The preseason is coming to a close on Saturday for the Vancouver Canucks as they host the Seattle Kraken in their fourth and final game of the preseason.
Saturday's game is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. puck drop, and it will be the second time the Canucks and Kraken meet this preseason. Saturday will be a good run-through for the players and staff as they will ice an NHL-heavy lineup in the final game before they start to count in the standings.
Saturday also marks the final day of the three-day long Canucks Fan Fest, with plenty happening around Rogers Arena ahead of puck drop.
The day begins with a career networking event from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PT. Each ticket to the networking event also includes admission to the Canucks’ afternoon game against the Kraken. Get your tickets HERE!
Fans can head to the RBC Landing (formerly North Plaza) at 12:00 p.m. for interactive games and activities, including the Molson Hockey House, live entertainment and street hockey on Pat Quinn Way.
From 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Canucks players will be walking the Blue Carpet, giving fans the chance to get photos and autographs from their favourite players before heading inside for the game.
Quick Hits on the Competition
- During the offseason, the Kraken acquired Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers for the 2026 25th-overall pick and a 2027 conditional 2nd-round pick.
- Jordan Eberle led the Kraken with 26 goals and 55 points last season.
- Matty Beniers and Adam Larsson were the only two Kraken players to play in all 82 games last season.
The Story: What Manny Wants
Saturday is the final chance for players to show Head Coach Manny Malhotra what they can do before the final cuts to the roster.
Following Thursday’s preseason game against Edmonton, Malhotra discussed with the players areas they wanted to see the team improve on heading into the final game.
“An elevation in the overall intensity of our game. We recognize that a lot of their first games back that the execution was going to be off, so that's another area that we want to improve on, and the ability to play a little faster,” Malhotra said. “When you get clean and the execution gets a little better, the pace goes up, and ultimately, we want to be a team that plays with better pace than we showed yesterday.
Friday’s practice was up-tempo, with many players staying on the ice afterward to get in some extra touches and shots, as well as additional work with the goaltenders.
"It was a great response to yesterday,” Malhotra said. “Obviously, as heavy as the schedule is in camp, we have to keep pushing and trying to keep pushing the guys to get better. With tomorrow being a 4 o'clock game, no morning skate, we wanted to make sure we were sharp and cleaned up a few things going into tomorrow.”
When and Where to Watch
Saturday’s game is at 4:00 p.m. PT, and you can watch the game on Sportsnet or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on KISS West Coast.
