Canadian hockey players fly like freakin’ royalty in ultra-luxe jet (2024)

Vancouver 🛫
Shanghai 🛬#Canucks take flight with a swanky #AirCanucks en route to China. pic.twitter.com/hVwadRrmvC

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 18, 2017

Oh, (to be a hockey player in) Canada!

It appears theVancouver Canucksjust dropped hundreds of thousands of dollars to fly from the Great White North to China on a private jet. The NHL team is playingtwo preseason games against the LA Kings in Shanghai and Beijing on Thursday and Saturday.

The Crystal Skye “air cruise” jet, launched last year by Crystal Cruises, is a luxuriously tricked-out Boeing 777.

A vesselof its size typically holds about 350 passengers, but this one only accommodates 88 — in fully-reclining flatbed seats. There’s also an onboard dining room and full bar, tended to by butlers and an executive chef.

While a Crystal rep said in an email it would not “disclose pricing for our private charters as this is proprietary information,” a 16-day round-the-world trip with Crystal with overnight stops in multiple citiesstarts at$69,500 per person.

“I’m not usually jealous of the planes that these sports teams charter, since they’re rarely all that luxurious,” writes aviation and frequent flyer-mile expert Ben Schlappig on his site One Mile At A Time. But he calls Crystal Skye “the latest and greatest plane in the mega-private jet world.”

1 of 7

Advertisem*nt

Canadian hockey players fly like freakin’ royalty in ultra-luxe jet (1)Crystal Cruises
Canadian hockey players fly like freakin’ royalty in ultra-luxe jet (2)Crystal Cruises

Advertisem*nt

Canadian hockey players fly like freakin’ royalty in ultra-luxe jet (3)Crystal Cruises
Canadian hockey players fly like freakin’ royalty in ultra-luxe jet (4)Crystal Cruises
Canadian hockey players fly like freakin’ royalty in ultra-luxe jet (5)Crystal Cruises

Advertisem*nt

Sure enough, the ride was sweet. Canucks goalie Anders Nilsson, defenderErik Gudbranson, defender Ben Hutton, center Bo Horvat, defender Troy Stecher, center Joseph LaBate and center Sam Gagnerall posted photos and videos of their in-flight experience to their Instagram stories, according to screenshots captured by Vancouver site Daily Hive.

The players enjoyed a staggering snack spread, a bar stocked with top-shelf liquor (like Moet chilling in an ice bucket) and decorations of freshly cut flowers, including orchids.

The Canucks reportedly leads the NHL in terms of air miles traveled. The team has its own private plane, but apparently that wasn’t sufficient for this jaunt.

The players, clearly, had the flight of their lives. Unfortunately, the baller ride didn’t bring them luck in their Thursday game: they fell to the Kings 5-2.

Canadian hockey players fly like freakin’ royalty in ultra-luxe jet (2024)

FAQs

Do the Canucks have a private plane? ›

The Canucks chartered a Boeing 777 jet through Crystal Aircruises. The Crystal Skye has been billed as “the world's largest and most luxuriously spacious private charter jet.”

Do all NHL teams fly private? ›

Maher is also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. All 30 National Hockey League teams travel by charter aircraft or, in the case of teams like Detroit and Dallas, own their own planes. When Theoren Fleury travelled with the Flames during the pre-season, he was amazed at the change.

What percent of the NHL is Russian? ›

There Are 57 Russian Players in the NHL

In terms of percentages, Russian players account for 5.4% of all the currently active players in the NHL now. These currently active Russian NHL players have played 14,675 NHL games in their careers.

Do NHL teams have their own jet? ›

Charter jets are a common staple of NHL team travel. Every team uses a service. Every Canadian team is partnered with Air Canada. The Avalanche previously used Air Canada but will use Delta this season, a team spokesman confirmed, because of the closed border.

Who owns the nicest private jet? ›

Joseph Lau owned Boeing 747-8 VIP

Joseph Lau owns the biggest private jet on earth. The business tycoon's private plane is worth $367 million. However, the aircraft was originally priced at $153 million, but the price increased after Lau added modifications to it, worth $214.

What celebrity has the biggest private plane? ›

Boeing 767-200ER

Rapper Drake's aircraft is the biggest of the celebrity private jets on our list. In its original form, it would have room for not just his entourage but their extended families too!

Do NHL players get their own hotel room? ›

The collective-bargaining agreement now rules that only players on three-year, entry-level contracts have roommates. After that, every player gets his own room on the road. Poulin doesn't think that's a good thing.

How much do NHL teams pay for flights? ›

Traveling costs

Some even have their own planes. The cost for a chartered flight can range from $1,200 to $10,000 per hour, depending on how large the aircraft is. This means that an NHL hockey team with a minimum of 20 players can land in the middle of the price range of chartered flights.

Do NHL Broadcasters travel with team? ›

But the team announcers aren't traveling, so when a club plays away from home, the broadcasters call games off a monitor.

What nationality is most common in the NHL? ›

As of November 2022, the country with the highest number of active National Hockey League (NHL) players was Canada, with 993 active NHL players. Meanwhile, the United States listed 586 active NHL players in 2022, and Sweden reported 225.

Which Canadian province has the most NHL players? ›

Ontario

What airline does the NHL use? ›

Jetz is the official carrier for all seven Canadian teams and one U.S team of the National Hockey League (NHL).

What hotel do NHL teams stay in Winnipeg? ›

When they have to subject themselves to a white-out, visiting teams usually stay at the Fairmont Winnipeg less than a kilometre from the Jets arena, Bell MTS Place. The Fairmont is attached to the arena through an underground concourse.

Do the Chiefs have their own jet? ›

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has his own private jet courtesy of Airshare. The CEO of Airshare, John Owen, noted that the partnership with the Chiefs quarterback started before he became the franchise's starting quarterback: “It's a partnership we've had even before his first full season at starting quarterback.

How much does the pilot of a private jet make? ›

Private Jet Pilot Salary
Annual SalaryHourly Wage
Top Earners$95,000$46
75th Percentile$61,000$29
Average$55,267$27
25th Percentile$34,500$17

What private jet Does Bill Gates Own? ›

In 2021 it was reported, Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, has not one, not two, not even three, but four private jet. According to the media, he owns two Gulfstream G650ERs that each cost about $70 million. Additionally, he owns two Bombardier Challenger 350s, each worth about $27 million.

What jet Does Oprah own? ›

Oprah Winfrey's private jet

It is a Global Express XRS from the Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier. The value of this aircraft is 42 million dollars. The famous host who made her fortune on the small screen describes the purchase of a private jet as her greatest luxury.

How much does a stewardess make on a private jet? ›

With experience

As soon as you have a few years on private jets, this makes you much more employable, and the salary is higher. Established VIP flight attendants can earn $4000-5000 per month and are well worth the salary due to the demanding nature of the work.

What jet does Elon Musk have? ›

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, is a big fan of private jets – and he just added a new one to his collection. The 51-year-old recently bought a Gulfstream G700, according to Texas-based news site Austonia, which is expected to replace his Gulfstream G650ER. The Tesla boss regularly travels by private plane.

Does Taylor Swift fly private? ›

Drake and Jenner both appear on the list, but they're actually nowhere near the top, which is occupied by none other than Taylor Swift. According to Yard, Swift's jet flew 170 times between Jan. 1 and July 19 (the window for the Yard study), totaling 22,923 minutes, or 15.9 days, in the air.

How much is a full NHL pension? ›

Full Service: You've been in the league for ten years and have received 82 games per season for pension purposes. If you reach this threshold, you will receive the maximum pension benefit, currently $255,000 per year.

Do NHL players have curfews? ›

After a game, there's generally no curfew unless we had another game the next day. So he'd throw and early curfew and do a room-check.

Do hockey players eat after a game? ›

Successful professional hockey players eat, drink, sleep and train with purpose. In the arena of sports nutrition, significant attention is given to pre-game meals when instead, the arguably most vital meal may be after the game.

Do NHL players get free tickets? ›

Virtanen, who averages between six and 15 personal visitors per game, simply tells friends to text his dad if they want tickets, though the NHL's collective bargaining agreement only gives two complimentary seats per player on the home team.

What NHL team has the highest ticket prices? ›

The most expensive team for a family is the Toronto Maple Leafs at $697.75 (U.S.), a number driven primarily by their league-leading average ticket price of $145.60.
...
Florida Panthers remain the NHL's best deal for fans, but the others may surprise you.
TeamFCIYearly change
Arizona Coyotes$314.70-5%
31 more rows
Mar 23, 2022

Do Canadian hockey players get paid in Canadian dollars? ›

Every NHL player is paid in American dollars, including those playing in the seven Canadian cities. So can Canadian players, who live year round in Canada, make up the tax gap by being paid in US funds.

Does the real Stanley Cup travel with the players? ›

The original Stanley Cup is the one in the Hall of Fame. In the early '60's a different one was made and is the one that travels with the players.

How much does a hockey play by play announcer make? ›

$68,249. How accurate does $68,249 look to you? Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.

Do hockey players talk to each other? ›

Ultimately, players in the NHL don't talk from a place of viciousness. Most are simply having fun, lightening the mood or pushing a guy's buttons to get a laugh. Rarely is it ever personal. "You can chirp me," Zucker said.

Who is the greatest NHL player of all time? ›

So, spoiler alert, Wayne Gretzky is No. 1 on our list. One could argue Gretzky actually belongs in the Hall of Fame in two categories – as a player and as a builder. Arguably, no single individual did more to grow the NHL game, on and off the ice, than Gretzky.

What country likes hockey the most? ›

The country in which ice hockey remains the most popular is Canada, which is unsurprising since the country is widely recognized as the birthplace of modern organized ice hockey. In 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) declared that the first game of organized ice hockey was played in Montreal in 1875.

What nationality is best in hockey? ›

rankteampointspts
1CanadaCAN4160
2United StatesUSA4090
3FinlandFIN3850
4SwitzerlandSUI3820
40 more rows

What is the most common last name in the NHL? ›

Remember to keep discussions respectful and follow our Community Guidelines.
...
Avg Friend Score.
FrequencySurname% Correct
57Smith88.8%
23Johnson71.1%
13Jones57.5%
8Sutter53.3%
96 more rows

What family has the most players in the NHL? ›

The Sutter family has had the largest number of family members – nine – play, coach and manage in the NHL. The original six brothers (Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich, and Ron) and three of their sons (cousins Brandon, Brett, and Brody) result in multiple brother/father-son/uncle-nephew/cousin combinations.

Which NHL team has the most Canadian born players? ›

Looking at the rosters of each team in the NHL shows an interesting rainbow of nationalities spread throughout the league. Out of North American players, the Edmonton Oilers lead the league with 20 Canadians and the Winnipeg Jets lead with 15 Americans.

What city loves hockey the most? ›

Best Hockey Cities
Overall RankCityTotal Score
1Boston, MA59.51
2Pittsburgh, PA53.33
3Detroit, MI49.56
4St. Louis, MO46.79
68 more rows
Jun 2, 2022

Who is the best Canadian hockey player of all time? ›

Wayne Gretzky

What city has the best NHL fans? ›

Boston, MA

Do the Canucks have their own plane? ›

The Canucks reportedly leads the NHL in terms of air miles traveled. The team has its own private plane, but apparently that wasn't sufficient for this jaunt. The players, clearly, had the flight of their lives.

Do the Maple Leafs have a plane? ›

These special planes normally carry all 7 Canadian NHL teams, according to Wikipedia: the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Winnipeg Jets (no relation), Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers.

Who flies the Winnipeg Jets? ›

Air Canada announced on Wednesday that it has signed a six-year agreement to be the charter airline for all seven Canadian teams in the National Hockey League.

What hotel do NHL players stay at in Edmonton? ›

In Edmonton, the top six Western Conference teams will stay at the JW Marriott, which connects to Rogers Place via an overhead walkway: St. Louis Blues.

What hotel do NHL teams stay in Ottawa? ›

For those interested in hockey (or more specifically hockey players) it is known that all the visiting NHL teams stay at the Brookstreet, so with the right timing an encounter is highly plausible!

Where do NHL players live in Vancouver? ›

In Vancouver, most players live in Yaletown or Vancouver's west side, with a handful living on the North Shore. The team has an agreement to use the Scotia Barn in Burnaby, also known as Burnaby 8 Rinks, when needed. The arrangement also applies to visiting NHL teams. But they still mostly practice at Rogers Arena.

Who owns the largest private jet? ›

The biggest private jet in the world belongs to Hong Kong real estate tycoon Joseph Lau. It is valued at $367 million. The longest and second-largest commercial aircraft ever built has a 445 square meter interior and on Lau's version, its two levels are connected by a spiral staircase.

Does 50 Cent own a jet? ›

50 Cent. As someone who has always loved to one-up others, it should be expected that rapper 50 Cent went out of his way to get two private jets, including a Cessna 510. Seating eight people and featuring a leather interior, it's a luxury ride for the iconic rapper and makes for some excellent Instagram content.

Which pro teams have their own plane? ›

Surprising fact -- only one NFL team flies its athletes in its own plane. In fact, the club has two private jets to ferry them around. What is probably not as surprising is the team that owns it -- the highly successful New England Patriots.

Does the Canadian prime minister have a plane? ›

Trudeau's official plane is an Airbus CC-150 Polaris, a Canadian military variant of the relatively elderly A310-300, a model in service for almost four decades.

Do the Capitals have their own plane? ›

Sources said about 10 NBA teams and four NHL teams have their own planes. In recent years, the Capitals and Wizards have traveled on charter flights, though the planes' interiors generally are similar to those on commercial flights.

Do the Cincinnati Reds have their own plane? ›

No, MLB teams do not have their own planes. They typically fly commercial or charter.

Does Tom Cruise have his own plane? ›

His passion for aviation was sparked while filming the original 1986 Top Gun movie and in 1994 Cruise became a licensed pilot. The P-51 Mustang used in Top Gun: Maverick was built in 1946 and Cruise has owned the plane, which has an estimated value of $4 million, since 2001.

What airline does the Toronto Maple Leafs use? ›

As of November 2022, Air Canada Jetz operates one Airbus A319 configured with 58 business class seats and five Airbus A320s configured with 66 business class seats.

Does Amazon Prime have their own planes? ›

Amazon Air uses ATR 72, Boeing 737 and Boeing 767 aircraft, all of which are operated by contracted partners including Atlas Air, Air Transport Services Group and ASL Aviation. As of August 2022, the Amazon Air fleet consists of the following aircraft. Deliveries begin late 2023.

Do Canadian soldiers salute the Prime Minister? ›

The Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defence: a 19 rounds gun salute is fired for the Prime Minister and 17 for the Minister of National Defence when visiting a saluting station (but not more than once a year); full honours are given on occasions when the mounting of a guard of honour is warranted.

Is there an air marshal on every flight in Canada? ›

No. Countries that use air marshals, also called sky marshals, are Australia, Austria, Canada, India, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Some airlines also use sky marshals. Israel's national carrier, El Al Airlines, is the only airline that has a sky marshal on every flight.

What is PM Trudeau salary? ›

Justin Trudeau
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau PC MP
OccupationPolitician teacher
Salary$379,000 (2022)
Signature
WebsiteGovernment website Party website
33 more rows

Does Lewis Hamilton own a plane? ›

Lewis Hamilton's private jet: A Bombardier Challenger 605

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion was in full possession of a Challenger 605. Manufactured in 2012, this Bombardier can accommodate up to 10 passengers in comfort, and three crew members. Enough to take his whole family to the Formula 1 circuits.

Does Air Canada own a 747? ›

Into the 21st century with the 747-400

The first of these was the standard 747-400, of which the Canadian flag carrier flew four examples in the early 2000s. These aircraft joined from Canadian Airlines, which it acquired in 2001. All of them had left by 2003, and have since been scrapped or left derelict.

Does Jimmy Buffett fly his own plane? ›

Jimmy Buffett

Buffet has a deep love for flying and has been flying himself for over 30 years. Buffett's jet is a Grumman HU-16 Albatross that is worth $62,180. He has nicknamed it the “Hemisphere Dancer” and, as a currently retired aircraft, it is on display for viewing in Orlando at Margaritaville.

What does squawking 7600 mean? ›

Code 7600. Code 7600 is the code for a loss of radio. If a pilot's radio goes out during a fight, they can enter 7600 into the transponder. Then they should proceed to their intended airport following a standard landing plan. Pilots should be extra careful and on alert for other aircraft around them in the sky.

What does squawking 7700 mean? ›

The third emergency code is Squawk 7700. This code is used to communicate all emergencies onboard a flight, and is perhaps the best-known example. Depending on the nature and severity, crews may conduct checks before formally declaring an emergency.

What does a green light on a plane mean? ›

These are steady lights, and are always on, on the ground and in the air. The red light is always on the left wing, and the green light on the right. These enable anyone on the ground, or another aircraft in flight, to determine the position and direction of the aircraft.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Msgr. Refugio Daniel

Last Updated:

Views: 5827

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Msgr. Refugio Daniel

Birthday: 1999-09-15

Address: 8416 Beatty Center, Derekfort, VA 72092-0500

Phone: +6838967160603

Job: Mining Executive

Hobby: Woodworking, Knitting, Fishing, Coffee roasting, Kayaking, Horseback riding, Kite flying

Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.