Canucks vs Islanders Prediction, Picks & Same-Game Parlay for Tonight’s NHL Game

Our expert NHL predictions expect Matthew Schaefer to demonstrate why he's the Calder Trophy frontrunner when the Islanders host the Canucks.

Luc LeBlanc - Betting Editor at Covers.com
Luc LeBlanc • Content Editor
Dec 19, 2025 • 09:41 ET • 3 min read

NHL

Match starts: 2 hrs
NYI
62 %
VAN
38 %
EXPERT PICK - PROP
Matthew Schaefer o0.5  Points (-125) Matthew Schaefer o0.5 Points (-125)
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Matthew Schaeffer of the NY Islanders
Photo By - Imagn Images. Matthew Schaeffer of the NY Islanders

The Vancouver Canucks will visit the New York Islanders, marking the first meeting between these two teams this season. Vancouver has won back-to-back games to kick off the post-Quinn Hughes era.

My Canucks vs. Islanders predictions and NHL picks for tonight suggest a tight defensive showdown, with some young stars potentially stealing the spotlight.

Canucks vs Islanders prediction

Canucks vs Islanders best bet: Matthew Schaefer 1+ Points (-125)

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has come exactly as advertised, with 23 points this season while being among the favorites for the Calder Trophy. He ranks third on the Islanders in points and paces the team with an average ice time of 23:48.

The 2007-born rearguard has registered at least a point in seven of his last 10 games, and coupled with his increased ice time, having played north of 25 minutes in four straight, he should be in line to take advantage of a poor Vancouver Canucks defense that just traded away former captain Quinn Hughes.

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Canucks vs Islanders same-game parlay

The Canucks were one part of a gargantuan trade last week, sending a franchise cornerstone to the Minnesota Wild. Among the return was young forward Marco Rossi, who has shown some offensive upside, scoring 60 points last season.

However, the Austrian forward has just one point in his last seven games and is still in search of his first in a Canucks uniform. He's up against a strong Islanders defense that allows the ninth-fewest goals in the league. It may take him some time to become fully acclimated to the Canucks' offense.

In addition to the Isles' strong backend, both teams are missing their leading scorers due to injury in Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson. These two impact players being sidelined will likely have a significant effect on both teams' offensive output, so I expect the Under to cash here.

Canucks vs Islanders SGP

  • Matthew Schaefer 1+ Points
  • Marco Rossi Under 0.5 Points
  • Under 5.5

Canucks vs Islanders odds

  • Moneyline: Canucks +125 | Islanders -145
  • Puck Line: Canucks +1.5 (-210) | Islanders -1.5 (+170)
  • Over/Under: Over 5.5 (+100) | Under 5.5 (-120)

Canucks vs Islanders trend

Vancouver has won seven of the last 10 meetings, including four of the last five. They split two meetings last season. Find more NHL betting trends for Canucks vs. Islanders.

How to watch Canucks vs Islanders

Location Arena, City, State/Province
Date Friday, December-XX, 2025
Puck drop 7:00 p.m. ET
TV NHL Net

Canucks vs Islanders latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Luc LeBlanc
Content Editor

Luc has been keeping up with various realms of the sports world since a young age, playing an abundance of competitive sports as a child, and is still going strong as a hockey player to this day. Having been involved with sports media and the sports betting world for two years and graduating from university in 2025, he ultimately chose to pursue a career in sports media.Luc has over five years of experience in sports betting across a wide range of professional sports and has been providing valuable insights since debuting in the field as a sports betting expert with various publications in 2023. He has a wide base of sports knowledge, though his favorites are undoubtedly hockey and tennis – always staying up to date with the NHL and following the ATP and WTA tours.When betting, Luc always does his due diligence, analyzing trends and finding value by recognizing and linking valuable props to other probable outcomes.

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