The Philadelphia Flyers (19-11-7) travel to face the Vancouver Canucks (16-19-3) in an interconference matchup that highlights Philadelphia’s defensive resilience against Vancouver’s ongoing rebuild struggles. The Flyers, sitting third in the Metropolitan Division, have exceeded expectations with a structured forecheck and strong goaltending, ranking top-10 in goals against (2.78 per game) but middling in scoring (2.89 per game). Vancouver, near the bottom of the Pacific, has shown flashes of offensive talent but ranks 28th in goals against (3.42 per game) amid injuries and inconsistency. Without key contributors like Teddy Blueger for the Canucks and Tyson Foerster for the Flyers, this could be a low-event game decided by special teams, where Philadelphia’s elite penalty kill (top-5 at 85.7%) might neutralize Vancouver’s power play. Expect the Flyers to control possession, but Vancouver’s home crowd could spark an upset if their stars like Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson exploit Philadelphia’s road vulnerabilities.
Venue Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia. This 18,910-capacity arena is renowned for its passionate fans and has hosted the Canucks since 1995. Vancouver has struggled at home this season, posting a 4-11-1 record while allowing an average of 3.5 goals per game.
Puckdrop is set for 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. local PT). The game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia and Sportsnet Pacific, with streaming options on ESPN+ and Peacock.
Injury Report
Both teams enter with notable absences, thinning Vancouver’s forward group and Philadelphia’s blue line. Updates are as of late afternoon on game day.
Philadelphia Flyers:
Tyson Foerster (RW): Out – Arm injury. Placed on IR December 1; expected return early January 2026, impacting secondary scoring and the power play (9 goals this season).
Cam York (D): Out – Upper-body injury. Placed on IR December 3; key puck-mover whose absence strains defensive transitions.
Sean Couturier (C): Questionable – Undisclosed. Missed recent practices; if out, affects faceoffs (team-leading 52.1% win rate) and shutdown matchups.
Additional notes: No other major issues reported; Matvei Michkov has filled in effectively on the wing.
Vancouver Canucks:
Teddy Blueger (C): Out – Lower-body injury. On IR; expected return January 6, 2026, hurting bottom-six energy and penalty kill.
Filip Chytil (C): Questionable – Upper-body injury. On IR but could return December 30; adds speed to the middle if active.
Derek Forbort (D): Out – Undisclosed. On LTIR; expected return January 10, 2026, further depleting the blue line.
Additional notes: Evander Kane (illness) and Conor Garland (upper body) are day-to-day but expected to suit up; Filip Hronek (illness) is available after missing a game.
These injuries could force Vancouver to rely on prospects like Aatu Räty, while Philadelphia’s depth helps mitigate their losses.
Player Matchups
Vancouver’s injuries alter line configurations, potentially exposing their defense to Philadelphia’s aggressive forecheck. Key duels could spotlight speed and physicality.
Travis Konecny (PHI) vs. Quinn Hughes (VAN): Dynamic winger vs. elite defenseman. Konecny (team-high 15 goals, 32 points) uses speed and shot to challenge Hughes’ puck-moving ability; Hughes (top defenseman scorer) must balance offense while containing Konecny’s rushes.
Matvei Michkov (PHI) vs. Elias Pettersson (VAN): Rising stars. Michkov (9 goals, 11 assists) has impressed in Foerster’s absence with creativity; Pettersson (playmaking center) needs to rebound from inconsistency but could exploit mismatches.
Bo Horvat (PHI) vs. J.T. Miller (VAN): Veteran pivots. Horvat (strong faceoffs at 52.1%, two-way anchor) dominates in the circle; Miller (Canucks’ leading scorer with 25+ points) brings physicality but must step up without Blueger.
Other notes: Owen Tippett (PHI sniper) vs. Vancouver’s penalty kill (bottom-10); Travis Sanheim (PHI D) vs. Canucks’ power play; goaltending: Samuel Ersson (PHI) vs. Kevin Lankinen (VAN), with Lankinen unbeaten in shootouts (17-for-17 this season).
Philadelphia’s balanced lines give them an edge in exploiting Vancouver’s depleted roster.
Recent Team Forms
Philadelphia has cooled off after a hot streak, while Vancouver shows mixed results but recent wins provide hope.
Philadelphia Flyers (4-2-4 in last 10 games): Coming off a 4-1 home loss to the Seattle Kraken on December 28, where they were outshot 32-25. They’ve averaged 2.9 GPG while allowing 2.8, with a +1 differential. Notable wins: 3-1 over Chicago on December 23 and a 5-2 rout earlier in the month. Losses to Seattle and others highlight special teams issues (power play 1-for-5 in last game). Road form: 4-5-1 in last 10 away. Form: L-W-L-W-L (last five).
Vancouver Canucks (6-4-0 in last 10 games): Edged the Dallas Stars 4-3 in a shootout on December 27, with Kevin Lankinen perfect in the tiebreaker. They’ve averaged 3.0 GPG but conceded 3.2, posting a -2 margin. Key victory: Shootout win over Dallas, but a 6-3 loss to San Jose on December 26 exposed defensive woes. Home form: 3-5-1 in last 9 at Rogers Arena. Form: W-L-W-W-L (last five).
Series History
Philadelphia dominates the all-time series, leading 83-39-13 in 135 regular-season meetings. The Flyers are 37-16-12 all-time in Vancouver, including a 5-2 victory in their most recent matchup on December 22, 2025. In the last 10 head-to-heads, Philadelphia holds a 7-3 edge, with an average total of 6.0 goals per game (under hitting in 6 of 10). Vancouver’s last win over the Flyers was a 3-2 decision in October 2024.
Betting Trends
Spread: Philadelphia is 19-18 ATS overall and 8-9-2 on the road; Vancouver is 18-20 ATS and 7-9 at home.
Total (O/U): The over has hit in 17 of Philadelphia’s 37 games (45.9%) and 19 of Vancouver’s 38 (50%). In last five head-to-heads, under is 3-2.
Trends: Flyers are 5-0 in last five Tuesday games but 1-6 ATS in last seven road games vs. Pacific teams. Canucks are 4-1 as underdogs in last five and 4-1 vs. teams with winning records, but 1-4 in last five overall. Total has gone under in 7 of Flyers’ last 10 road games and 6 of Canucks’ last 10 home. Philadelphia is 2-1 (+1.7 units) on the moneyline vs. Vancouver since 2025.
Game Odds
Philadelphia Flyers – 135
Vancouver Canucks 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, December 29, 2025
