Earlier this week, the Abbotsford Canucks dropped their 2025-2026 schedule.

The AHL schedule is a little different from the NHL’s version. Most of the time, American League teams will always play back-to-backs to cut the time and expenses of their road trips. They also play a shorter 72-game schedule rather than the 82-game NHL season.

While all the players and fans will never forget the Championship 2024-2025 season, it’s time to put that in the rearview mirror and focus on 2025-2026.

Here are five takeaways from the Abby Canucks’ schedule release:

The rafters in the Abbotsford Centre will have to wait a bit longer until the 2024-2025 Calder Cup Championship banner is raised.

Not only do the Canucks kick off their season on the road against the Henderson Silver Knights (October 10 & 11), but the following weekend they take on the Laval Rocket in Quebec (October 17 & 18). The Canucks must wait until October 24 to celebrate their Championship one last time when they raise the banner for their home opener against the Ontario Reign.

That’s three weeks into the season that the Canucks have to wait to play in front of their home fans off the back of the first Championship in Canucks history – a little disappointing for the fans.

Abbotsford starts November with a two-game homestand against the Silver Knights on the 1st and 2nd. But other than that, they play just two more home games in the entire month.

The Canucks travel to Colorado to face the Eagles on the 7th and 8th, before returning home for a quick two-game home stand against the San Jose Barraduca on the 11th and 12th. Abbotsford is then on the road the rest of the month. First, they travel to San Diego for a game on the 15th, then a quick turnaround to Coachella on the 16th. Then, it’s back-to-backs in San Jose on the 21st and 22nd, before rounding out their road trip in Tucson on the 28th and 29th.

That six-game road trip is the longest of their season, one that will span over two weeks. The club likely travels home in between games, but that is a long stretch without a home game in the American League.

While November may be tough with all the travel, January is their busiest month.

The Canucks will play 15 games in 30 days, with their most difficult stretch having to play seven games in 11 days to round out the month.

They play Henderson in a standalone game on the 2nd, before a four-game home stand from the 6th to the 11th. Followed by a quick California road trip to San Diego and Coachella from the 14th to the 18th. From the 20th to the 31st, they play Laval twice, San Diego twice, Ontario once, and then close out with two road games against Bakersfield.

We understand that the AHL doesn’t pull the same amount of money the NHL does, but I’m sure the players don’t like playing the same teams over and over again.

Of the Canucks’ 72 games, they will play 64 of them against the Pacific Division: The Colorado Eagles four times, the Tucson Roadrunners four times, the Bakersfield Condors four times, the Coachella Valley Firebirds eight times, the Henderson Silver Knights eight times, the San Jose Barracuda eight times, the San Diego Gulls eight times, the Ontario Reign eight times and the Calgary Wranglers 12 times.

The remaining eight times, the Canucks play a pair of Canadian teams, facing off against the Laval Rocket and Manitoba Moose, four teams each.

This means that the Canucks will not be facing off against the team they defeated in the Western Conference Finals, the Texas Stars, or the team they beat in the Calder Cup Finals, the Charlotte Checkers. The distance is far, but surely Canucks fans would have liked to see a regular season rematch against those teams.

Speaking of the Canucks playing the Rocket and the Moose, Abbotsford could possibly face off against two of their former teammates who helped them on their Calder Cup run: Sammy Blais and Phil Di Giuseppe.

Blais signed a one-way contract with the Montreal Canadiens this past offseason. But if things don’t work out and Blais clears waivers, he will report to their AHL affiliate in Laval. Abbotsford plays Laval on October 17 and 18, and again on January 20 and 21.

Di Giuseppe signed a two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets this summer, and if he’s not with the big club, he’ll join the Moose. The Canucks play the Moose on December 31, January 2, and March 10 and 11.

Both players will surely be met with gratitude for their efforts in the postseason. Blais had six goals and 19 points in 23 games, while bringing a physical edge that instilled fear in his opponents. Di Giuseppe played up and down the Canucks lineup in the postseason, posting six goals and 11 points in 24 playoff games for Abbotsford.