Vancouver mayor Ken Sim managed to light up the Canucks conversation without the team even being in the playoffs.
On July 31st, 2026, Sim said, “As a fan, I want to see the Canucks have an exciting run and make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, and hopefully win in Game 7 in overtime. As the Mayor of Vancouver, I do not want them to play a single game in the playoffs because the stress that it causes for safety.”
That split message - fan on one side, mayor on the other - landed badly with a lot of people around the sport. Sim’s concern centers on the cost of keeping the city safe during a deep postseason run, a fear tied directly to the 2011 Game 7 loss to Boston and the riot that followed. It remains one of the darkest days in Vancouver sports history, and Sim’s comments made it clear that memory still hangs over the city.
But for plenty of Canucks fans, and for the businesses that thrive when playoff hockey arrives, the bigger picture is hard to ignore. The NHL playoffs bring packed bars, busy restaurants, stronger hotel traffic, more parking demand, and a downtown buzz that spills far beyond the rink.
For the team, home playoff dates mean a financial surge through ticket sales, concessions, alcohol, food, and merchandise. Deep runs matter because they create more of those nights.
That’s why Rear Admiral, aka RA, of the Spittin’ Chiclets Podcast pushed back hard on August 10th. “You’re the mayor of a Canadian city with a team… even if you went to Game 7, that’s at least 12 games you’re going to have in your city.
Millions and millions dumped into it. People - waitresses, bartenders - so many people make money.
And you’re worried about safety? Which, obviously Vancouver has a riot history.
That’s what your law enforcement professionals are for.”
The reaction is especially sharp because Vancouver is no stranger to big sporting moments. The city hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, where Sidney Crosby scored the Golden Goal, and it has just finished hosting games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sim’s remarks about wanting the Canucks to go far, while also saying he doesn’t want them to play a single playoff game, felt jarring to a fan base that lives for spring hockey.
The timing makes the whole thing even stranger. The Canucks are expected to be one of the worst teams in hockey this season, with attention likely shifting toward the Landon Dupont sweepstakes rather than any postseason push.
That means Sim’s warning may never need to be tested this year. Still, if Vancouver ever does catch fire and make a real run, these comments are not going away.
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