted 23 goals and 19 assists for 42 points, as the team finished last in the NHL and secured a top-three NHL Draft pick, which they used to select Caleb Malhotra. The previous season, he played all 82 games, making Saturday just the second regular-season contest he has missed since signing with the Canucks on July 1, 2024.  

Without DeBrusk, Vancouver’s offensive options dwindle further. However, there is some hope of an Elias Pettersson rebound up front, after the Swedish center scored two goals and a pair of assists in the first two games against the Oilers. 

After Saturday night’s clash with the Flames, the Canucks will have a quick turnaround before taking on the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, wrapping up a three-game homestand before hitting the road for six straight games against Eastern Conference opponents.