It\u2019s become a running gag in Vancouver.<\/p>\n
The Vancouver Canucks remain the only team in the NHL without any confirmed plans to build a practice facility.<\/p>\n
At long last, that may be about to change.<\/p>\n
CHEK\u2019s Rick Dhaliwal gave a good news update on the Canucks hapless endeavours at finally making progress on building a practice facility.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep an eye on Britannia,\u201d Dhaliwal said Friday on Sportsnet 650\u2019s Halford and Brough.<\/a><\/p>\n Daily Hive\u2019s Kenneth Chan reported last month<\/a> that the City of Vancouver is back in the planning stage for replacing the Britannia facilities, including the community centre, aquatic centre, and ice rink.<\/p>\n With potential major changes ahead for the East Vancouver block, perhaps the Canucks have finally ended their futile practice facility search.<\/p>\n Considering how hard it\u2019s been to find real estate near the arena, Britannia does seem like an ideal spot. The current Britannia rink is a 3.5-kilometre drive away from Rogers Arena.<\/p>\n \u201cThey could build a 20,000 square-foot connected facility, maybe a three or four-storey building,\u201d Dhaliwal said. \u201cThe ice is already there. That lowers the construction time, the cost, and the need to find land.\u201d<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first time that the Canucks have been linked to Britannia. Back in June 2025, Irfaan Gaffar reported that the Canucks toured the rink and that they had interest in revitalizing the area.<\/a><\/p>\n Of course, even if the Canucks can get this across the finish line, the facility won\u2019t be constructed for years.<\/p>\n But perhaps it will line up with a new era of Canucks hockey, with the team currently entering a rebuild.<\/p>\n At least, it will end some of the NHL-wide embarrassment the Canucks have faced over this debacle. Last spring, one of the reasons Rick Tocchet didn\u2019t re-sign with the Canucks was because of the practice facility<\/a>, something Dhaliwal reported on Friday as well.<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn\u2019t the reason Tocchet left, but it certainly was one of them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Former Canucks goaltender Art\u016brs \u0160ilovs appeared to throw some shade<\/a> at the Canucks as well for the lack of a practice facility, once he began suiting up as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.<\/p>\n