Kraken vs. Canucks: Projected Lineups for January 2, 2026

The Seattle Kraken are set to face off against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena tonight in a Pacific Division rivalry matchup. Here's a look at the projected lineups for both teams:

Seattle Kraken

• Forwards:

  • Kaapo Kakko — Matty Beniers — Jordan Eberle
  • Eeli Tolvanen — Chandler Stephenson — Frederick Gaudreau
  • Berkly Catton — Shane Wright — Jared McCann
  • Ryan Winterton — Ben Meyers — Jacob Melanson

• Defense:

  • Vince Dunn — Adam Larsson
  • Ryan Lindgren — Cale Fleury
  • Ryker Evans — Jamie Oleksiak

• Goalies:

  • Joey Daccord (expected starter)
  • Philipp Grubauer

• Scratches: Josh Mahura, Tye Kartye

• Injuries: Matt Murray (lower body), Jaden Schwartz (lower body), Brandon Montour (upper body)

Kraken Notes:

Joey Daccord is likely to start in goal, continuing a rotation with Grubauer. Jamie Oleksiak is expected to play despite taking a shot to the knee in the previous game against Nashville. The Kraken are playing the second game of a back-to-back.

Vancouver Canucks

• Forwards:

  • 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

• Defense:

  • Marcus Pettersson — Filip Hronek
  • Zeev Buium — Tyler Myers
  • Elias Pettersson — Tom Willander

• Goalies:

  • Thatcher Demko (expected starter)
  • Kevin Lankinen

• Scratches: P.O Joseph, Arshdeep Bains

• Injuries: Conor Garland (upper body), Marco Rossi (lower body), Filip Chytil (concussion protocol), Teddy Blueger

Canucks Notes:

Linus Karlsson has recently been placed on the top line. Marcus Pettersson is taking on a leadership role in the absence of Quinn Hughes. The Canucks are looking to rebound after a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. David Kampf has found a home as the second-line center.

Game Preview

This is the second of four meetings between the Kraken and Canucks this season. Vancouver won the first game 3-2 in a shootout on December 29th. Both teams are currently outside of the playoff picture and are seeking to improve their standing in the Western Conference. The Kraken have 41 points after 38 games, while the Canucks have 35 points after 39 games.

The game is expected to be a tight, low-scoring affair. The Kraken may be affected by playing the second game of a back-to-back. The Canucks' power play could be a factor against the Kraken's penalty kill.