We now know when the Vancouver Canucks and their likely future division rival the Seattle Kraken will have their first face-to-face matchup.
The teams are scheduled to first meet in a pre-season game at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, home of the WHL Spokane Chiefs, on Sunday, Sept. 26.
The expansion Kraken are playing a series of home games hosted by different WHL clubs in Washington state.
Canucks fans who want to watch the game at the 12,000-14,000 seat arena may be out of luck, as the Canada-U.S. border remains closed to recreational travel, with no timeline for reopening.
But the two clubs will face off again on Canucks home ice at Rogers Arena on Oct. 5.
Who will take the ice for the Kraken remains unknown. The team’s roster won’t be determined until the July 21 expansion draft.
When the NHL’s 2021-2022 regular season starts, the Kraken will play at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, which is expected to open in mid-October.
The full-season schedule has yet to be announced.