Red Wings’ Game Preview: Detroit Hosts the Vancouver Canucks

The Detroit Red Wings are returning home from a 5-3 victory in Ottawa and will host the Vancouver Canucks. As they’ve already faced off against each other once, the upcoming matchup marks the final game in their season series. Detroit took the first game of the season series in dominant fashion, heading into Vancouver and winning the game 4-0.

In Detroit’s last 10 games, they’ve put together a record of 6-4-0, and find themselves sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division. Their position in the Atlantic is the best the team has seen in years, and they continue to climb. Vancouver, however, is continuing its downward slide in the Pacific Division, sitting in last place and 31st in the league. Currently on a four-game losing streak, they’re surely looking to bounce back.

Dating back to 2019, the Red Wings have won seven of their last 10 matchups against Vancouver, with their most recent loss coming in December 2024, a 5-4 defeat in Little Caesars Arena. This is a good time for Detroit to build some more momentum ahead of the Winter Olympic break beginning in February. If they can build that momentum heading into the break, they’ll come out of it a true contender ahead of the 2026 Trade Deadline, a time where they can add needed pieces to help with their push to the playoffs. With 14 games remaining ahead of the break, and a vast majority of them very winnable, now is Detroit’s time.

Detroit Projected Lineup

As reported by Helene St. James, the Red Wings ran the following forward lineup in yesterday’s practice:

• Emmitt Finnie – Dylan Larkin – Marco Kasper
• Alex DeBrincat – Andrew Copp – Patrick Kane
• James van Riemsdyk – J.T. Compher – Lucas Raymond
• John Leonard – Michael Rasmussen – Mason Appleton

• Simon Edvinsson – Moritz Seider
• Ben Chiarot – Axel Sandin-Pellikka
• Albert Johansson – Jacob Bernard-Docker

John Gibson, who started on Monday against the Senators, will get the start again tonight.

Scratched: Elmer Soderblom, Travis Hamonic

Vancouver Projected Lineup

The Canucks’ roster saw a massive shakeup when star defenseman Quinn Hughes was traded to the Minnesota Wild. Getting Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, and Liam Ohgren back as a return certainly helped bolster the roster in other areas; the Canucks set themselves on a clear path forward — that of a rebuild. Their lineup as of late has looked as such:

• Jake DeBrusk – Elias Pettersson – Linus Karlsson
• Evander Kane – Max Sasson – Brock Boeser
• Drew O’Connor – David Kampf – Kiefer Sherwood
• Liam Ohgren – Aatu Raty – Nils Hoglander

• Marcus Petterson – Tom Willander
• Zeev Buium – Filip Hronek
• Pierre-Olivier Joseph – Tyler Myers

Scratched: Elias Pettersson, Arshdeep Bains

Injured: Marco Rossi, Filip Chytil, Teddy Blueger, Conor Garland, Guillaume Brisebois, Derek Forbort

Canuck’s goaltender Thatcher Demko started this past Tuesday, when the club visited the Buffalo Sabres, so backup goaltender Kevin Lankinen may get the net tonight. At the time of writing, there has been no official announcement regarding the Canucks’ starting goaltender.

Highlights From Previous Five Games

Five players are tied for goals scored in Detroit’s last five games. Mason Appleton, Andrew Copp, Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, and James van Riemsdyk all lead the team with two goals apiece.

In terms of total points in the team’s last five games, two players — Lucas Raymond and van Riemsdyk — are tied with four points, and three players — DeBrincat, Simon Edvinsson, and Larkin — are tied with three points.

Elias Pettersson is in sole possession of the Canucks’ first-place goal-scoring position, scoring three goals in his previous five games. Jake DeBrusk and Linus Karlsson sit tied for second place, with two goals apiece. There’s a bottleneck for fourth place, with six players tied with one goal in their previous five games.

Four players sit atop the Canucks’ top point scorers in their previous five games, tied with four points apiece — DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, Pettersson, and Karlsson. Tom Willander is in sole-possession of fifth place with three points.

How to Watch

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EST and 4 p.m. PST. The Canuck’s broadcast can be found on Sportsnet Pacific, and can be heard on Sportsnet 650. Detroit’s broadcast can be found on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, and can be heard on 97.1 The Ticket.