Takeaways From The Canucks’ 2026 Training Camp Scrimmage

The Vancouver Canucks hit the ice at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Saturday for the annual training camp scrimmage. After regulation, the score was tied 3-3, with Team White picking up the win over Team Blue in the shootout.

Liam Öhgren’s Shot Is Dangerous

The star early on in the scrimmage was Liam Öhgren. The 22-year-old scored twice, including a hard wrister that went post-and-in. Öhgren has been a standout throughout training camp thanks not just to his shot, but his confidence with the puck.

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Based on line combinations, Öhgren appears set to start on a line with Marco Rossi. The two showed some chemistry at the end of last season and will likely be joined by either Brock Boeser or Jonathan Lekkerimäki. While it is still very early in the campaign, Öhgren looks ready to break out this season.

Zeev Buium Mobility On Full Display

Zeev Buium has always been known as a strong skater with high-end puck-handling. Both those skills were on full display Saturday. Buium not only broke up plays in the defensive zone, but he also took every opportunity to jump up into the neutral zone and join the rush.

Buium also appears to be developing some chemistry with his partner, Luke Schenn. Having a stay-at-home defender on his right side may be beneficial for the 20-year-old as it would allow to take more chances knowing that the extra layer of protection is there. Overall, Buium looks energized and ready for the start of the campaign.

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Brendan Gallagher Comes As Advertised

Brendan Gallagher is the type of player young guys should be learning from. He never takes a shift off and can push the pace in practice. Even though Saturday was just a scrimmage, Gallagher was up to his old tricks, as he was one of the most noticeable players on the ice.

On top of battling hard against the board, Gallagher crashed the net and demanded the puck all game. He also spoke to the crowd afterward, which drew a huge cheer from the fans. Gallagher’s ability to lead on and off the ice will be key to building an environment where young players can thrive in the future.

Elias Pettersson’s Engagement Level

There was a scary moment during the scrimmage where Elias Pettersson was hit into the boards by Cole Clayton. That moment appeared to wake him up, though, as he had a strong scrimmage overall. Pettersson made plays at both ends of the ice, including scoring the game-tying goal for Team Blue.

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Pettersson is always going to be a storyline as long as he is with the team. Overall, he has looked decent in training camp, but we all know his performances don’t matter until the puck drop on the regular-season. That being said, it was a positive to see him moving his feet and shooting the puck in Saturday’s scrimmage.

Luke Schenn Shootout Moment

The moment of the shootout involved Schenn. After receiving a loud cheer from the crowd, the 36-year-old defenceman scored, beating Ty Young up high. Not only were the fans in attendance excited to see the goal, but so were both benches.

Schenn is expected to play a key role for the organization this season, not just on the ice, but off it as well. He will be a leader in the dressing room and has already received plenty of praise from both his teammates and Manny Malhotra. The question now is: will we see Schenn get a chance in the shootout this year?

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