The NHL schedule was released on Sunday, so you are now free to plan out your winter.
As always, when the schedule is released I immediately take a close look at the how favourable the Canucks schedule is (or isn’t).
At 45,173 air miles, the Canucks will travel the sixth most of any NHL team this year, a fact of life for a team on the west coast. I’m surprised the Canucks aren’t first on the list.
Perhaps the most favourable part of the Canucks schedule is that the Canucks play 19 games this year where their opponent is playing the second of back-to-back games while the Canucks are rested. That’s more than any other NHL team.
While many of you may be planning some road trips, Florida/Tampa on January 19-20 or the three New York City area teams on Feb 19-22 would be my picks, but more of you are likely planning which home games to attend this season. So without further ado, here are the top five games you should be looking forward to this season:
1. January 8 – Florida Panthers
Image: Florida Panthers
January 8 is the day that Roberto Luongo returns to Vancouver for the first time since he was traded. The Panthers get three days off before playing the Canucks so they should arrive in Vancouver at least a couple of days early, leaving lots of time for the media hype machine to get hold of this story.
I expect there to be a video tribute and a standing ovation for the greatest goalie in franchise history.
2. Oct 18 or Nov 20 or Nov 23 or Jan 3 or Feb 7 or Mar 26
Image: NHL
That’s the day that Tampa Bay or Anaheim or Chicago or Detroit or Pittsburgh or Colorado come to town for the first time. You know, the team that Ryan Kesler will be playing for.
3. February 13 – Boston Bruins
Image: bostinno.streetwise.co
Last year’s game against the Bruins at Rogers Arena had the best atmosphere of the entire season. I know 2011 is more than three years ago, but my hate for the Bruins is as strong as it has ever been. There’s no team that I want to beat more than Boston and no player that I want to boo louder than Brad Marchand.
4. March 14 – Toronto Maple Leafs
Image: Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs are on my list every year, not because they’re good (although we can’t laugh at them anymore considering the plight of the Canucks) but because their fans make the game more entertaining. The verbal jousting in the stands makes the game far more exciting and the electricity in Rogers Arena usually extends on the ice surface as well.
5. February 7 – Pittsburgh Penguins
Image: NHL
Sidney Crosby has only played an NHL game in Vancouver three times during his career, and it’s always a must-see event when the best player in the world comes to town.
Here is the rest of the Canucks 2014-15 schedule:
| DATE | VISITOR | HOME | TIME (PT) |
| WED, 8 OCT 2014 | CANUCKS | FLAMES | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 11 OCT 2014 | OILERS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| FRI, 17 OCT 2014 | CANUCKS | OILERS | 6:30 PM |
| SAT, 18 OCT 2014 | LIGHTNING | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| TUE, 21 OCT 2014 | CANUCKS | STARS | 5:30 PM |
| THU, 23 OCT 2014 | CANUCKS | BLUES | 5:00 PM |
| FRI, 24 OCT 2014 | CANUCKS | AVALANCHE | 6:00 PM |
| SUN, 26 OCT 2014 | CAPITALS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| TUE, 28 OCT 2014 | HURRICANES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 30 OCT 2014 | CANADIENS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 1 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | OILERS | 7:00 PM |
| SUN, 2 NOV 2014 | PREDATORS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| TUE, 4 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | AVALANCHE | 6:00 PM |
| THU, 6 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | SHARKS | 7:30 PM |
| SAT, 8 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | KINGS | 7:00 PM |
| SUN, 9 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | DUCKS | 5:00 PM |
| TUE, 11 NOV 2014 | SENATORS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| FRI, 14 NOV 2014 | COYOTES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| WED, 19 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | OILERS | 5:00 PM |
| THU, 20 NOV 2014 | DUCKS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SUN, 23 NOV 2014 | BLACKHAWKS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| TUE, 25 NOV 2014 | DEVILS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| FRI, 28 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | BLUE JACKETS | 4:00 PM |
| SUN, 30 NOV 2014 | CANUCKS | RED WINGS | 11:00 AM |
| TUE, 2 DEC 2014 | CANUCKS | CAPITALS | 4:00 PM |
| THU, 4 DEC 2014 | CANUCKS | PENGUINS | 4:00 PM |
| SAT, 6 DEC 2014 | CANUCKS | MAPLE LEAFS | 4:00 PM |
| SUN, 7 DEC 2014 | CANUCKS | SENATORS | 4:00 PM |
| TUE, 9 DEC 2014 | CANUCKS | CANADIENS | 4:30 PM |
| SAT, 13 DEC 2014 | RANGERS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| WED, 17 DEC 2014 | STARS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 20 DEC 2014 | FLAMES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| MON, 22 DEC 2014 | COYOTES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SUN, 28 DEC 2014 | CANUCKS | DUCKS | 5:00 PM |
| TUE, 30 DEC 2014 | CANUCKS | SHARKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 1 JAN 2015 | KINGS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 3 JAN 2015 | RED WINGS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| TUE, 6 JAN 2015 | ISLANDERS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 8 JAN 2015 | PANTHERS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 10 JAN 2015 | FLAMES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| TUE, 13 JAN 2015 | CANUCKS | PREDATORS | 5:00 PM |
| THU, 15 JAN 2015 | CANUCKS | FLYERS | 4:00 PM |
| FRI, 16 JAN 2015 | CANUCKS | HURRICANES | 4:00 PM |
| MON, 19 JAN 2015 | CANUCKS | PANTHERS | 4:30 PM |
| TUE, 20 JAN 2015 | CANUCKS | LIGHTNING | 4:30 PM |
| TUE, 27 JAN 2015 | DUCKS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| FRI, 30 JAN 2015 | SABRES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SUN, 1 FEB 2015 | WILD | CANUCKS | 12:30 PM |
| TUE, 3 FEB 2015 | JETS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 5 FEB 2015 | SHARKS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 7 FEB 2015 | PENGUINS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| MON, 9 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | WILD | 5:00 PM |
| WED, 11 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | BLACKHAWKS | 5:00 PM |
| FRI, 13 FEB 2015 | BRUINS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 14 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | FLAMES | 7:00 PM |
| MON, 16 FEB 2015 | WILD | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 19 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | RANGERS | 4:00 PM |
| FRI, 20 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | DEVILS | 4:00 PM |
| SUN, 22 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | ISLANDERS | 3:00 PM |
| TUE, 24 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | BRUINS | 4:00 PM |
| THU, 26 FEB 2015 | CANUCKS | SABRES | 4:00 PM |
| SUN, 1 MAR 2015 | BLUES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| TUE, 3 MAR 2015 | SHARKS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 5 MAR 2015 | CANUCKS | COYOTES | 6:00 PM |
| SAT, 7 MAR 2015 | CANUCKS | SHARKS | 7:00 PM |
| MON, 9 MAR 2015 | DUCKS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 12 MAR 2015 | KINGS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 14 MAR 2015 | MAPLE LEAFS | CANUCKS | 4:00 PM |
| TUE, 17 MAR 2015 | FLYERS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 19 MAR 2015 | BLUE JACKETS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 21 MAR 2015 | CANUCKS | KINGS | 1:00 PM |
| SUN, 22 MAR 2015 | CANUCKS | COYOTES | 5:00 PM |
| TUE, 24 MAR 2015 | JETS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 26 MAR 2015 | AVALANCHE | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 28 MAR 2015 | STARS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| MON, 30 MAR 2015 | CANUCKS | BLUES | 5:00 PM |
| TUE, 31 MAR 2015 | CANUCKS | PREDATORS | 5:00 PM |
| THU, 2 APR 2015 | CANUCKS | BLACKHAWKS | 5:30 PM |
| SAT, 4 APR 2015 | CANUCKS | JETS | 12:00 PM |
| MON, 6 APR 2015 | KINGS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| THU, 9 APR 2015 | COYOTES | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
| SAT, 11 APR 2015 | OILERS | CANUCKS | 7:00 PM |
Feature Image: NHL