The Vancouver Canucks are set to start their 2025–26 regular season schedule, and it begins where their heartbeat lies, at Rogers Arena. On October 9, the Canucks open the new season at home against the rival Calgary Flames, marking the start of a season filled with expectations, energy, and the chance to take the next big step.
Elias Pettersson remains at the center of it all. The All-Star forward, who continues to evolve into one of the league’s most complete players, enters this season as both the emotional and offensive anchor of a team looking to reclaim its place among the Western Conference contenders.
A fiery start to the season
Vancouver’s schedule wastes no time turning up the intensity. The Canucks face the Flames in their opener, then travel to Edmonton for another early-season rivalry test against Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
After a road-heavy start, the team returns home to face St. Louis, Montreal, and the New York Rangers, all before the end of October. The month is a chance to prove that this group can blend Pettersson’s creativity, Quinn Hughes’ control, and Thatcher Demko’s calm presence into a winning formula from the outset.
MORE: Ryan Huska and the Flames set their sights on 2025-26: A season to ignite Calgary
The heart of winter in Vancouver
The energy inside Rogers Arena will surge through the winter months. Between late November and mid-January, the Canucks will enjoy a stretch of home-heavy hockey that could shape their season.
Fans can circle several must-see games: Colorado visits on November 9, Toronto comes west on January 31, and Edmonton returns on January 17 for what’s sure to be another electric Pacific Division showdown.
Pettersson’s leadership, both on the ice and in the locker room, has become the defining tone of this Canucks team. His chemistry with Hughes and J.T. Miller gives Vancouver one of the most dynamic top units in the NHL, capable of dictating pace and controlling games at home or on the road.
Testing themselves on the road
The grind of the NHL schedule is real, and Vancouver’s toughest road stretch comes in January, when they head east for a six-game trip through Buffalo, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Columbus. That trip will test their endurance and discipline across time zones and playoff atmospheres.
For a team that has at times struggled to find road consistency, this stretch represents a defining checkpoint for Pettersson’s leadership and the group’s maturity.
The push toward April
If the Canucks are in the playoff mix as spring approaches, the schedule provides an opportunity to surge. A seven-game homestand from March 2–26 includes meetings with Dallas, Florida, Tampa Bay, and the rival Los Angeles Kings — a gauntlet that could decide Vancouver’s postseason fate.
Their final home game comes on April 14 against the Kings before closing out the regular season on April 16 in Edmonton, a fitting finale for a season built on rivalry and resolve.
A city and a star aligned
Elias Pettersson has become more than just Vancouver’s star forward; he’s the heartbeat of a city ready to believe again. His blend of poise, precision, and quiet determination reflects the Canucks’ identity: resilient, skilled, and relentless in pursuit of progress.
For fans, every night at Rogers Arena will feel like more than just a game. It’s a statement of where this team is headed, and with Pettersson leading the way, the 2025–26 season might just be the one that reminds the hockey world that the West still runs through Vancouver.
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