Vancouver Canucks News

Juuse Saros (roster management) will not dress on Friday, leaving the crease to Kevin Lankinen. Lankinen was solid in his last outing, despite suffering a 2-0 loss to the New York Islanders, saving 28 of 29 shots (.966 SV%), improving his season totals to a 2.93 GAA and .905 SV%. The Predators enter action on Friday as -254 road favourites against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Chytil suffered a setback in his initial attempt to return from an upper-body injury in late January after going down at practice and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. There is no confirmation whether this initial prognosis has adjusted. Chytil was a major component of the Rangers offence, scoring 22 goals and 45 points as a 23-year-old in 2022-23.

With Vancouver locking up a playoff spot weeks ago they have been taking Thatcher Demko's recovery slow but the goaltender claimed Thursday "I feel fine" and that he is a possibility to return on Saturday. The 28-year-old star netminder last appeared on March 9th and holds an impressive 34-13-2 record, 2.47 GAA and . 917 SV% on the season.

Ohgren will make his NHL debut on Friday in Vegas after appearing in three games for Iowa (AHL) after a full season in the Swedish Elite League with Farjestad BK. The 20-year-old left-winger is Minnesota's 2022 first-round pick (20th overall) and had an impressive 12 goals and 19 points in 26 games with Farjestad BK before being sent to North America.

Fix-Wolansky has been among the league leaders in the AHL for the past two seasons but has been unable to translate that success to the NHL level, scoring only four points (2G / 2A) in 25 career games with the Blue Jackets. The 24-year-old has 58 points (24G / 34A) in 55 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season.

Ohgren was the 19th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He recently made his North American debut with the Iowa Wild (AHL) and could get the opportunity for his first NHL game after being recalled on Wednesday.

Fix-Wolansky has been among the league leaders in the AHL for the past two seasons but has been unable to translate that success to the NHL level, scoring only four points (2G / 2A) in 25 career games with the Blue Jackets. The 24-year-old has 58 points (24G / 34A) in 55 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season.

Demko has not played since March 9th due to a lower-body injury but appears to be nearing a return to the lineup. He was one of the league's top goaltenders when he went down with an injury, noticeable by his 34-13-2 record, 2.47 GAA, .917 SV% and five shutouts.

Fix-Wolansky just surpassed a career-high in games played with 10 on Thursday but has been reassigned to Cleveland (AHL) on Friday. The 24-year-old failed to produce during his short stint with the Blue Jackets, with only one assist, 14 SOG and a -2 plus/minus in 10 games played.

Thomas will draw into the lineup for his second career game on Thursday as the Kings opt to get some fresh legs into their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Arthur Kaliyev will sit in his place.

Fix-Wolansky will fill in for Johnny Gaudreau, who is out with an illness. Fix-Wolansky has no goals and one assist in nine games this season.

Bains second stint with Vancouver did not go as planned after the forward appeared in three games and averaged less than 10 minutes per game TOI while picking up a -2 plus/minus. The 23-year-old was re-assigned to Abbotsford (AHL) on Thursday, where he has 14 goals and 49 points in 53 games played this season.

Fix-Wolansky has become an elite offensive contributor at the AHL level but has not been able to translate that into NHL success. The 24-year-old has 58 points (24G / 34A) in 54 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season but only has four points (2G / 2A) in 24 career NHL games.

Bains will take a seat on Wednesday as the Canucks look to get some fresh legs into their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Bains is yet to register a point in eight games this season.

Mancini was a fifth-round pick of the Rangers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and has spent the last three seasons playing with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The 21-year-old defenseman scored 23 points (4G / 19A) in his 110-game college-hockey career.

Thomas was the 51st overall pick of the Kings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and will make his NHL debut on Monday against the Winnipeg Jets. The 24-year-old Thomas has 43 points (22G / 21A) in 61 games with the Ontario Reign (AHL) this season.