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Canucks: AHL affiliate is officially relocating to Abbotsford next season

By Zaahid Lalani

LAVAL, QC - MARCH 09: Carter Bancks #34 of the Utica Comets skates the puck against the Laval Rocket during the AHL game at Place Bell on March 9, 2019 in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The Laval Rocket defeated the The Utica Comets 5-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - MARCH 09: Carter Bancks #34 of the Utica Comets skates the puck against the Laval Rocket during the AHL game at Place Bell on March 9, 2019 in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The Laval Rocket defeated the The Utica Comets 5-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Utica Comets hockey. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Utica Comets hockey. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

No matter the structure of next year’s NHL season, it will also be much easier for the team to call up players in a timely manner, especially for last-minute emergency acquisitions.

Players will no longer need to fly across the continent to join the Canucks, nor will they have to quarantine for seven days if the league still requires such measures. And for a team that’s supposedly just starting another rebuild (or maybe we never really escaped from the first one?), this will prove dividends for the development of their younger hopefuls who could benefit from as much professional hockey exposure as they can get.

Plus, it’s so much more fun to root for a team that isn’t associated with a long-time division rival.

It’s expected that the Canucks’ new affiliate will play in the AHL’s Pacific Division, which now includes seven other franchises, although next year’s standings and schedule has not been confirmed as of yet, and could even include an all-Canadian division.

The Canucks’ organization also revealed that a new name, logo and brand are in the works for their affiliate team, and, to no surprise, fans have already started throwing out their creative suggestions into the Twitterverse.

The Comets won’t be gone, however.

In addition to the official news of the Abbotsford relocation on Thursday morning, it was also announced that the Comets have already linked up with another NHL partner, signing a 10-year agreement with the New Jersey Devils. This deal will move the Devils’ current affiliate from Birmingham to Utica, with only new jerseys and colours being rolled out before next season.

There are still lots of behind-the-scene details that need to be ironed out, but this relocation announcement is already a great step for the organization moving forward, as discussed by owner Francesco Aquilini in a media release on Tuesday.

"“The move would bring significant opportunities for both our team and the community and it would begin a new chapter, bringing Canucks hockey to even more fans throughout the Lower Mainland.”"

Next. Canucks: Rathbone was good in NHL debut. dark

Are you excited for AHL hockey to return to Abbotsford? Make sure to drop a comment below!

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