Canucks OK with Schedule

Surprisingly Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis didn’t mutter a word of complaint when this year’s schedule revealed that at mid-season his team would be forced to endure a grueling 14 game road trip. Even though this 40- day trip commences during the dog days of the season in late January, the Canucks are more than okay with that scenario since their arena General Motors Place will be occupied by the exciting events of the Winter Olympics. “We have no complaints regarding the schedule and are satisfied the NHL took into account the challenges we faced hosting the Olympics,” Gillis said. Heading into the Olympic break Vancouver will have already played eight of their 14 straight road games. After that eighth game the Canucks will get a two- week breather as the NHL takes a two- week break. After that break Vancouver goes back on the road to finish off their trip which takes them away from GM Place from January 27-March 13. Having this long road trip, which will go a long ways in determining the Canucks post- season fate was not a shock to the Canucks since they knew about their Olympic commitment to lend their building months ago. Aquilini Investment Group which is a corporation run by the family who owns the Canucks have given permission to the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) to use the building which will be known as Canada Hockey Place.

 During the first eight games of their road trip the Canucks will play only one set of back- to- back games. Their longest road flight during this stretch will take them from Miami to Columbus. After the break their second stage of this road trip will have the Canucks play two back- to- back games in Detroit and Columbus and Phoenix and Denver. Besides for the Olympics another benefit to this long road trip is that the Canucks will be playing 10 of their final 15 regular season games at home.