Welcome back to WWYDW, the only hockey column on the internet to just be happy for Tyler Toffoli, ya know?

Speaking of offseason decisions, this is normally about the time whence we’d prepping for a slew of important summer dates: the Expansion Draft, the Entry Draft, and the start of the Free Agent Frenzy. But in a season unlike any other, all those events have been pushed back a month, leaving us with a relatively mundane June, Canucks-wise.

If there’s one saving grace to this early offseason, it’s that the Canucks’ most consequential choices will almost certainly be occurring before any of those other things. Jim Benning and Co. would really rather have Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes under contract before they start tweaking the rest of the roster, and that leaves them with little more than a month to do so.
Tick, tock.

While all sides are busy negotiating, we thought we’d turn to someone at least a little more impartial to get their take on the situation: you, loyal reader!
This week, we’re asking you:

Your nicknames, monikers, and appellations are below!

Agrarians.

Trying to be creative. There are religious connotations. Abbotsford is likely named from the location in England where abbots forded the river. Here, Abbotsford-Mission is the electoral district with about 180,000 residents. Mission of course is home to the Benedictine monks monastery. So, a team name like Abbotsford Mission incorporates that as well as the dual meaning of being on a mission to win. Or they could just call them Abbotsford Aeros reflecting the aeronautical industry, airshow and airport. Now finally if they want to be a little whimsical Abbotsford Razz, reflecting the local raspberry industry…like the Jazz.

Abs.

…and then I thought, why not Abbotsford Army…but that`s just lame.

Abbotsford Aces. Alliterative reference to the Abbotsford Air Shows with some sort of airplane-type logo perhaps? Simple and direct IMHO.

I really think things would work better in Abbotsford if marketed as a regional team. There are a lot of precedents. Colorado, Arizona, Lehigh Valley, TriCities.

To that end the team should be from the Fraser Valley. Lots of good options for an alliteration on the ‘V.’ I like Venom probably the best. The Fraser Valley Venom or Valley Venom ticks the boxes.

Want to stay away from all names with connotations to religion, heritage or history. I just don’t have the energy to do thorough research on whose sensitivities might be unintentionally offended.

Abbotsford Afterburners.

Keeps a local theme, has connotations of speed and explosiveness.

Abbotsford Aquarium.

It jives with the Aquilini name and the players will be in a fishbowl being so close to the home squad. Not to mention the whole Fraser River thing having a lot of fish in it, as well.

I propose a third jersey with a logo depicting a roundish fishbowl with caricatures of popular past players swimming around in the bowl like mermen.

Alright. I gave my satirical response but I will be more serious now. I have heard good names in the past like Aeros, Aviators and Aces. All have merit but Aeros was the IHL/AHL name for a great Houston franchise and I would think someone still owns that name.

I would play be a tad more original and play off of the Abbotsford name and call them the “Botts”. That being short for robots. I think this could spawn a great mascot and merchandising.

Abby Aces.

Abbotsford Titans or ABBY THUNDER.

Nothing to do with prey animals, names that don’t really mean anything or anything to do with the aerospace industry unless this is a Winnipeg Jets minor league affiliate.

There are very few suggestions I’ve seen that I’d even consider. Personally, I’m in on Axemen or Lumberjacks until I hear something better. Great theme that could utilize Johny Canuck in the form of logo or mascot, foam axes for the kiddies, and showing respect to one of the industries that built this province. Can’t see how they could lose if embracing this theme.

Abbotsford Smugglers.

The FV OGs.

The Fraser Valley Aces.

Abbots.

But pronounced with a Canadian accent. The Aboots!

I’d be fine with Arrows, Aces, Valley Venom, etc. Just don’t make it embarrassing and make the jersey wearable from an aesthetic sense. I only wear the spaghetti dish Canucks jersey to games. I’ve never enjoyed the Orca design or the too on-the-nose Pacific Northwest color combos. The Utica Comets jerseys were pretty good and transcended the color scheme.

I have family who have worked in forestry/logging and I worked at sawmills at various points in my teens and 20s. I’m not here to romanticize the industry or trash it, but using the Johnny Canuck in some way would probably be pretty popular with a large swath of the fanbase including hipsters, rednecks and those who long for a connection to a heroic colonial past. I don’t really care, but just make the jersey cool and fun. Think vintage McDonalds, and not sad suburban monochrome sad dad McDonalds.

They will probably be named something basic like Abbotsford Eagles, Abbotsford Lions.

You could go with something that has consonance, like:

The Abbotsford Last Word.

Or my favorite:

The Abbotsford Disturbed.

Rivermen for the Fraser and the history of the franchise. (Peoria Rivermen before the move to Utica.)

Abbotsford Farm…

Send em down to the Farm.

We need some blue-collar Fraser Valley grit.

Abbotsford Farm.

Abbotsford Express.

Abbotsford Alliance.

Abbotsford Snowbirds.

Aces has my vote…guess it’s time to start scrutinizing trademarks. Lol.

Here is my reasonable suggestion:

I would name them after an environmental event (Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning). These names convey power, often have interesting and hard-to-screw-up imagery, and are a safe option.

Abbotsford Earthquakes.

And here’s my interesting suggestion:

I don’t need to explain to you the perceived and real value of toughness, grit, and aggression in the NHL. I do personally prefer the Sedins’ style of play to Broad Street Bullies but the Sedins STILL had all of those aforementioned adjectives. They just combined them with intelligence and an understanding that their time was better spent focusing on the power play as opposed to punching practice. This name focuses on that unstoppable, tenacious, ruthless attitude a team and its players need.

Abbotsford Unleashed.

The Abbotsford Relentless.

And as a side note, people can get used to any names. So, I know it isn’t a conventionally inspiring name like the Penguins, (colour) Sox, or a specific type of leaf, but I think people could get behind it.