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Abbotsford Canucks hire Ryan Papaioannou as new Head Coach

Jacob Fraser — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 23:21:07 GMT

The search for Manny Malhotra’s replacement is over as the Abbotsford Canucks announced on Friday afternoon that 41-year-old Calgary native Ryan Papaioannou has been named the club’s fourth Head Coach in franchise history.

“We are very excited to welcome Ryan to the Canucks, as we know this hire will help shape the foundation for the development of our prospects in Abbotsford,” Abbotsford General Manager Richard Seeley said in a statement. “Ryan has a unique talent for teaching and relating with players. His preparation both technically and tactically has led him to outstanding accomplishments at the junior level, as well as an impressive first season in the ECHL. His reputation as a communicator and someone who holds individuals and teams to high standards are the exact qualities we are looking for in the leader of our team.”

Papaioannou is coming off his first season coaching professional hockey. He spent last year with the Wheeling Nailers, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliate.

Before that, Papaioannou was the longtime Head Coach and General Manager of the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), beginning as an assistant coach for the 2008-09 season before taking over head coaching duties for the team from the 2009-10 season till the 2024-25 season.

Last season, he led the Nailers to a 46-20-6 season. His 46 wins were the most for the franchise since 2003-04, and it was the first time the team had appeared in the third round since 2015-16. The team finished second in the ECHL’s Eastern Conference and at the top of their division, and ended its season in the conference finals of the ECHL playoffs.

During his time with the Bandits, Papaioannou won three Coach of the Year awards while leading the team to eight league championships across the AJHL and BCHL. He also led the team to four national championships.

Some notable players he coached while in the AJHL include Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, Anaheim Ducks forward Jeff Malott and Canucks prospect Aiden Celebrini.

Prior to coaching, Papaioannou was a goaltender who spent two seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Calgary Hitmen, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, and the Seattle Thunderbirds, as well as one season in Quebec with the Moncton Wildcats.

Where does newly signed Mitchell Weeks fit in the Canucks’ goalie depth chart?

Lachlan Irvine — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:30:35 GMT

The Abbotsford Canucks signed goaltender Mitchell Weeks to a one-year AHL deal on Wednesday, adding a third goalie to the farm club stable. The Barrie, Ontario native has worked his way up the long way, going undrafted after his time with the Sudbury Wolves, taking an ECHL tryout with the Wheeling Nailers, and parlaying it into four seasons between the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs and the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. Weeks played 44 games with the Fuel last season, winning 20 games and earning a .906 save percentage.

The move to sign Weeks is crucial for keeping the Canucks’ goaltending depth in check. With Jiri Patera off to Providence, the keys to the Abbotsford crease will fall to Canucks prospects Aku Koskenvuo and Ty Young. So where does Weeks fit into this puzzle?

Weeks is 25, older than Koskenvuo and Young, and has plenty of pro experience between the IceHogs and Fuel. Vancouver’s biggest priority will be giving the majority of the runway to their drafted prospects, meaning Weeks will likely start the season as the third man in the press box. For young goalies, that lack of ice time is detrimental; for a veteran, it’s much easier to go stretches between starts without skipping a beat. And should Abbotsford not need his services for an extended period of time, they’d have the option of sending him to the Kalamazoo Wings in the ECHL to get some extra games in.

But the odds are high that Weeks will eventually get some playing time in Abbotsford. Both of Vancouver’s goalies, Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen, have missed time in recent seasons due to various injuries. And should the Canucks be required to call up one of Koskenvuo or Young to the big club, that will open the door for Weeks to get a run of games.

The Canucks’ goaltender pipeline is set in stone, but all Weeks needs is a stretch of AHL contests to make his contract worthwhile and prove his overall value. That game plan has proved successful for previous Abbotsford netminders like Patera and Spencer Martin. Martin, in particular, is the blueprint for what Weeks should aim for. Working with Canucks goalie coach Justin Pogge to shore up his game and improve his stock as an AHL goaltender will make Weeks a more attractive option for teams looking for goalie depth next season and beyond, in the same way that Martin turned his time with the Canucks into regular NHL contracts and steady starts between the NHL and the AHL.

If all goes according to plan, this one-year deal should be a win-win for both the team and the player. Abbotsford gets a steady veteran presence to fill in for starts when their young guns are either on assignment or require rest. Weeks will gain access to one of the best goalie development programs in hockey and the opportunity to use it as a springboard for his hockey career.

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CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: #19 Wilson Björck

Dave Hall — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:45:39 GMT

We continue our journey down the list of our top-ranked Vancouver Canucks prospects here at CanucksArmy. Today, we bring you a smaller-set, but hard-working winger whose game is much more entertaining than the numbers may show.

Wilson Björck

Wilson Björck may never be the most projectable prospect in the Vancouver Canucks’ system, but he has quickly become one of the more enjoyable watches among the crop in his short time with the organization.

For those who fell in love with the now Winnipeg Jets drafted prospect Viggo Björck and weren’t aware yet, yes, they are brothers. And while Wilson may not carry the same upside as his younger brother, he does share a few of his traits on a lighter level.

His game is built around pace, energy and an almost relentless willingness to compete. While he may not be the most physically imposing on the ice, every shift feels like he’s trying to create chaos. Whether it’s pressuring defenders on the forecheck, chasing down loose pucks or driving into the hard areas of the ice, he simply refuses to take the easy route.

He’s the type of winger who forces turnovers simply because he refuses to quit on a puck. His motor runs at full speed from the opening faceoff to the final whistle, allowing him to disrupt breakouts, extend offensive-zone possessions and frustrate opponents who simply want him to go away. It’s the kind of game coaches appreciate, even when the points aren’t coming.

After leaving Sweden to continue his development at Colorado College in 2025-26, he earned a regular role in the Tigers’ top six while also seeing time on the second power play unit. His offensive production of 15 points through his freshman year didn’t jump off the page, but that wasn’t for lack of creativity. Colorado College struggled to generate offence for much of the year, finishing near the bottom of both the NCHC standings and the conference scoring race.

Offensively, Björck brings more creativity than he often gets credit for. Rather than simply playing at one speed, he has an excellent understanding of when to slow the game down. He regularly scans the ice before receiving the puck, buys himself an extra second with subtle changes of pace and is capable of finding teammates through traffic or using his quick release to beat goaltenders from dangerous areas.

He’s a smart player who processes the game well, allowing his hockey sense to compensate for some of the physical disadvantages he’ll continue to face. Yet, those disadvantages remain the biggest question surrounding his projection.

At just 176 pounds, he still has considerable strength to add before making the jump to professional hockey. There are times when bigger defenders can knock him off the puck or limit his effectiveness below the goal line, and he’ll need to continue filling out physically if he hopes to maintain the same style of play against stronger competition.

His inability to squeeze into a meaningful role with Sweden’s final World Junior Championship roster served as a reminder that, while his tools are intriguing, there is still work to be done before he establishes himself as a prospect worth keeping close tabs on.

None of that should overshadow what makes him such an intriguing prospect. Players with Björck’s level of determination, hockey IQ and willingness to compete often find ways to outperform expectations. He may never possess elite physical tools, but he consistently maximizes the ones he does have, and that’s a trait organizations value highly.

The road to the NHL remains a long one, but he continues to trend in the right direction. If he can continue adding strength without sacrificing the pace and energy that define his game, there’s every reason to believe he can continue climbing Vancouver’s prospect rankings over the coming years.

Projection

Ceiling: Björck projects as an energy-driven middle-six winger who can contribute secondary offence, kill momentum with an aggressive forecheck and provide value on a second power-play unit.

Floor: Like many skilled but undersized forwards, there’s a realistic possibility he returns to Sweden and establishes himself as a dependable SHL contributor if the physical side of the North American game proves too much to overcome.

ETA: There’s no reason to rush his development. Another season or two at Colorado College should allow him to continue adding strength and refining his game before turning professional. At this stage, an NHL timeline is tough to peg, with a lengthy timeline in play.

Past rankings

#20 – Basile Sansonnens
Honourable Mentions

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Analyzing Paul Cotter’s fit in the Canucks’ bottom six

Jeffrey Kennett — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:00:56 GMT

Earlier this summer, Paul Cotter signed a one-year $2.15-million contract with the Vancouver Canucks after being left unqualified as an RFA by the New Jersey Devils. It was the latest turn in a career that has already included a championship, a trade, and two fairly different seasons in the Garden State.

The Vegas Golden Knights selected Cotter in the fourth round, 115th overall, at the 2018 NHL Draft. After developing with the Chicago Wolves and Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL, the Canton, Michigan, native made his NHL debut in November 2021. He became a full-time player the following season, scoring 13 goals in 55 games for the 2023 Stanley Cup champions. Although he did not appear during the playoff run, he played enough regular-season contests to have his name engraved on the trophy.

Cotter followed that up with a career high of 18 assists and 25 points in 76 appearances during 2023-24. Vegas monetized him that summer, sending the winger and a 2025 third-round pick to New Jersey for Alexander Holtz and goaltender Akira Schmid.

His first year with the Devils produced a personal-best 16 goals, along with six assists and 245 hits across 79 games, but that progress did not continue into 2025-26. Cotter fell to nine goals and 15 points last season, averaged fewer than 11 minutes per night and saw his five-on-five results deteriorate as the team fell out of the playoff picture.

Vancouver is betting that a defined assignment in its bottom-six can bring out the positive aspects of Cotter’s profile. The speed, shooting ability, and physical edge that helped him establish an NHL career are still there. Whether a defined role in the Canucks’ bottom-six can bring the best out of his abilities is another question.

Here is what Canucks fans should expect from Cotter in 2026-27:

High-end speed

Skating is the most impressive part of Cotter’s game. He reached a top speed of 37.21 kilometres per hour during the 2025-26 season, placing him in the 88th percentile among NHL skaters, and comfortably above the league average of 35.68 km/h.

Often described as an attacker off the rush, the former Devil’s maximum speed declined by roughly half a kilometre per hour from the 37.72 km/h he reached in 2024-25, but by no means is his mobility fading. Cotter’s average pace, however, was a more ordinary 15.96 km/h.

Vancouver’s fourth line has not always had that kind of transition threat in recent years. Cotter gives the coaching staff someone who can skate in straight lines, force the opposition to react on exits, and create breakaways in the neutral zone.

Rough stuff

In 296 NHL appearances, the former London Knights product has recorded 854 hits for an average of 2.89 per game. He finished with 192 last season after posting 245 in 2024-25 and 233 the year before. His ice time also slipped from 13:05 per night to 10:41, levelling out to an estimated 13.65 hits per 60 minutes in 2025-26.

The Canucks are looking for forecheckers, and Cotter’s ability to close space quickly and finish along the boards should help his line regain possession after chipping the puck in deep.

He’s also crossed the line before, and was suspended for two games in April 2025 for an illegal check to the head. So any further league discipline would make him a repeat offender.

Five-on-Five

Natural Stat Trick credited Cotter with a 41.81 percent expected-goal share at five-on-five last season. New Jersey was outscored 41-15 during those minutes, leaving him with a 26.79 percent share of the goals. The previous campaign was more respectable from a shot-quality perspective, but the Devils were still outscored 43-27 with him on the ice.

Across his two years in New Jersey, opponents held an 84-42 advantage during Cotter’s five-on-five shifts.

That’s somewhat troubling because Vancouver will be asking him to do roughly the same job he was asked to do in New Jersey, where the quality of team was arguably higher than that of what is currently in Vancouver. So if his line spent too much time in its own zone and failed to create enough at the other end for the Devils, how will he do any better with the Canucks?

NHL EDGE recorded Cotter at 41.8 percent of his ice time spent in the defensive zone, above the league average of 40.1 percent. Only 40.2 percent was spent in the attacking end, even though his starts were relatively balanced.

Those difficulties became more pronounced when he played with other direct, low-possession forwards. MoneyPuck had the Cotter-Nick Bjugstad-Maxim Tsyplakov combination — his most frequent linemates — controlling approximately 41.6 percent of expected goals over roughly 103 minutes.

Vancouver will likely construct its fourth line, with that in mind, and look for a playmaker to accompany Cotter’s straight line play.

Is he a centre?

The simple answer is no, not really.

Cotter is often described as a versatile winger who can also play centre, but he has taken only 288 faceoffs in his career. The win rate of 50.7 percent is not an issue, but the volume is far too low to suggest he can regularly be relied on to play centre. Can he take on the defensive responsibilities of a centre after someone else takes the draw? Sure, but he likely won’t be slotting in as a centre with two true wingers on his line.

That being said, his workload in the faceoff dot increased to 132 draws last season, winning 51.5 percent, after he took 78 at a 52.6 percent clip in 2024-25. It was by far the most draws Cotter has taken in a single season in his career.

Playing fourth line centre requires a reliable game supporting the puck below the goal line, managing defensive-zone coverage and distributing through the centre of the ice. None of those are really Cotter’s strong suits.

Using him as a secondary faceoff option could work, but he seems like a better fit on the flank.

Penalty-killing

Cotter has the speed, size, and reach to seemingly be a potentially impactful forward shorthanded, but his NHL coaches have rarely used him in that role. That suggests hockey IQ might be an issue.

He had essentially no penalty-killing time during 2023-24, approximately three seconds per game the following year and another negligible total last season. Basically, there is not enough evidence to describe him as a capable NHL penalty killer, much less someone who should immediately join one of Vancouver’s regular units.

The Canucks could experiment with him there during training camp, but until he proves otherwise, he should be viewed as an even-strength winger rather than a special-teams addition.

Finishing

Cotter’s drop in production can largely be chalked up to reduced opportunity and a lower shot volume.

His shot total fell from 90 to 61, but he still converted on 14.8 percent of his attempts, above his career mark of 13.9 percent. MoneyPuck’s shooting model also rated his finishing talent above the NHL average.

Supporting that assessment is the data that his hardest shot last season reached 147.61 km/h, placing him in the 89th percentile. There’s enough power to beat goaltenders from distance, but rarely the volume required to make that weapon a consistent threat.

That kind of sums up Cotter’s game in a nutshell. The tools are appealing, and he’s crafty in the shootout (three-for-five last season), but the quantity is somewhat limited.

He’s more accustomed to completing the play rather than creating for his teammates, with only 35 assists across 296 games. If the Canucks can get him moving downhill with someone who can make a play, Cotter should be able to get back into double digit goals.

Concerns of not driving possession, creating much offence for others, or earning any prolonged trust from two different organizations are all valid points. But Cotter’s five-on-five results last season were particularly poor, and likely not totally indicative of the player he is.

Like most of Vancouver’s July 1 signings, Cotter will be most impactful with a simplified role. Play him on the wing and encourage him to attack with speed, shoot when space opens, and make his contact serve a purpose.

And hopefully, if he’s successful in all the right areas, Cotter can chase his second Stanley Cup with a contender come the trade deadline.

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Alex Edler rejoining Canucks in player development role

David Quadrelli — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:50:54 GMT

He was on the ice at Vancouver Canucks development camp, and now he’s got a permanent role in the organization.

On Thursday, the Canucks announced that longtime Canucks defenceman Alex Edler will be joining the organization’s player development department, “working closely with prospects throughout the organization.”

“Alex knows first-hand what it means to be a Vancouver Canuck,” said GM Ryan Johnson via a statement from the Canucks. “His past experience in the NHL will really help in our players[‘] development[.] He understands the demands of what it takes to be a good pro both on and off the ice, while his skill set and communication will be a big plus when it comes to coaching and mentoring our prospects. Earlier this month[,] we saw Alex’s hands-on approach at our Development Camp in Abbotsford, and the feedback we received about the job he did was excellent.”

Edler, 40, spent 15 seasons with the Canucks after the club drafted him 91st overall in the third round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. During his tenure, Edler broke most of the Canucks’ franchise records for defencemen. While Quinn Hughes managed to break Edler’s records for points and assists by a defenceman, Edler still holds the Canucks’ franchise records for goals by a defenceman, games played by a defenceman, most blocked shots, and the most hits by any player in Canucks history.

Edler departed the Canucks in free agency after the 2020-21 season, signing with the Los Angeles Kings, where he played out the final two years of his NHL career before hanging up his skates after the 2022-23 season.

Edler was an alternate captain during most of his playing days, many of which were spent with current Canucks co-Presidents of Hockey Operations, Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Those two, who held development roles of their own prior to moving into their current jobs at the top of the food chain, know better than anyone the impact that Edler will be able to have on the Canucks’ young defencemen.

Memorial Cup winner Jussi Ahokas interviewed for and declined Abbotsford Canucks head coach job: report

Dylan Nazareth — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:09:45 GMT

The search for the new head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks continues, and one major name is off the board.

Per Donnie and Dhali – the Team’s Rick Dhaliwal, the Vancouver Canucks interviewed Kitchener Rangers head coach Jussi Ahokas for the Abbotsford bench boss position. According to Dhaliwal, Ahokas was offered the Abbotsford job, but turned it down.

The #Canucks interviewed and offered the Abbotsford job to Memorial Cup winning coach from Kitchener Jussi Ahokas

Believe Ahokas turned it down.

Ahokas is viewed as 1 of the best young and upcoming coaches, wouldn’t be surprised if he lands elsewhere in the AHL.

— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) July 16, 2026

Ahokas has served as head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Rangers since 2023. This past season, he led the team to an OHL Championship and its first Memorial Cup win in over two decades. The year prior, he was named the OHL Coach of the Year, after the team earned its first 100-point finish since the 2007-08 season.

Last month, it was reported by Dhaliwal that Ahokas was ‘on the radar’ for the open Abbotsford head coach position. The report was echoed by The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. Beyond his time in the OHL, Ahokas also boasts a wealth of coaching experience in his native Finland.

With Ahokas reportedly off the board, the search for a new coach for Vancouver’s AHL affiliate continues. Another potential candidate to keep an eye on is ex-Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell, after Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in June that the Canucks “may have some interest” in her. Campbell departed the Kraken earlier this year after the expiration of her contract to “explore other coaching roles across the league.”

The Abbotsford bench boss position has been vacant since Manny Malhotra was promoted to Vancouver Canucks head coach back in June. Malhotra served as Abbotsford’s head coach for two seasons, leading the team to its first Calder Cup win in the 2024-25 season. This past season, Abbotsford failed to qualify for the postseason, as the club and its NHL counterpart dealt with a number of injuries to key players.

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CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: #20 Basile Sansonnens

Dave Hall — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:30:32 GMT

We’ve hit our first ranked prospect of the summer, and as a result of nine new players being added to the mix, he ends up sliding down the board to our 20th spot. If you missed our Honourable Mentions, let us bring you back up to speed with our criteria.

We’ve raised the age range from U23 to U24, but limited players to under 25 NHL games. That would eliminate Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Liam Öhgren up front, as well as defencemen Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, and Elias Pettersson (D).

As for the rankings themselves, that criterion remains the same.

Upside is first and foremost. Where do these players end up if they hit their full potential? Age is also a factor. Players such as Ty Mueller, who’s played a pair of NHL games over the last two years but is teetering on the edge of age eligibility at 23. That alone earns him a spot on our list, but at his age, if he doesn’t develop into a full-time NHLer soon, the writing may be on the wall for his future.

With that in mind, let’s dive into the rankings.

Basile Sansonnens

Still just 19 years old until late August, Basile Sansonnens put together what should be considered a successful and impressive 2025-26 season. After spending his post-draft year with the Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL, the Swiss-born defenceman returned home and made the jump to professional hockey with Lausanne HC.

Playing against men for the first time, he’s carved out a role on Lausanne’s third pairing, holding his own throughout the season while earning increased responsibility down the stretch. Come playoff time, however, his role diminished. Lausanne leaned on its veteran defence corps, limiting him to extra-defenceman duties. He failed to eclipse the 10-minute mark in any of the team’s seven playoff games, but the bigger picture remains encouraging. After all, he was one of just three U20 defencemen to appear in more than 40 National League games this season and even saw stints on the team’s top pairing alongside former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Erik Brannstrom.

He also remained a fixture on Switzerland’s international stage, representing his country at the World Junior Championship for the second and final time. While Switzerland struggled as a team, Sansonnens once again showcased the steady defensive game that has become his calling card.

The 2024 seventh-round pick isn’t going to wow anyone offensively. He recorded just three assists during the regular season to go with a goal and an assist in five games at the World Juniors. At this point, there’s little evidence to suggest offence will ever become a significant part of his game. Fortunately, that’s not why the Canucks drafted him.

At his core, Sansonnens is an aggressive, defence-first blueliner who thrives in shutdown situations and penalty-killing roles. Whether battling in the corners or clearing the crease, he’s consistently willing to engage physically. He uses his active stick effectively to disrupt passing lanes and separate opponents from the puck. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 205 pounds, he already possesses a pro-ready frame and isn’t afraid to use it. That physicality was overwhelming at the QMJHL level, but perhaps more encouraging is that it’s already translating against professional competition. There were multiple moments this season where he stood up to grown men and won battles that many teenage defencemen aren’t capable of winning.

Of course, his game isn’t without flaws. At times, he can become overaggressive in pursuit of the puck, pulling himself out of structure to finish a hit or to separate an opponent from possession. More often than not, however, his physical tools allow him to recover before those decisions become costly.

The appeal here is relatively straightforward. Sansonnens is a defensive defenceman through and through. Nearly all of his value comes in his own zone, where his size, mobility, and willingness to play physically consistently allow him to break up plays before they become dangerous.

He’s also a better skater than he often gets credit for. His long, powerful stride allows him to close gaps quickly, recover on broken plays and defend with confidence in transition. Those skating tools, combined with his size, provide a solid foundation for continued development.

If there were even a modest offensive element to his game, he’d likely be ranked considerably higher. His physical tools already appear close to AHL-ready. The question is whether his puck skills and overall decision-making can develop enough to allow those physical traits to shine at the North American professional level.

The hope is that, with continued development, he can simplify his game, become a reliable penalty killer and carve out a role as a hard-to-play-against defensive specialist. For now, he remains raw, but undeniably interesting.

Projection

Ceiling: While he’s still a long shot to become an NHL regular, Sansonnens possesses legitimate shutdown traits. If his puck management continues to improve, he could eventually develop into a third-pairing defenceman capable of handling heavy penalty-killing minutes.

Floor: Remaining in Europe and never establishing himself in North America is a very real possibility. Despite his physical intrigue, his overall game remains raw, particularly with the puck. After all, he was still a seventh-round pick.

ETA: His physical maturity and mobility give him a chance to move through the professional ranks relatively quickly, but patience remains essential. Any NHL consideration is still likely several years away.

Previous Profiles

CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: Honourable Mentions & Criteria

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11 takeaways from the Canucks’ 2026-27 schedule

Jeff Paterson — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:00:12 GMT

We learned on Wednesday that the Vancouver Canucks would open their 2026-27 National Hockey League regular season with a home and home set against the Edmonton Oilers. On Thursday, we learned the rest of the story as the league released full 84-game schedules for all 32 teams.

Any analysis of a full schedule has to start with the understanding that all teams will play 42 games at home and 42 games on the road. And all schedules will have unique circumstances and a few quirks. With that in mind, here are some takeaways from the Canucks schedule for next season.

Tough start

Manny Malhotra will be tested early and often as a first-year NHL head coach. Not only do the Canucks open with a pair of games against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but the team’s first 13 games also include a pair against Carolina, as well as matchups against Vegas, Florida, Tampa Bay and Minnesota. Maybe getting some of those games out of the way early before top teams hit their stride isn’t such a bad thing.

The longest home stand

The Canucks will spend the first couple of weeks of February in Vancouver. However, the longest homestand of the season is actually divided by All-Star weekend. The Canucks will play seven straight games at Rogers Arena. That stretch starts on February 1st against Montreal and continues on February 3rd against New Jersey. The team is then off until the 13th when the homestand continues against Winnipeg, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Colorado and Boston.

The longest road trip

The club’s longest road journey of the season will consist of seven games in a 12 night span from January 18th through the 30th. The trip will take the Canucks from Colorado to Nashville to Chicago to Pittsburgh to Minnesota and will wrap up in Dallas and St. Louis. Only the games against the Blackhawks and Penguins are on consecutive nights.

Back to backs

The Canucks will play 11 sets of back-to-back games next season, including one in the first week of the season when they host Calgary and Vegas on consecutive nights at Rogers Arena. The season also ends with a back to back set in Winnipeg on April 9th and in Calgary to close out the schedule the following night.

All Star break

The hockey team will be able to hang up its skates for a prolonged break in early February. The Canucks play a home game against New Jersey on February 3rd and then don’t play again until another home contest on the 13th against Winnipeg. In between those games, the NHL is conducting its All Star weekend on Long Island.

Early starts

The Canucks have a couple of odd start times on the schedule. Monday January 18th in Colorado and Wednesday January 20th in Nashville are both 1pm starts local time. That’s 12pm PT against the Avalanche and 11am (on a Wednesday) against the Preds. The Canucks have a 12:30pm PT start in New Jersey on October 10th followed by a 3pm PT puck drop at Madison Square Garden. They also have a 12pm PT puck drop in Philadelphia on Black Friday November 27th and a 2pm PT start in Boston on November 29th. The club has a 12:30pm PT start in St. Louis on January 30th. The Canucks will have a quick turnaround from a Saturday night game in Toronto on March 13th to a 2pm PT start the following day in Ottawa to close out a five-game road trip. The Canucks will also host a 1pm start at Rogers Arena late in the season when Anaheim comes to town on March 27th.

Late night hockey

With BC’s switch to go to daylight savings time year round, Canucks fans will have to stay up later than usual for games. The team will have eight 8pm starts at Rogers Arena. For years, weeknight home games at Pacific Coliseum started at 8pm.

Back to Boxing Day

The Canucks get four full days off for a holiday break, but will return to action with a Boxing Day game at the Saddledome in Calgary. That game is set for 9pm local time in Calgary.

Strange travel

The Canucks have an early six game road trip that starts in Carolina against the Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes. Usually, that would be followed by games in Tampa Bay and Florida. And it will this time, too. Sort of. From Raleigh, however, the Canucks head north to the New York area and play the Devils, Rangers and Islanders before heading south to the Sunshine State for games against the Panthers and Lightning. Only the games against the Devils and Rangers are back to back on that trip. The Canucks also do not play consecutive games in Anaheim and Los Angeles for the second straight season. They have an Anaheim/San Jose road trip in late October and then go to Los Angeles to San Jose and back to Southern California to face Anaheim on a three-game junket in mid-December.

Stanley Cup gauntlet

The Canucks will square off in consecutive games against the two teams that tussled for the Stanley Cup in June. They will host Vegas on October 4th in the fourth game of the season and then take on Carolina, the Cup champs, on October 8th.

Gallagher facing the Habs

You know Brendan Gallagher has already circled two dates on his calendar. But he’ll have to wait a while to see his former team. The Canucks host Montreal on February 1st, and Gallagher will make his return to Bell Centre in Montreal just over a month later on March 6th.

NHL releases Canucks’ full 84-game 2026-27 NHL schedule

David Quadrelli — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:28:08 GMT

On Wednesday, the NHL announced home opener dates for all 32 NHL teams. For the Vancouver Canucks, it’s going to be back-to-back matchups with the Edmonton Oilers. The first one goes down in Edmonton on September 29th, before the two clubs meet again on October 1st for the Canucks’ home opener at Rogers Arena.

On Thursday, the NHL released the full 84-game schedule. Here’s a quick look at it, month by month. Reminder: BC is done with Daylight Saving Time, so you’ll see more 8 PM Pacific starts on the road this year than we’re used to!

September

Yes, regular season games in September! Well, okay, one. The Canucks open the season on the road with a date with the Oilers.

Tue. Sep 29 @ Edmonton — 7:00 PM PT

October

The action really begins in October with a road-heavy month. The Canucks play home Halloween game against the Leafs, and on Sunday, October 25th, Canucks fans will see Quinn Hughes take the ice at Rogers Arena for the first time since ~~he quit on the team~~ the trade from Vancouver to Minnesota:

Thu. Oct 1 vs. Edmonton — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Oct 3 vs. Calgary — 7:00 PM PT
Sun. Oct 4 vs. Vegas — 6:00 PM PT
Thu. Oct 8 @ Carolina — 4:00 PM PT
Sat. Oct 10 @ New Jersey — 12:30 PM PT
Sun. Oct 11 @ N.Y. Rangers — 3:00 PM PT
Tue. Oct 13 @ N.Y. Islanders — 4:45 PM PT
Thu. Oct 15 @ Florida — 4:00 PM PT
Sat. Oct 17 @ Tampa Bay — 1:00 PM PT
Tue. Oct 20 vs. Carolina — 7:00 PM PT
Thu. Oct 22 vs. Detroit — 7:00 PM PT
Sun. Oct 25 vs. Minnesota — 7:00 PM PT
Tue. Oct 27 @ Anaheim — 7:00 PM PT
Thu. Oct 29 @ San Jose — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Oct 31 vs. Toronto — 4:00 PM PT

November

Hughes and the Wild will be back in Vancouver on Saturday, November 21st as well.

December

A Boxing Day affair with the Flames on Boxing Day and no game on New Year’s Eve this year:

Tue. Dec 1 @ Washington — 4:00 PM PT
Fri. Dec 4 vs. Buffalo — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Dec 5 vs. Dallas — 8:00 PM PT
Mon. Dec 7 vs. Washington — 7:00 PM PT
Thu. Dec 10 vs. Nashville — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Dec 12 @ Los Angeles — 7:00 PM PT
Mon. Dec 14 @ San Jose — 7:00 PM PT
Wed. Dec 16 @ Anaheim — 6:00 PM PT
Sat. Dec 19 vs. San Jose — 8:00 PM PT
Mon. Dec 21 vs. Utah — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Dec 26 @ Calgary — 8:00 PM PT
Mon. Dec 28 vs. Los Angeles — 7:30 PM PT
Wed. Dec 30 vs. Seattle — 7:30 PM PT

January

A busy January and a Midwest road trip!

Sat. Jan 2 @ Utah — 7:00 PM PT
Sun. Jan 3 @ Seattle — 5:00 PM PT
Tue. Jan 5 vs. N.Y. Islanders — 7:00 PM PT
Thu. Jan 7 vs. Tampa Bay — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Jan 9 vs. Florida — 8:00 PM PT
Thu. Jan 14 vs. Seattle — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Jan 16 vs. Columbus — 8:00 PM PT
Mon. Jan 18 @ Colorado — 12:00 PM PT
Wed. Jan 20 @ Nashville — 11:00 AM PT
Fri. Jan 22 @ Chicago — 5:00 PM PT
Sat. Jan 23 @ Pittsburgh — 4:00 PM PT
Tue. Jan 26 @ Minnesota — 5:00 PM PT
Thu. Jan 28 @ Dallas — 5:00 PM PT
Sat. Jan 30 @ St. Louis — 12:30 PM PT

February

February keeps things closer to home, though the Canucks finish the month with some central road dates:

Mon. Feb 1 vs. Montreal — 6:30 PM PT
Wed. Feb 3 vs. New Jersey — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Feb 13 vs. Winnipeg — 8:00 PM PT
Tue. Feb 16 vs. Pittsburgh — 7:00 PM PT
Thu. Feb 18 vs. Ottawa — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Feb 20 vs. Colorado — 8:00 PM PT
Sun. Feb 21 vs. Boston — 6:00 PM PT
Tue. Feb 23 @ Dallas — 5:00 PM PT
Thu. Feb 25 @ St. Louis — 5:00 PM PT
Sat. Feb 27 vs. Calgary — 8:00 PM PT

March

The grind of March features a massive Eastern swing before a long home stand:

Wed. Mar 3 vs. Chicago — 8:00 PM PT
Sat. Mar 6 @ Montreal — 4:00 PM PT
Tue. Mar 9 @ Buffalo — 4:00 PM PT
Thu. Mar 11 @ Columbus — 4:00 PM PT
Sat. Mar 13 @ Toronto — 4:00 PM PT
Sun. Mar 14 @ Ottawa — 2:00 PM PT
Wed. Mar 17 vs. Nashville — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Mar 20 vs. St. Louis — 7:00 PM PT
Sun. Mar 21 vs. Edmonton — 6:00 PM PT
Tue. Mar 23 vs. Los Angeles — 7:00 PM PT
Thu. Mar 25 vs. Vegas — 7:00 PM PT
Sat. Mar 27 vs. Anaheim — 1:00 PM PT
Mon. Mar 29 @ Los Angeles — 6:30 PM PT
Wed. Mar 31 @ Vegas — 7:30 PM PT

April

Finally, the final month of the Canucks’2026-27 season:

Sat. Apr 3 vs. San Jose — 7:00 PM PT
Tue. Apr 6 vs. Colorado — 7:00 PM PT
Fri. Apr 9 @ Winnipeg — 4:00 PM PT (6:00 PM local CT)
Sat. Apr 10 @ Calgary — 7:00 PM PT

Which games are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Don Taylor talks Rogers cuts, Canucks, Shane Wright, and more

Clarke Corsan — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:00:56 GMT

On Wednesday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by Don Taylor to discuss Rogers shutting down Sportsnet 650 before sharing his thoughts on the recent Shane Wright-to-Vancouver speculation.

Taylor said the news of 650’s closure left him with a range of emotions, while also questioning how the situation was handled.

“Disappointed, angry, frustrated, puzzled; you name the negative reaction and that’s how I felt,” Taylor said. “I understand the business is different now and things have changed and will continue to change, but it’s the way they do things that’s so wrong and makes them look so bad in my opinion.

“Back in 2021 when we lost 1040, they just locked the control board on us. That’s how we found out. We had no idea, all of a sudden things just didn’t work and some music started playing with some canned messages about what was ahead, which wasn’t much. The situation with 650, I don’t think anybody really saw it coming. It was the home of the Canucks without competition, and from what I understand it was handled very poorly.

“Two things bother me about this. Number one; nothing ever happens to Toronto and their stations. I understand it’s a larger market but it’s interesting that nothing ever happens there. But more so than that, the way these people back East handle the situation is like, what was their plan? 2017 was when 650 started, not that long ago, and it led to the demise of 1040.

“They also bought all sorts of stations, small or otherwise, across Western Canada fairly recently, so what was their plan? What were they thinking? Digital media was around then, but the great minds back East didn’t see anything coming to the point where they’re letting people go, destroying the industry, not even asking if people would maybe take a pay cut. I just don’t understand what the thought process was when they bought these stations.”

Despite the closure, Taylor doesn’t believe the appetite for Canucks coverage has disappeared.

“Even when the team has been losing a lot, yes you get the odd blip of success like 2020 and a couple years back, but people still want to talk about it,” Taylor said. “They want to complain, they want to boast when they can; people are still passionate about it.

“The criticism the team gets, some people in the organization get upset but the people care and they’re angry. Once they’re indifferent and don’t care, that’s when you can start to worry. I’m not so sure I buy this ‘they’ve been losing which led to the demise of 650.’ I’m not sure about that. I felt a lot of passion out there.

“It’s out there and somebody with money might want to jump on board with a radio station. If you approach it a bit different, I think it would work.”

Later in the conversation, Taylor weighed in on rumours linking Shane Wright to the Canucks, saying he’d only have interest if the acquisition cost was minimal.

“I’m always wary of players who were highly touted prospects who haven’t worked out, and things haven’t worked out the way he’d want to in Seattle,” Taylor said. “If the price is right, it might be worth a shot, but I’ve heard names like Lekkerimäki, Buium… no chance.

“If the price is extremely low, sure, but the Kraken are also not going to give him away to a division rival. I don’t think it’s a fit right now and given the price tag that’s being thrown around, I’d say no.

“I’m going to age myself a bit here but I remember the Canucks picking up a former first overall draft choice back in the day in Doug Wickenheiser, and it didn’t work out here.”

While Taylor is frustrated by the loss of Sportsnet 650, he believes the passion surrounding the Canucks hasn’t gone anywhere. As for Wright, he’d be willing to take a chance – but only if the price reflects the uncertainty surrounding the former fourth-overall pick.

You can watch the full segment below!

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