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UTICA, N.Y. — Five years ago the Vancouver Canucks’ plan seemed simple enough.

Buy an AHL franchise. Stick it in a suitable market. Build it to their specs. Watch it flourish.

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How tough could it be?

Uh, did we mention these are the Canucks?

Three months after purchasing the Peoria Rivermen, the Canucks were still conducting a frantic search for the new home of their top minor-league affiliate. Negotiations broke down with the city of Abbotsford. They rejected Peoria. Seattle was considered but the NHL had other plans for that market. Portland, Ore., was a no-go.

With the clock ticking rather loudly, Utica, N.Y., suddenly popped up on the Canucks’ radar after that city’s negotiations broke down with the Calgary Flames. Then Canucks assistant general manager Laurence Gilman and then Canucks executive Victor de Bonis made the journey to central New York where they encountered Robert Esche, the former NHL goalie, who was knee deep in a renovation at Utica’s beloved Memorial Auditorium.