Yesterday, I talked about a recent report that claimed that the Comets — the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate — seemed like they would be relocating its team next season.
Reports then came out later in the day that the AHL franchise could be moving out West, with Abbotsford, Prescott Valley, and Salt Lake City being three potential candidates to host the team.
Now, it’s important to keep in mind that no formal agreement has been made and this is all speculation, but if the reporting is accurate, then this is no doubt fantastic news for the Canucks and their fans.
Abbotsford would obviously be the most logical choice since it allows the team to be right near Vancouver, which would reduce the travel time between players moving from the Comets to the Canucks.
However, we need to keep in mind that the Comets are also affiliated with St. Louis this season year their AHL opted out of the season, although that affiliation could end in the fall if their team returns to play by then.
Prescott Valley would present a slightly bigger challenge than Abbotsford, as the flight time to get to Vancouver is just under three hours. Even so, that’s a huge upgrade over Utica, which often took over five hours to get to Vancouver.
Meanwhile, a flight from Salt Lake City to Vancouver only takes a bit over two hours to complete, so relocating to either of the two U.S. cities means that players would still be able to dress for the Canucks if they were called up on the same day.
Most fans would likely be clamouring for the team to be in Abbotsford, but having a team in Utah might make the most sense financially since there isn’t an NHL there to compete for views and ticket sales.
No matter what happens, having the Comets relocate closer to Vancouver is a win, even if it means that they’ll be staying south of the border.
But what do you think, Canucks fans? Where will the Comets play next year? Let us know in the comments below!