So far, so good

Photo from Vancouver Sun

It was February 19 of this year that I was enjoying some free time with my Playstation3. I was playing EA Sports NHL 10 in 'Be a Pro' mode and I was currently a member of the Vancouver Canucks after being traded from the Montreal Canadiens during the trade deadline (oh how I wish that was real life!). I had just helped the Canucks clinch the Western Conference championship and was awaiting the game to finish simulating and announce my Stanley Cup Final opponent. Once the simulation was complete it was revealed my next opponent would be the Boston Bruins. I turned to Brittany who was reading on the couch and said "Look at that, how great of a playoff series would that be? I bet you this year it will be Vancouver vs Boston in the Stanley Cup Finals and my Canucks will beat your Bruins."

Fast forward to May 25 at 2am Atlantic time and part of my prediction has come true. A great series between Vancouver and San Jose and even better game 5 performance by Roberto Luongo.

In other Canucks related news it seems they will be looking for not one, but two new farm teams next season.  Their ECHL affiliated franchise, Victoria Salmon Kings, got bumped out of their rink when the owners purchased the Chilliwack Bruins (major junior club) and relocated them to Victoria. The owners then decided to fold the Salmon Kings thus ending the partnership with the Canucks.

The major news outlets are expecting an announcement soon regarding the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg. Currently the Manitoba Moose playing out of Winnipeg's MTS Centre.  The Moose have been the Canucks primary farm team since 2001 when the club joined the AHL after playing in the IHL. Rumours are swirling that the Moose are moving out east to St.John's, Newfoundland where the Toronto Maple Leafs used have their farm team till 2005.

The Moose are owned by True North Sports Entertainment, the same company that is in the process of purchasing the Atlanta Thrashers, so naturally their new NHL franchise will be affiliated with the Moose franchise. This leaves the Canucks with no place to put their prospects next season. Luckily though, there are 30 AHL franchises and with the Thrashers changing their affiliation to the Moose, that leaves the Chicago Wolves open.

Of course the Canucks organization are more focused at the current task at had, the Stanley Cup Finals, so any affiliations announcements will not be made until June.