Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT
Venue: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
TV/Streaming: NBCSCA (Sharks region), ESPN+ (national); Sportsnet (Canada where applicable)
The Pacific Division clash pits the last-place Canucks, who snapped a 10-game losing streak with a dramatic 6-5 overtime win in Anaheim on Tuesday, against a Sharks team that sits fourth in the division after a 2-0 home shutout loss to Buffalo. This is the first meeting of the 2026-27 season.
Injury Reports
Vancouver Canucks:
Thatcher Demko (G) – IR, hip (expected return around late December).
Akil Thomas (C) – IR/non-roster, undisclosed (mid-November range).
Mackenzie MacEachern (LW) – IR/non-roster, undisclosed (early November range).
Additional notes from recent reports include depth options and possible healthy scratches, but the primary absences center on the goaltending and forward depth listed above.
San Jose Sharks:
Alexander Wennberg (C) – IR/out, upper body (week-to-week; mid-November range).
Igor Chernyshov (LW) – IR/out, upper body (week-to-week; mid-November range).
Quentin Musty (LW) – IR, upper body (longer-term).
Kyle Keyser (G) – IR, upper body (longer-term).
Other depth players have been noted as out or day-to-day in various reports.
Current Player Rosters / Projected Line Combinations
Canucks (coach Manny Malhotra; approximate recent combinations):
Forwards (examples from recent usage):
Jake DeBrusk – Elias Pettersson – Brock Boeser
Drew O’Connor – Filip Chytil – Jonathan Lekkerimäki
Liam Öhgren / others – Marco Rossi – Linus Karlsson
Paul Cotter – Max Sasson – Arshdeep Bains Defense:
Jamie Oleksiak / Elias Pettersson (D) – Filip Hronek
Tom Willander – others
Zeev Buium – Victor Mancini Goaltenders: Leevi Meriläinen (recent starter in the OT win) or Kevin Lankinen (Demko out).
Sharks (coach Ryan Warsofsky; recent adjustments):
Forwards:
Ivar Stenberg – Macklin Celebrini – Collin Graf
Mason Marchment – Michael Misa – Will Smith
Kiefer Sherwood – Filip Bystedt / Ty Dellandrea – Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow – Zack Ostapchuk / others – Adam Gaudette Defense:
Sam Dickinson / Darnell Nurse – Jacob Trouba
Dmitry Orlov – Michael Kesselring / others Goaltenders: Yaroslav Askarov or Alex Nedeljkovic (split usage).
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Macklin Celebrini (SJS) vs. Elias Pettersson / Canucks top defense (Hronek-led): Celebrini leads the Sharks in production (5 goals, 10 assists early). Containing the young star’s playmaking and scoring is central for Vancouver’s struggling defense.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki / Brock Boeser / Elias Pettersson (VAN) vs. Sharks defensive pairs (Trouba-Nurse, etc.): Lekkerimäki has been a bright spot with recent multi-point efforts (including the OT winner setup context); Boeser and Pettersson provide secondary scoring and playmaking. Sharks’ blue line must limit high-danger chances against a Canucks group that exploded for six goals in Anaheim.
Special teams: Sharks possess a stronger power play (~25%) and solid PK (~82%) compared with Vancouver’s weaker PK (~64%, near league-worst) and middling PP. Discipline and faceoffs will matter.
Goaltending: Meriläinen (or Lankinen) for Vancouver facing volume against a Sharks attack, versus Askarov/Nedeljkovic for San Jose against a Canucks team that ranks near the bottom in goals against.
Recent Team Forms
Canucks (Last 10: ~1-8-1, current W1): Ended a 10-game skid (0-9-1) with the OT rally in Anaheim. Overall offense is functional at times (~3.07 GF/GP) but defense and goaltending (without Demko) have been porous (~4.64 GA/GP, league-worst range). Road struggles continue.
Sharks (Last 10: ~4-5-1, current L1/L2): Mixed results with some offensive flashes led by Celebrini. Home record has been uneven (recent shutout loss to Buffalo). Better overall structure and special teams than Vancouver, though consistency remains an issue (~2.77 GF/GP, ~3.38 GA/GP).
Series History
The all-time series is relatively even, with the Sharks holding a slight edge or near parity in regular-season meetings across decades (roughly 70+ wins apiece depending on exact counts including older eras). Recent years have seen competitive, often high-event games, with Vancouver competitive or better in some stretches and San Jose taking others. No playoff history is relevant to this regular-season tilt; this is the first 2026-27 meeting.
Betting Trends
Trends favor the home favorite given Vancouver’s defensive woes and recent skid (despite the OT win). Totals lean higher due to both teams’ ability to score (or allow goals). Public money may support the Sharks; value can appear on the Canucks +1.5 or overs if lines hold.
Game Odds
Vancouver Canucks 6.5
San Jose Sharks – 168
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, October 28, 2026
