By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

December 27, 2025

When the San Jose Sharks (17-17-3) visit the Rogers Arena to face the Vancouver Canucks (15-18-3), spectators and analysts alike will witness the first home game without the traded captain Quinn Hughes.

Currently sitting at 15th in the Western Conference with 33 points, the Canucks are attempting to recalibrate their systems mid-season, transitioning from a Quinn Hughes-led offensive unit into a grit-based, all-in team-driven squad. 

For the visiting San Jose Sharks, the 2025-26 campaign represents a team on a calculated rebuild. No longer the league’s cellar-dwellers, the Sharks have ascended to the level of the playoff conversation, sitting 9th in the Western Conference with 37 points.

The Sharks bring with them a high-event, offensively potent unit driven by the rookie campaign of Macklin Celebrini, a generational talent whose performance this season has begun to affect the playoff aspirations of teams in the Pacific Division, and the Western Conference.

Beyond the standings and statistics, several compelling narratives will shape the emotional and psychological landscape of this game:

• This game marks the first home game for the Canucks in the “Post-Hughes Era.”.
• For Macklin Celebrini, a native of North Vancouver, this game represents a homecoming. Playing in front of family and friends adds a layer of motivation for the 19-year-old phenom.
• Both teams are limping into this matchup. The absences force depth players into elevated roles, increasing the variance and unpredictability of the game outcome.

Comparative Team Statistics (2025-26 Season)

Statistic	Sharks	Canucks	Rank (SJ/VAN)
Record	17-17-3 (37 Pts)	15-18-3 (33 Pts)	9th West / 15th West
Goals For/Game	2.92	2.78	20th / 25th
Goals Against/Game	3.46	3.39	32nd / 28th
Shots For/Game	24.9	26.3	32nd / 24th
Power Play %	18.1%	20.2%	20th / 15th
Penalty Kill %	78.0%	74.4%	22nd / 29th
Home/Road Splits	7-10-0 (Road)	4-10-1 (Home)	—

Advanced Metrics & Statistical Profiles

Why these teams are where they are:

• Goals Against Above Expected (GAAx): San Jose’s team save percentage is .890 (ranked near bottom), while Vancouver’s is similarly poor at .893. 
  • This suggests that neither team is getting “bailed out” by their goalies.   
• Shooting Percentage (PDO): San Jose has a shooting percentage of 11.7% (high), suggesting they are finishing at an elite rate.
  • Vancouver’s shooting percentage is lower (8.3%).   
• Possession (Corsi/Fenwick): Without Hughes, Vancouver’s possession numbers have plummeted. They are spending more time in their own zone, leading to a shots-against average of 29.2. San Jose is even worse, allowing 31.3 shots against.

This is a toss-up game on paper in some respects, but look for Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks to have the advantage, with the Canucks needing their richly paid stars to show up and outshine their lesser-paid teammates who have been carrying the team since the Hughes trade.

Special Teams Matchup

• SJS Power Play (18.1% – 20th) vs. VAN Penalty Kill (74.4% – 29th)
  • This is the decisive mismatch. Vancouver’s PK is abysmal, largely due to an inability to clear the puck. San Jose’s PP units, even without Will Smith, feature elite finishers like Toffoli and Celebrini.
  • If Vancouver takes penalties (which they tend to do when physically aggressive), San Jose is statistically likely to convert.   
• VAN Power Play (20.2% – 15th) vs. SJS Penalty Kill (78.0% – 22nd)
  • Vancouver’s power play remains decent. However, without Hughes walking the blue line, the unit is more static and predictable. San Jose’s PK is aggressive but undisciplined.

Keys to Victory

Vancouver Canucks

• Protect the Goalie: With the starting goaltender Kevin Lankinen returning from holiday, he may be dealing with “rust”. The Canucks cannot ask him to steal the game. They must collapse around the slot (“protect the house”), block shots, and clear rebounds aggressively to give him a comfortable return.
• Win the Physical War & Control the Clock: San Jose thrives on chaos; Vancouver must impose structure. By engaging physically—led by Kiefer Sherwood —they can wear down the Sharks’ younger players over 60 minutes. The goal is to make the game choppy and slow, preventing San Jose from establishing a rhythm.
• Simplify the Breakout: Without Quinn Hughes to transport the puck, Vancouver has struggled to exit their own zone cleanly. They must avoid high-risk passes in the defensive zone that lead to turnovers. A simple “chip and chase” strategy—getting the puck deep and letting their heavy forecheck go to work—is their best bet to generate offense without exposing their defense.
• Secondary Scoring is Mandatory: With Elias Pettersson often the sole focus of defensive checking, Vancouver needs depth scoring. Kiefer Sherwood (team-leading goal scorer) must continue his hot streak, and rookie defenseman Zeev Buium needs to help generate offense from the point on the power play to force San Jose to respect the blue line.
• Foote knows his team cannot match San Jose’s speed in an open-ice game. His strategy will involve slowing the pace, clogging the neutral zone, and engaging physically.
  • Physicality: Vancouver recorded 33 hits in their loss to Philadelphia. They will try to punish the smaller Sharks forwards (Eklund, Celebrini, Graf) to wear them down over 60 minutes.   
  • Protective Shell: With Lankinen returning and the defense depleted, expect Vancouver to collapse heavily around the slot (protecting the “house”). They will concede point shots to prevent cross-seam passes, hoping to block shots (they had 18 blocks vs. Philly) and clear rebounds.
  • Counter-Attack: Vancouver’s offense will rely on creating turnovers in the neutral zone and springing Sherwood or Pettersson for quick strikes. They cannot sustain long offensive zone possessions without Hughes, so they must rely on “rush” chances generated from defensive stops.

San Jose Sharks

• Weaponize Speed Against Vancouver’s Defense: San Jose possesses a significant speed advantage, particularly with Macklin Celebrini and William Eklund driving the rush. Vancouver’s defensive corps, now lacking Quinn Hughes’ mobility and relying heavily on veterans like Tyler Myers, is susceptible to speed on the outside.
  • The Sharks must bypass the neutral zone quickly and force Vancouver’s defenders to turn and skate, turning the game into a game of speed, where their youth is an asset rather than a liability.
• Exploit the Special Teams Mismatch: This is the Sharks’ clearest path to victory. They possess a dangerous power play (18.1%) facing a Canucks penalty kill that is ranked 29th in the league (74.4%).
  • With Vancouver prone to taking penalties due to their aggressive physical style, San Jose must be clinical with the man advantage to punish any indiscipline.
• Survive the “Physical Storm”: Vancouver will attempt to slow the game down by finishing checks; they recorded 33 hits in their recent game against Philadelphia.
  • The smaller Sharks forwards must move the puck quickly to avoid getting pinned along the boards. If they get drawn into a grinding cycle game, they will likely lose.
• Askarov Must Manage the Chaos: Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov doesn’t need to be perfect, but he must limit the “bad five minutes” that have plagued San Jose recently—short stretches where they concede multiple goals in quick succession. Stabilizing the game immediately after a goal against is crucial.
• Warsofsky’s system is predicated on speed and transition. The Sharks want to turn the game into a track meet. They aggressively activate their defensemen (Orlov, Liljegren) to join the rush, creating odd-man advantages.
  • The Forecheck: San Jose employs a 2-1-2 forecheck that pressures opposing defensemen deep. Against a Vancouver defense that lacks mobility (outside of Buium and Hronek), this could generate significant turnovers.
  • The Celebrini Plan: Warsofsky will look to get the Celebrini line out against Vancouver’s bottom pairing or the slow-footed Tyler Myers whenever possible. The goal is to isolate Myers in space against Celebrini’s speed.

Injury Report

San Jose Sharks

Will Smith (C): The rookie center remains on Injured Reserve (IR) and is listed as week-to-week following an injury sustained against the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 13. Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky indicated Smith would be re-evaluated in the New Year (2026), ruling him out for this contest.

Philipp Kurashev (C/W): Also injured in the Pittsburgh game, Kurashev was recently spotted in a cast/sling and is considered week-to-week. His absence further depletes the Sharks’ middle-six scoring depth.

Timothy Liljegren (D: The defenseman is dealing with an upper-body injury and was expected to be out until at least December 27. His status remains day-to-day, but he is unlikely to play significant minutes if he dresses.

Collin Graf (RW): Graf took a puck to the face during practice on December 22. While he avoided eye damage, he required stitches and his availability is a game-time decision. If he cannot go, San Jose will be forced to dress a lineup consisting of mostly fourth-line caliber wingers in the bottom six.

Michael Misa (C): San Jose’s other elite prospect has been loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship and is unavailable.

Vancouver Canucks

Elias Pettersson (C): Pettersson has missed the last eight games but is reportedly “close” to a return. Coach Adam Foote suggested he could return for the first game after the holiday break (today), stating, “We’ll see when, but he’s getting closer.”

Filip Chytil (C): Chytil remains out indefinitely with a concussion. There is no timeline for his return, leaving a hole at the 3C position.

Teddy Blueger (C): The defensive specialist hopes to return post-Christmas, but his status remains uncertain for this specific game. His absence significantly hurts Vancouver’s penalty kill (ranked 29th).

Thatcher Demko (G): Demko has returned to the lineup and started the December 22 game against Philadelphia, making 34 saves. However, with the team managing his workload post-injury, Kevin Lankinen is the confirmed starter for tonight’s contest.

Derek Forbort (D): The veteran defenseman remains on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR).

Final Thoughts

Vancouver possesses the desperation of a team trying to salvage a season and justify a massive trade, while the visitors are a Sharks team that sees the light at the end of the tunnel, led by a rookie superstar destined for greatness.

It’s a big game for both teams, for different reasons, but emotional nonetheless.

Sharks are out to prove they are an up-and-coming team and are determined to play like it.

The Canucks players determined to prove they are “team” driven, not Hughes-led, in the first-ever home game without “Captain Quinn Hughes”.

Vancouver is 4-10-1 at home. They play poorly at Rogers Arena, this team however, is the 4-1 Quinn-less team back in town since the trade on December 12.

San Jose, while inconsistent, has the offensive firepower to exploit Vancouver’s changed defense and goaltending.

Will the Canucks prove that the road trip was indeed the rising of new era of hope without Hughes, or will the ghost of Hughes past haunt Rogers Arena and add to their poor record on home ice this season?

Until next time, hockey fans