Vancouver Canucks first-round pick Jake Virtanen will make his NHL debut tonight at against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

Virtanen, 19, was Vancouver’s sixth overall selection in the 2014 draft. He won a job in training camp, beating out Linden Vey in the process, but sat as a healthy scratch in the Canucks’ first three games.

Virtanen will sub in for fellow rookie Jared McCann, who scored his first NHL goal on Saturday night against Calgary.

By adding size and sandpaper to the lineup, Virtanen will help balance out the Canucks against the heavy Kings, led by Vancouver native Milan Lucic. Kings coach Darryl Sutter said Tuesday he is breaking up the top line of Lucic, Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik in effort to try and grab the Kings’ first win of the season.

Defenceman Yannick Weber and McCann will be the Canucks’ scratches.

Vancouver (2-0-1) is one of remaining 10 teams without a regulation blemish on their record through the first six nights of the regular season.

Frank Seravalli can be reached at frank.seravalli@bellmedia.ca.