When the 2024-25 NHL schedule was released, there was plenty of dates for Vancouver Canucks fans to focus on. This included a rematch with the Edmonton Oilers and testing themselves against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, as well as long stretches at home and on the road.
However, there was another matchup which, at first glance, might not have meant much to the average Canucks fan. More specifically, a Sunday, Nov. 17 home game versus the Nashville Predators.
So what's the significance of this matchup, or more specifically the date? Giving credit where it's due to Adam Kierszenblat of The Hockey News, Nov. 17 is also the date that Vancouver will be hosting the 111th Grey Cup, at BC Place.
A major mistake by the NHL
No matter how you put it, this is entirely on the NHL, given that the date of the Grey Cup was known months in advance before the Canucks' schedule was put together. Doesn't anyone at NHL headquarters in New York look for potential scheduling conflicts in the same cities as their teams?
It would have been bad enough if the NHL had scheduled a Canucks game on the same day as a BC Lions contest, but the CFL's annual showcase event?!?! It becomes even more of a mess, when you consider the Grey Cup is scheduled to kick off at 3:00 pm PT, while puck drop at the Canucks game is set for 5:00 pm PT.
Given that Rogers Arena and BC Place are so close to each other, can you imagine the mayhem and carnage with big crowds for the two sporting events combined, especially with the ongoing Grey Cup festivities taking place outdoors? And how about the two sets of fans fighting for parking spaces and use of public transport alike?
Further highlighting the NHL's incompetence and/or lack of caring in this situation, consider that the Canucks also have a home game the night before, versus the Chicago Blackhawks. As per Kierszenblat, that Saturday game begins at 7:00 pm PT, meaning the Canucks won't even have 24 hours to recover before Sunday's clash with the Predators.
Another example of the NHL lacking common sense
In truth though, we shouldn't be surprised by any of this. The NHL has continually lacked in common sense over the years, often shooting themselves in the foot.
Consider the NHL's history of failing to market their stars as well as other leagues, hence why they continue to remain fourth in popularity among the four major North American professional sports leagues. A prime example of this failure, is having the game's best player in Connor McDavid, appear in playoff games which don't start until 10 pm ET, meaning a lot of people on the east coast won't stay up to watch him in action.
In theory something can still be done to rectify this situation, by moving the Canucks versus Predators game from the Sunday to another day that coming week. Consider that prior to travelling to Ottawa on Nov. 23 to face the Senators, the only date the Canucks have a game scheduled is at home to the New York Rangers on Nov. 19.
This leaves Nov. 18, 20, 21 and 22 as potential options. A look at the official site for Rogers Arena has shows scheduled for Nov. 20 (Zach Bryan) and Nov. 22 (Bruce Springsteen), leaving Nov. 18 and 21 open, pending how long it takes to change the setup, etc.
Ultimately though, this is obviously not our mess to sort out. It's just that as has become apparent yet again, the NHL has screwed things up with a situation which could have easily been avoided with a bit of thought and consideration.