2009-10 NHL Schedule

IN THE PAST…THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS HAVE APPROACHED THE ARRIVAL OF THE NHL SCHEDULE…WITH THE KIND OF EXCITEMENT USUALLY RESERVED FOR A “ROOT CANAL”…
THEY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HURT…
THE ONLY QUESTION WAS…HOW MUCH???
LAST SEASON GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS WENT TO THE NHL FRONT OFFICE AND EXPRESSED HIS FRUSTRATION…
IT WOULD APPEAR THE MESSAGE GOT THROUGH…
THE RESULT IS A SCHEDULE THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE…
THIS SEASON THE CANUCKS WILL NOT HAVE TO ACT LIKE “THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS” AND DANCE FROM ONE TIME ZONE TO THE NEXT…
FOR EXAMPLE:
LAST NOVEMBER…AS PART OF A 4 GAME ROAD TRIP…
THE CANUCK PLAYED THE RANGERS IN NEW YORK ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT…
FLEW TO MINNESOTA TO PLAY THE WILD ON A THURSDAY NIGHT…
THEN FLEW TO PITTSBURGH TO PLAY AN AFTERNOON GAME ON SATURDAY…
IT WAS THAT PITTSBURGH GAME IN WHICH ROBERTO LUONGO PULLED HIS GROIN…
IN ALL LUONGO MISSED 24 GAMES…
AND IN JANUARY LOST A RECORD…9 STRAIGHT AT HOME…
THIS SCHEDULE CERTAINLY DOES HAVE ITS CHALLENGES…
THE CANUCKS WILL PLAY 14 GAMES ON BACK TO BACK NIGHTS…
11 OF WHICH…WILL INVOLVE TRAVEL…
AND THEN THERE’S THE OLYMPIC BREAK…
THE CANUCKS WILL HAVE TO ENDURE A 14 GAME ROAD TRIP TO ALLOW ORGANIZERS TO PREPARE GM PLACE…
STARTING ON JANUARY 30TH THEY WILL PLAY 8 STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD…
AND AFTER THE GAMES…THERE ARE 6 MORE…
BUT FOR THE MOST PART VANCOUVER HOCKEY FANS HAVE LOTS TO LOOK FORWARD TO…
BOTH ALEX OVECHKIN AND SIDNEY CROSBY WILL PLAY IN VANCOUVER…
WASHINGTON IS TOWN ON DECEMBER 18TH…
PITTSBURGH IS HERE ON JANUARY THE 16TH…
AND ON MARCH THE 16TH…JOHN TAVARES AND THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS WILL BE IN GM PLACE…
OH YEAH!!!
HOW’S THIS FOR A BONUS…
ON NEW YEARS EVE…THE CANUCKS ARE IN ST. LOUIS…
GAME TIME IS 5 O’CLOCK…
YES VIRGINIA…THIS SEASON…WHEN IT COMES TO THE CANUCKS SCHEDULE…
“IT WOULD APPEAR…THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS”…