Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks Fantasy Hockey Prediction: Players to Watch, Score Pick & How to Watch

The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks meet Thursday, September 24 in a preseason game that may tell fantasy hockey managers more about opportunity than star power.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard remain the names that define Edmonton’s fantasy ceiling after combining for 330 points last season, but Oilers coach Mike Babcock has already indicated that Edmonton plans to take what he described as an “American League lineup” to Vancouver. That makes players fighting for jobs, including Isaac Howard, Viljami Marjala and Quinn Hutson, much more interesting for tonight’s fantasy evaluation.

Vancouver enters its first home preseason game 0-2-0 after losses to Seattle and Calgary, while Edmonton is 2-0-0. The Canucks have also trimmed their camp roster to 31 players, bringing several roster battles into sharper focus.

What I’m watching most: who Vancouver gives premium offensive and power-play minutes to, and which Edmonton prospect turns a temporary opportunity into something the coaching staff has to reconsider.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks Game Information

The Canucks and Oilers both confirm a 6:00 p.m. PT start at Rogers Arena. Sportsnet is carrying the game in Canada. Edmonton lists 880 CHED and its radio network, while Vancouver lists Brendan Batchelor’s call on KISS West Coast.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks Fantasy Hockey Matchup Outlook

Last season provides a dramatic statistical contrast. Edmonton went 41-30-11 with 93 points, scored 282 goals and averaged 3.44 goals per game. The Oilers’ power play clicked at an NHL-best 30.6 percent, although their 77.8-percent penalty kill was much less dominant. Vancouver finished 25-49-8 with 58 points, scoring 210 goals while allowing 314. The Canucks averaged only 2.56 goals and surrendered 3.83 per game. Their power play finished at 21.79 percent and penalty kill at 71.49 percent.

Those numbers explain Edmonton’s established fantasy advantage, but I would not simply transfer them onto this preseason matchup. Edmonton’s elite power-play personnel may not be playing meaningful minutes, or dressing at all.

The head-to-head trend still deserves attention. Edmonton went 3-0-1 against Vancouver last regular season, winning 3-1, losing 4-3 in overtime, then winning 6-0 and 6-1. The April finale featured a Matt Savoie hat trick and four McDavid assists.

NHL Fantasy Players to Watch in Oilers vs. Canucks

McDavid’s 138 points, Draisaitl’s 97 and Bouchard’s 95 established Edmonton’s fantasy hierarchy last season. Bouchard has already produced four assists in one preseason appearance, while McDavid and Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist in Edmonton’s 5-2 preseason-opening win over Winnipeg.

But tonight is different. Babcock’s plan to bring a prospect-heavy group makes Isaac Howard especially interesting. He skated with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman Tuesday. Viljami Marjala deserves attention after scoring Edmonton’s overtime winner in Winnipeg, while Quinn Hutson is another skilled forward whose offensive usage matters more than his preseason point total alone.

For Vancouver, I want to see how Manny Malhotra distributes offensive responsibility if veterans such as Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser or Filip Hronek dress. Pettersson led Vancouver with 51 points last season, while Hronek finished with 49 and Boeser 48. The coaching staff is installing a 1-3-1 offensive structure designed to attack the interior and create more opportunities around the net. That’s worth monitoring closely for fantasy purposes.

NHLTradeRumor.com Fantasy Matchup Projection

Top Five Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks Fantasy Scorers From Last Season

Edmonton’s scoring curve was dramatically more top-heavy. McDavid finished with 138 points, with Draisaitl and Bouchard both above 90. Vancouver did not have a 60-point player; Pettersson’s 51 led the club.

Injuries and Absences That Could Affect Fantasy Value

Vancouver’s biggest confirmed absence is Thatcher Demko, whom PuckPedia lists with a hip injury. That creates additional evaluation time for Vancouver’s other goaltenders and makes Kevin Lankinen’s workload particularly important as the regular season approaches.

Edmonton has four notable injured players: Matt Savoie, Frederik Andersen, Mattias Janmark and Alec Regula. The Oilers previously announced that Savoie and Andersen were rehabilitating offseason injuries while Janmark and Regula were recovering from medical procedures.

Savoie is the fantasy-relevant absence I care about most. His absence temporarily removes a young forward who produced a hat trick against Vancouver in April and creates additional opportunity for Howard, Marjala, Hutson and Edmonton’s other young forwards. Andersen’s absence also creates more preseason crease evaluation for Edmonton’s remaining goalies.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks Salary-Cap Snapshot

We currently project Edmonton with just over $1.07 million in cap space versus nearly $16.97 million for Vancouver. Those numbers can still move as preseason cuts, waivers and injury designations are processed.

I would not use cap space to predict tonight’s score. Its fantasy relevance is longer term: Vancouver has substantially more flexibility to alter its roster, while Edmonton has less room for additional NHL salary without corresponding moves.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks Fantasy Hockey Prediction

MY SCORE PREDICTION: Edmonton Oilers 2 – Vancouver Canucks 4

I give Vancouver the fantasy advantage tonight, largely because of lineup context rather than last season’s standings. Edmonton has the far more dangerous established offensive core, but Babcock’s stated intention to take a prospect-heavy lineup to Vancouver fundamentally changes the matchup.

That could give the Canucks more possession time and better opportunities to test their new offensive structure, particularly if several established top-six forwards and power-play players dress.

Edmonton’s young lineup should still create chances. Howard has enough skill to turn additional touches into offense, while Marjala’s overtime winner in Winnipeg showed why he is worth watching. But preseason games often become fragmented as combinations change and goaltenders split workloads.

My larger fantasy takeaway has little to do with whether Vancouver wins 4-2 or Edmonton surprises them. Watch deployment. Who receives PP1 work? Does Räty receive meaningful offensive-zone usage? Which Edmonton prospect plays in the top six and stays there when the game gets tight? Those clues can tell fantasy managers much more about October than the final preseason score.

How to Watch Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Time: 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM MT / 6:00 PM PT
Arena: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada TV/stream: Sportsnet
U.S. TV/stream: No national U.S. carrier was officially confirmed in the team information available at publication
Oilers radio: Oilers Radio Network, including 880 CHED
Canucks radio: KISS West Coast

Regional broadcast restrictions can vary by location and television package. Because preseason streaming listings can also change, fans should verify their provider shortly before puck drop.

For more coverage, check NHLTradeRumor.com’s Edmonton Oilers TV schedule and Vancouver Canucks TV schedule, follow the latest NHL point leaders, and keep tracking our daily fantasy hockey predictions throughout the season. While you’re here, join our NHL Fantasy Hockey Pool to test your GM skills against other hockey fans and compete for ultimate bragging rights.