The Vancouver Canucks are getting back into the swing of things. Vancouver’s training camp is set to open tomorrow, September 17, in Penticton, with pre-season starting on September 19.
Ahead of the season’s start, the Canucks’ management team held their opening press conference. Here are five things to know from the press conference heading into training camp and the pre-season.
Advertisement
No Timeline On Thatcher Demko, Jack Thompson Out
At their season-opening press conference this morning, the Canucks brass didn’t quite commit to an answer for Thatcher Demko, who has had yet to skate with the team during their informal summer skates. Abbotsford Canucks defenceman Jack Thompson will also miss some time due to taking a puck to the face. Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson also noted that some of Vancouver’s prospects “had some nicks or bruises” before and after the Prospects Showcase.
In Thompson’s absence, Vancouver will be bringing another defenceman to training camp on a PTO, though Johnson didn’t share who exactly it was.
The Canucks Aren’t Rushing To Name A Captain
The last time the Canucks began an NHL season without a captain was in 2018–19, the season after former captain Henrik Sedin retired and a year before now New York Islanders captain Bo Horvat was given the ‘C’.
Advertisement
Just like how they’re planning on approaching other facets of the rebuild, Vancouver isn’t in a rush to name their next captain. Rather, they’re happy to play the waiting game to see which players gravitate towards that position most.
“We’ve talked about it earlier in the summer that the leaders of this group will emerge when the time is right. That’s going to play out over the next few weeks, to see who takes hold of that type of role, and we see who the guys want to follow,” Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra said.
One player whose hat has been thrown in the ring for the ‘C’ often is longest-tenured Canucks skater Brock Boeser. The winger has seen Vancouver throughout a variety of contention windows and played under three different captains. Malhotra also discussed the forward’s significance to the team from a leadership perspective.
“He has the understanding of what the organization has gone through, and with that comes the awareness of the passion of the fanbase and how much they want things to turn around. So, with that knowledge for him, he’s seen what unproductive teams look like, and he has the ability to correct those things and learn from them.”
Advertisement
Gallagher, one of a few notable off-season acquisitions by the Canucks, heads into Vancouver’s training camp as a now 15-year NHL veteran. The winger was brought into the organization to help re-set the team’s culture, but his impact will also extend to on-ice play.
Malhotra didn’t commit to placing the forward in a particular spot in the lineup, but said the following of his ex-Montrèal Canadiens teammate.
“When you look at Gally, the thing that stands out for us is his presence in terms of the way he competes and the tenacity that he plays with and the passion that he has for the game. So for me, the importance of a guy like him in our room in terms of teaching what the game’s supposed to look like from an intensity standpoint, from a competitive standpoint, that’s going to be a big part of his role. We’ve talked about it over and over, the way we practice is going to dictate a lot of how we play. So his energy and his excitement when he comes to the rink, and the way he competes in practice, having seen it firsthand, is something that we’re looking forward to for this group.”
Advertisement
Elias Pettersson is entering the 2026–27 season with plenty of outside expectations surrounding him and his play. Within the organization, Johnson’s expectations are a bit different — he wants the player to find his love of hockey again.
“I think Petey knows he’s in a safe place here as far as people that have his back, that are going to give an environment to not be anything other than who he is, and we think with the environment that we’re going to surround him with, the players, that we expect him to be a really happy hockey player coming into the rink to practice, to work on his game.”
The Canucks GM emphasized that, for Pettersson, sticking to who he is will optimistically result in his on-ice play trending in a positive direction.
Advertisement
“I don’t expect him to be the loudest guy in the room. I don’t expect him to overnight turn into an alpha. I just expect him to be exactly who he is. And I think as we allow him to do that within some structure and in the environment that we want him to be able to come to the rink and work on his game every day, that we’re going to see a happier hockey player, which usually translates into some form of success or improvement.”
Mar 24, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) and forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrate BoeserÕs goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
A Practice Facility Update
During the team’s season-opening press conference, Canucks co-President of Hockey Operations Daniel Sedin also gave an update on the status of the team’s potential practice facility. The last piece of news had been that the team had signed an MOU with the City of Vancouver to build at Britannia Rink. However, following this announcement, the Vancouver Angels, Vancouver Thunderbirds, and Vancouver Minor Hockey Association released a joint statement sharing their concerns regarding the potential project.
Advertisement
Sedin shared that good things came from a meeting between the organization and the minor hockey associations regarding how they see the rink serving both the Canucks and the community best.
“[We had a] very good meeting with the minor hockey administration and good discussions. I think we’re on the same page. We’re working hard with the city to get something done […] we would love to give something back to the community and add rinks, and that’s, I think, something we would be a dream of ours as an organization to do,” he said. “It’s a lot of hard work with the city to get something done, and I think we’re on a good path.”
Make sure you bookmark THN’s Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
Advertisement
Canucks Training Camp Predictions: Defence Pairings, Pettersson’s Linemates, & More
One Question For Each Position Heading Into Canucks 2026 Training Camp
Canucks Prospect Celebrini Named Assistant Captain At Boston University
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Read the full article here