Vancouver Canucks will soon play more home games than ever before
The Canucks will soon play more regular-season games in Vancouver than ever before.
The NHL and NHLPA announced the ratification of a four-year collective bargaining agreement on Tuesday. While the Memorandum of Understanding has yet to be made public, multiple reports from NHL insiders have revealed some key changes in the CBA that will take effect in 2026-27.
Chief among them is expanding the regular season to 84 games (up from 82) and reducing preseason to just four games (down from six).
That increased regular season means the Canucks will play 42 home games (up from 41) during the regular season, which has never been done before.
An 84-game season is not without precedent, as the NHL played that length of schedule in 1992-93 and 1993-94. But in each of those seasons, every team played two games at neutral-site venues.
In fact, Pavel Bure scored his 50th goal in 1993 against the Sabres at a road game played in Hamilton, not Buffalo. The same season, they hosted a “home” game against the Minnesota North Stars in Saskatoon.
Following a lockout-shortened season in 1994-95, the league adjusted its season to 82 games.
Shortening the preseason will be a popular move among Canucks season ticket holders, who traditionally are forced to pay top dollar for meaningless exhibition games. The team could also even up its half-season membership package offerings.
Other reported changes include introducing a playoff salary cap and making neck guards mandatory for new players entering the league.
Hockey’s longstanding suit-and-tie tradition could become a thing of the past too, as player dress codes are being abolished.
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