Future Canucks practice facility will be within 30-minute drive from Downtown Vancouver
The Vancouver Canucks still don’t have a dedicated practice facility… but they’re getting closer.
It’s become a bit of a punchline around the NHL that the Canucks are the only team in the league without a practice facility of their own. Even the Utah Mammoth, which came into existence less than two years ago, were able to beat the Canucks to the punch, opening up a world-class facility a few weeks ago.
Things do seem to be moving in the right direction to make it happen in Vancouver. Earlier this month, Canucks President Jim Rutherford gave a positive update on the team’s efforts to build a practice rink.
Now, we have an idea of where it could wind up being built, as Rutherford gave more details on the latest episode of the 100% Hockey podcast with John Shannon and Daren Millard.
“We’re open to any area within a half-hour drive of downtown Vancouver,” Rutherford said. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve worked on this, and we’ve come close to a point where we could get one, but there is always political reasons or this and that.
“I’ve been pushed hard by Francesco [Aquilini], our owner, to figure this out. I do think we have a few options that we actually have a chance of moving forward.”
In many NHL markets, teams opt to build practice facilities in a neighbourhood close to where a lot of players live. When asked if the Canucks would do something similar, Rutherford downplayed that as a factor in where the facility would eventually end up.
“I’m not concerned where the players live now,” Rutherford said. “Once you get that practice facility moved into the future, they’ll start living in that area when they come into town.
“They’ll adjust to that as time goes along.”
The Canucks have long been looking for a location near Rogers Arena to set up a practice rink, but have so far come up empty-handed. Most recently, members of Vancouver’s management team were seen touring the Rosmary Brown Recreation Centre in Burnaby in the Spring.
There have also been discussions about a few locations in East Vancouver, including Britannia and PNE.Â
Back in 2018, there were plans to construct a practice rink across the street from Rogers Arena at the Plaza of Nations. It would’ve been a convenient location, but those plans were eventually scrapped in 2021.Â
It’s been a long and winding road to find a place for the Canucks to practice, and the team will have to walk that path a while longer until they find a concrete solution.