A Monday Battle in Edmonton for Canucks' Second-Last Preseason Game

The 2024-25 preseason is nearing its conclusion as the Vancouver Canucks travel to Edmonton to face the Oilers on Monday night.

Game time is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT as the teams meet for the first time since their playoff matchup in the spring.

Head Coach Rick Tocchet has seen his team continue to improve their play throughout the preseason and wants to see a certain area of the ice be a focal point in the final two outings before the regular season.

“I liked the effort,” said Tocchet after Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames. “They had four goals from point shots and deflections, so we’ve got to clean up that.”

The Story: Aatu Räty Staying on the Grind Through Preseason

21-year-old Aatu Räty is making a strong impression through the preseason and Tocchet has liked what he’s seen from the youngster. Tocchet has played Räty alongside Nils Höglander and Conor Garland through most of training camp and the preseason.

“He’s a sticky player, he gets in there and he comes up with loose pucks,” said Tocchet on Räty after Saturday’s game. “He can make some good plays.”

Räty scored in Saturday night’s game against the Flames and noted that it is always good for the confidence to find the back of the net in preseason.

Even with some positive reinforcement from the head coach, Räty is staying focused on where he can improve his game and be able to help his team.

“I think I can [work on] some timing issues with the faceoffs,” said Räty. “I can still be stronger on the box outs and make some smarter plays on the wall.”

We will have to see how Tocchet’s roster shakes down as the regular season approaches but Räty has certainly made a name for himself over the past few weeks.

When and Where to Watch

Monday’s game will be a 6:00 pm PT start time and is available on Sportsnet. You can listen to the radio broadcast with Brendan Batchelor on Sportsnet 650.