While much has yet to be decided given the pre-season, here’s the likely or expected opening day line-up at the start of the 2009-2010 NHL season:

 

FORWARDS:

 

D. Sedin – H. Sedin - Samuelsson

Burrows – Kesler – Bernier

Raymond – Wellwood – Shirokov

Hordichuk – Johnson – Rypien

 

Bench:

Hodgson

Parrish

 

Injured reserve:

Demitra

 

DEFENSE:

Mitchell - Bieksa

Edler – Salo

Erhoff – Schneider

 

Bench:

O’Brien

Lukowich

 

GOAL:

Roberto Luongo


Bench:

Andrew Raycroft

 

* Note: The Canucks are $3 million over the salary cap – an overage that must be eliminated by October 1, 2009. Potential cuts could include Nycholat, Lukowich, Johnson Hordichuk, Parrish & Wellwood. Though some like Wellwood seem an automatic for the team, some players will lose out to simple economics. These economics may make room for a Dave Scatchard or a rookie such as Michael Grabner.