Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
The last time the Abbotsford Canucks played at home was on June 21 when the Charlotte Checkers were in town for Game 5 of the Calder Cup Finals. With the Canucks up three games to one in the series, the championship trophy is in the building ready for celebrations at a sold-out Abbotsford Centre.
But the Checkers had other plans. Jesse PuljujarviA pinball goal at 15:22 of overtime extended the series and sent both teams back to North Carolina for Game 6, which Abbotsford won to give the Vancouver organization its first Calder Cup championship.
So this weekend the Canucks return to Abbotsford for the first time this season. This is also the last chance to celebrate last season's championship. Friday's home opener against the Ontario Reign means raising a championship banner and a chance to savor last season's memories again.
Many of the faces from last season are elsewhere. Just five players from the championship-winning squad four months ago are available for Friday's home opener. For the most part, this is a new team that needs to learn some of the same lessons that last season's team mastered. head coach Manny MalhotraThe team had won its first four games on the road before last night's 5-2 loss to Ontario.
As the championship flag floated to the rafters of the Abbotsford Center, memories came flooding back.
“It makes you tremble just thinking about it,” defenseman Huget the team said in a video released this week.
Now, the season is in full swing. The Canucks have another game against the Reign on Sunday afternoon, kicking off a six-game homestand this weekend. Abbotsford's old rivals, the Calgary Wranglers, have two games next week. After an easy schedule to start the season, games like these upcoming home games will allow the Canucks to fully settle into the season and continue the process of building another team.
But those players who experienced the heat of the 2024-25 season can bring last year’s lessons into this season.
“Everyone out there is trying their best,” Capt. Chase Waters Recalls, “When everyone does that, it equals success.”
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. In 2016, he received the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
