Juulsen had appeared in the Canucks first three games of the season prior to being scratched on Thursday. Ice-time will likely be harder to come by for Juulsen moving forward following Tuesday's addition of fellow blue-liner Mark Friedman from the Penguins. Juulsen has one assist on the season while playing less than 13 minutes a game.
Friedman will make his Vancouver Canucks debut on Thursday after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday with Ty Glover in a trade for Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek. The 27-year-old Friedman has 65 NHL games under his belt, all with the Penguins, where he amassed 12 points (4G / 8A) along with 102 hits and 59 blocked shots. Akito Hirose was sent to Abbotsford (AHL) to make room for Friedman on the Canucks roster.
Demko will look to continue a fabulous start to the season that has seen him post a 1.70 GAA and .953 SV% in two games (1-1-0). Despite a 2-0 loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers, Demko is coming off a performance where he did everything but score for the Canucks, saving 40 of 42 shots. After a mediocre 2022-23 season where he finished with a 3.16 GAA and .901 SV%, Demko looks poised to rebound in a positive way. He will be put to the test again on Thursday as the Canucks are +113 road underdogs against a Tampa Bay Lightning team that is eager to get into the win column after losing three straight (0-2-1).
Friedman will likely make his Vancouver Canucks debut on Thursday after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday with Ty Glover in a trade for Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek. The 27-year-old Friedman has 65 NHL games under his belt, all with the Penguins, where he amassed 12 points (4G / 8A) along with 102 hits and 59 blocked shots. Akito Hirose was sent to Abbotsford (AHL) to make room for Friedman on the Canucks roster.
Hirose will return to Abbotsford of the AHL after playing two games for the Canucks, recording zero points, four blocks, and three hits. Mark Friedman will replace Hirose on the backend after being acquired yesterday via trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Soucy signed a three-year, $9.75 million contract ($3,250,000 AAV) with the Canucks in the offseason and has yet to make his Vancouver debut due to an undisclosed injury but will draw into the lineup Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh. The 29-year-old defensemen had three goals, 13 assists, 87 SOG, 68 PIMs and a +18 plus/minus in 78 games played with Seattle in 2022-23. He is expected to lineup on Vancouver's third pairing with Noah Juulsen.
Brisebois has not skated in 10 days and has now been placed on the long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old had a goal, two assists, 15 SOG, six PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through 17 games played in 2022-23. His move to the LTIR allows the Canucks to keep Jack Studnicka on the active roster after he was originally an emergency call up.
Demko was sensational in his only start of the season, stopping 21 of 22 shots against (.955 SV%) as he beat Edmonton 8-1 six days ago. The 27-year-old struggled in 2022-23, posting a 14-14-4 record, 3.16 GAA and .901 SV% in 32 games started. He takes on the Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday on the road, who is 1-1-0 and rank 15th in the NHL in goals per game (3.0).
Glover had been assigned to the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) for the start of the 2023-24 season but has been traded to Vancouver alongside Mark Friedman for Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek. The 23-year-old forward was signed as an undrafted free agent by Pittsburgh out of Western Michigan University (NCAA) in 2021-22 and has yet to appear in the NHL. In 2022-23, he had seven goals, five assists, 15 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus in 49 games played with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).
Friedman appeared in two games so far this season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) and has failed to pick up a point but has now been traded to Vancouver alongside Ty Glover for Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek. The 27-year-old defensemen has played five NHL seasons for both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and has four goals, eight assists, and 49 PIMs in 65 career games played. He is expected to take the spot of Noah Juulsen in Vancouvers' defensive unit.
Soucy signed a three-year, $9.75 million contract ($3,250,000 AAV) with the Canucks in the offseason and has yet to make his Vancouver debut due to an undisclosed injury but will be a game-time decision Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh. The 29-year-old defensemen had three goals, 13 assists, 87 SOG, 68 PIMs and a +18 plus/minus in 78 games played with Seattle in 2022-23. He is expected to lineup on Vancouver's third pairing with Noah Juulsen.
Desharnais had five PIMS and one shot on goal in the Oilers season opening loss in Vancouver. Desharnais will be scratched Saturday to make room for Mattias Ekholm (hip) to make his season debut.
Blueger was absent from the Canucks' season opening victory over Edmonton and will now be out for an undisclosed amount of time as he is week-to-week with a leg injury. The 28-year-old Latvian was signed to a one-year, $1.9 million contract in the offseason and will have to wait to make his much awaited Canucks debut. He had four goals, 12 assists, 30 PIMs, 85 SOG and a -9 plus/minus with Pittsburgh and Vegas in 2022-23.
Blueger participated in the Canucks' practice Tuesday but will still be a game-time decision ahead of their season opener vs. Edmonton due to a knee injury. The 29-year-old forward signed a one-year, $1.9 million contract with the Canucks in the offseason after posting four goals, 12 assists, 95 SOG, 30 PIMs and a -9 plus/minus in 63 games with Pittsburgh and Vegas in 2022-23.
Demko struggled with a 14-14-4 record and a .901 SV% to go alongside a 3.16 GAA in an injury-plagued 2022-23 campaign but will start the Canucks' opener Wednesday vs. Edmonton. The 27-year-old is entering his seventh NHL season and has a career .910 SV% and 2.90 GAA. He hosts the Oilers who finished 2022-23 first in the NHL in goals (325), power play percentage (32.4%), and sixth in shots per game (33.6).