The Canucks’ AHL affiliate could be relocating closer to Vancouver

A few days ago, news broke that the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate — the Utica Comets — could potentially be on the move.

This came after Comets president Robert Esche filed to change the team’s name to the Utica Devils instead, after the Binghamton Devils (New Jersey’s AHL affiliate) announced that they would be relocating after a dispute between the two organizations.

This essentially means that Utica will now act as New Jersey’s minor league affiliate, which opens the door for the Comets to relocate elsewhere, and hopefully that’ll be an area close to Vancouver.

Canucks fans have wanted their AHL team near the city for years since Utica is on the opposite side of the continent, and it seems like we might finally be getting our wish. The obvious choices include Abbotsford and Kelowna, although it’ll be a win if they could move to anywhere in British Columbia.

However, we also need to address the possibility that the team might stay in the U.S., albeit move to an area much closer to Vancouver. This makes sense financially since the Comets won’t be competing against the Canucks over ticket sales and attention, and it could also grow the game of hockey south of the border too.

With that said, any move closer to Vancouver is a positive no matter how you slice it. Currently, Comets players need to hop on a long plane ride to join the Canucks after being called up and vice versa, meaning that it’s extremely difficult for either team to transfer their players. If the team is closer to Vancouver, it might mean that they’ll be able to suit up on the same day as they were recalled, which obviously makes things much easier to handle.

Again, nothing has been finalized yet and we’re still in the midst of a global pandemic, so there’s no guarantee that the Comets will relocate near Vancouver next season. But it’s still comforting to know that the possibility exists.

What do you think of this news, Canucks fans? Do you think the Comets will move closer to Vancouver as soon as next season? Let us know in the comments below!