NHL schedule makers didn’t do Canucks any favours in 2018-19
The more you dig into the Vancouver Canucks’ upcoming schedule, the more you wonder who they upset at the league’s head offices.
By some measures, it could be the most difficult slate of games in the league.
It’s not just because of the travel, though that’s something Vancouver teams always have to contend with. It’s also not just because of a daunting start to a season that sees the Canucks play 17 of their first 26 games on the road.
It’s also their opponents and how they line up. Teams get a significant advantage when they’re rested and facing an opponent that played the night before.
But this happens only three times this season for the Canucks, the fewest in the league.
The Edmonton Oilers, by comparison, face this scenario an NHL-leading 18 times. The NHL average is nine times.
The other side of the coin is when the Canucks are facing the second of back-to-back games and they’re forced to play a rested team.
This is a significant disadvantage, obviously for the “tired” team. The Canucks will be in this situation 11 times this year, second most in the league.
The New York Rangers face this situation the least number of times, just five in the 2018-19 season. The New Jersey Devils and the Carolina Hurricanes face this hurdle 12 times.
For the Canucks to exceed expectations, they’re going to need all the help they can get. It just seems none of that help came from the people who put together their schedule.