September 18, 2026 | South Okanagan Events Centre | Penticton, BC
If Day 1 in Penticton was about setting a tone, Day 2 was about raising the standard. The Vancouver Canucks returned to the South Okanagan Events Centre on Friday with a clear directive from head coach Manny Malhotra…attack.
One more practice remains before Saturday’s Blue vs. White scrimmage, and the early returns from this camp are genuinely encouraging. Here is everything that happened on Day 2.
Malhotra Sets the Theme: Attack
Day 1 was built around defensive zone coverage and structure. Day 2 shifted the emphasis entirely to offence, breakout, forecheck, odd man rush, battle drills down low, and attacking.
Malhotra wasted no time making that clear. Early in the first session with Group B on the ice, he stopped a drill, raised his voice, and delivered a single word directive to his group: “ATTACK.” The tempo of the drills picked up noticeably, and the rest of Group B’s session reflected exactly the kind of aggressive, high-pace offensive engagement the new coaching staff is demanding.
Malhotra, still sporting the white bucket, was every bit as vocal and demanding as he was on Day 1, pushing players when they needed it and encouraging them when they earned it. He also continues to lead by example alongside his coaching staff in the bag skate that has now become the signature closing ritual of this camp…which also makes every minor hockey kid in the building sink slowly into their seat, knowing their coach-dad just got a very dangerous idea.
After the sessions wrapped, Malhotra spoke to reporters and offered what may have been the most telling assessment of the entire camp so far. “I think everybody’s taken a step from yesterday to today,” he said. “In our discussions, just post-practice, we were quite content with the fact that everybody raised their level. So it’s a good step for our group. I would say I was more impressed with the chemistry that’s been building.”
That last word is the one worth circling. Chemistry. On a roster with new faces, new systems, and a new coaching identity, the connections between players are not something you can manufacture overnight. The fact that Malhotra is already seeing it form after two days in Penticton is the most encouraging sign of this entire camp.
Group B: Cotter Shines, Tolopilo Dazzles, Lekkerimäki Sends the Crowd Home Happy
Group B opened Day 2 and delivered one of the more entertaining sessions of the entire camp so far.
Andrew Cotter was one of the standouts of the session, and not in the way casual fans might expect. This was not Cotter the grinder or Cotter the energy player. This was Cotter the playmaker, showing off a passing touch and offensive creativity. He was sharp, decisive, and confident with the puck in situations that called for skill rather than physicality. It was an encouraging sign for a player competing for a meaningful role on this roster. He was everywhere on Day 2.
Elias Pettersson: D Petey : continued to build his case on Day 2, looking composed and assured with the puck in transition. His Ryan Whitney-esque tape-to-tape breakout passes have been the consistent highlight of his two days on the ice, and the ability to move the puck quickly and cleanly out of the defensive zone is exactly the skill this Vancouver blue line needs to develop heading into the season. He is worth watching closely as camp progresses and if he ever figures out his true strength, look out.
Nikita Tolopilo was the story in goal for Group B. The big netminder…and he is big…in a way that becomes more apparent every time you watch him, made a string of highlight-reel saves throughout the session that drew genuine reactions from the crowd. There is a clear gap between Tolopilo and the rest of the goaltending group in this camp, and his Day 2 performance only reinforced that. He is a legitimate NHL goaltender and the Canucks are fortunate to have him as their depth option.
Prospect Yaroslav Bryzgalov also turned heads in Group B, attacking the offensive zone with a strong individual effort before his line got on the scoresheet, generating a buzz in the crowd. He’s worth keeping an eye on as camp progresses.
The session ended on the best possible note. Jonathan Lekkerimäki, attacking off a right-side rush, picked his spot and buried one top cheddar that had everyone in the building buzzing. It was the kind of play that reminds you why this kid was a first-round pick…pure, instinctive, effortless finishing.
Group A: Elite is Elite
Group A took the ice after Group B and wasted no time reminding everyone in the building why they are Group A.
Elias Pettersson was locked in from the first whistle. He snapped one past the goaltender on his very first rush attempt of the session and followed it up by tipping in a point shot on his second look… a reminder that when EP40 is engaged and reading the play well, he is one of the most dangerous offensive players in this league. He and Jake DeBrusk were the clear offensive drivers of the session, scoring at will through the rush drills and generating consistent, repeatable offence. Their chemistry with Linus Karlsson on the right side continues to develop with every skate, and Karlsson, who clearly understands the opportunity in front of him, has been sharp.
The rush drill sequence was a highlight reel moment for Group A. DeBrusk, O’Connor, Karlsson, Hronek, and Ben Berard all finding the back of the net in succession. That kind of depth scoring in a drill setting is exactly what a coaching staff wants to see. It signals a group that is not dependent on one or two players to generate offence.
Adam Novotný chipped in offensively again and continues to be one of the more intriguing players to watch in this camp. He is big, skilled, and plays with a maturity that belies his age. Two days in and he has not looked out of place for a single moment.
Braeden Cootes had a quieter Day 2 by comparison, but quieter on this ice surface still means competent, engaged, and never out of position. He did not shrink from the moment and that counts for something on Group A ice in late September.
Brendan Gallagher drew cheers from the crowd during the board battle drills at the end of the session with another strong physical performance. The message Gallagher sent on Day 1 with his work ethic was received loud and clear by his teammates. Nobody was going to let him outwork them on Day 2, and the energy of the entire Group A session reflected exactly that competitive response.
Filip Hronek dialled back the physicality slightly from Day 1 but was still very much Hronek, always looking to use his body, always competitive, always the alpha presence on the blue line. He scored during the rush drill sequence and his compete level never dropped below maximum for a single shift.
The session ended with a moment worth noting : Arshdeep Bains, attacking off a left-side rush, snapped a beauty top shelf gino that brought the crowd alive and served as a reminder that this kid has skills that deserve more recognition than he typically receives. A quiet, composed finisher who takes his chances when they come.
The Verdict: Chemistry is Building
Two days in, the overarching theme of this Canucks training camp is not a single player or a single line. It is the collective. Malhotra said it himself, the chemistry is what has impressed him most. On a roster that has added new faces, installed a new system, and is operating under new leadership for the first time in years, that chemistry is not something you can manufacture quickly. The fact that it is already visible two days into camp in Penticton is the most encouraging sign of all.
Firsthand observations from Day 2 of Vancouver Canucks Training Camp at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, BC, September 18, 2026. Additional context sourced from CanucksArmy, Daily Faceoff, The Hockey News, Yahoo Sports, and Yardbarker.
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