CanucksBanter

By CanucksBanter

July 18, 2026

Abbotsford Canucks General Manager Richard Seeley announced on July 17, 2026, that Ryan Papaioannou has been hired as the new Head Coach of the Abbotsford Canucks for the 2026-27 season

He replaces former head coach Manny Malhotra following his promotion to Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks on June 2, 2026.

Papaioannou spent the 2025-26 season as Head Coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, former affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

In his first professional coaching season, he led Wheeling to an ECHL North Division title with a record of 46-20-3-3 and reached the Eastern Conference Finals before falling 4-1 in a best-of-seven series to the eventual Kelly Cup Champion Florida Everglades.

“We are very excited to welcome Ryan to the Canucks, as we know this hire will help shape the foundation for the development of our prospects in Abbotsford,” said Richard Seeley.

Ryan has a unique talent for teaching and relating with players. His preparation both technically and tactically has led him to outstanding accomplishments at the junior level, as well as an impressive first season in the ECHL.

His reputation as a communicator and someone who holds individuals and teams to high standards are the exact qualities we are looking for in the leader of our team.”

The 41-year-old has developed numerous future professional players and NHL draft picks including Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar.

Prior to coaching professionally, the Calgary, Alberta native spent 16 years as General Manager and Head Coach of the Brooks Bandits, winning five Alberta Junior Hockey League titles; and four National Junior A Championships in 2013, 2019, 2022 and 2023, one British Columbia Hockey League title, as well as being named AJHL Coach of the Year three separate times.

Over 917 regular season games as Head Coach, he posted an outstanding 714-152-51 record and saw his team reach the 50-win mark six times.

Source: Abbotsford Canucks

CanucksBanter

July 17, 2026

The National Hockey League (NHL) announced on July 16, the 2026-27 regular-season schedule, which will commence on Tuesday, Sept. 29 with a tripleheader broadcast exclusively on ESPN in the U.S., and a doubleheader on Sportsnet in Canada.

The season’s opening night is highlighted by the Carolina Hurricanes raising their second Stanley Cup championship banner on ESPN before facing the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center at 5 p.m. ET.

Action continues on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet, when the Montreal Canadiens visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Original Six contest at Scotiabank Arena.
On ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, the New York Rangers face off against the Boston Bruins in another Original Six matchup at TD Garden.
At 10 p.m. ET on Sportsnet, the Vancouver Canucks clash with Pacific Division foes the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.
Then, on ESPN at 10:30 p.m. ET, the Chicago Blackhawks will visit the Vegas Golden Knights in a Western Conference matchup at T-Mobile Arena.

The following night, Wednesday, Sept. 30, will feature TNT’s season debut with a doubleheader featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 p.m. ET and the Los Angeles Kings visiting the Colorado Avalanche at 10 p.m. ET.

The 2026-27 schedule – expanded to 84 games per team – features an all-time NHL high of 1,344 regular-season games and will conclude Saturday, April 10. A complete listing of each team’s 2026-27 regular-season schedule is attached.

2026-27 NHL Regular-Season Schedule: Notable Dates

A new fixture on the NHL regular season schedule for 2026-27 is a steady stream of Monday weekday matinee / European primetime games, providing passionate hockey fans abroad the ability to watch their favorite teams, and some of the NHL’s biggest stars, in prime time during the week.

These games further the League’s commitment to deepening its connection with international fans and growth in European markets, as well as driving brand awareness for NHL Clubs internationally.
This also provides a new offering to engage fans and new audiences in the NHL’s North American markets: a matinee game creates a unique and memorable fan experience and allows Clubs to deliver bespoke activations and fun engagement opportunities.

Schedule Highlights

All 32 teams will be in action on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Apr. 10.
On Sunday, October 25, the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens will hit the ice outdoors in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™, at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.
The 2026 NHL Global Series™ Finland will feature the defending Stanley Cup-champion Carolina Hurricanes and the Seattle Kraken facing off in a pair of games at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki, November 12 and November 14.
The Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks will headline the 2026 NHL Global Series Germany with regular-season games December 18 and December 20 at PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf.
The first rematch of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final will take place on Dec. 21, when the Golden Knights host the Hurricanes at T-Mobile Arena. In addition, Carolina will host Vegas on Jan. 17 at Lenovo Center.
On New Year’s Eve, the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium will host the Discover NHL Winter Classic®, as the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche battle outdoors in the shadow of the Greater Rockies.

The Honda NHL® All-Star Weekend returns February 5-6, at UBS Arena on Long Island.

The event will include the 2027 NHL® All-Star Skills™ on February 5, with 10 young stars, ages 25 or younger, competing across eight events, and the 2027 Honda NHL All-Star Game February 6, featuring five teams of 11 players each — Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a “World” team comprised of international players from countries outside of the other four teams — competing in a three-on-three, round-robin exhibition tournament.
Rogers will be the presenting sponsor of NHL All-Star in Canada.

The Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights bring outdoor hockey back to Texas February 20, with the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series™, taking place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Stanley Cup Final will be telecast exclusively on TNT in the U.S. and on Sportsnet in Canada.

The Walt Disney Company (ESPN/ABC), TNT Sports (TNT/HBO Max) and Sportsnet are the NHL’s national broadcast partners for the 2026-27 season and will provide comprehensive coverage throughout the season. Complete broadcast details will be announced when available.

Scheduling Matrix

Each Division Has Eight Teams

Games Within Division

7 teams x 2 home / 2 away (Subtotal 14 home / 14 away)

Games Within Conference (Non-Division)

4 teams x 2 home / 1 away (Subtotal 8 home / 4 away)

4 teams x 1 home / 2 away (Subtotal 4 home / 8 away)

Non-Conference Games

16 teams x 1 home / 1 away (Subtotal 16 home / 16 away)

Grand Total – 84 Games

42 home / 42 away