The Vancouver Canucks Communications Department is proud to continue The Botchford Project, a program sponsored by The Athletic, honouring the legacy of the late Jason Botchford. Jason covered the Vancouver Canucks for nearly 15 years until the time of his passing in 2019.

The Botchford Project awards a mentorship experience to aspiring writers each hockey season. Each recipient receives the opportunity to work under the guidance of Vancouver’s sports media professionals, report on a Canucks game live from Rogers Arena, and publish a paid article on Canucks.com. Over the first five seasons, The Botchford Project has provided this valuable experience to 28 talented individuals.

"Jason would have been so humbled by The Botchford Project initiative," said Kathryn Botchford. "For him, supporting young writers was critical to the future of journalism. He was so passionate about this industry and seeing it evolve through young, emerging writers. This initiative enables a community to pay it forward by continuing what he started. My family and I are incredibly honoured and so grateful to see Jason's legacy continue through The Botchford Project."

The Botchford Project is made possible with the support of Kathryn Botchford, Thomas Drance (The Athletic) and Jeff Paterson (The Nation Network).

Applications for the 2024.25 season of The Botchford Project are now open! The Botchford Project experience is scheduled for Tuesday, January 21st, when the Canucks face the Buffalo Sabres.

Successful candidates must be at least 18 years of age, demonstrate a strong interest in sports journalism, and ideally have a portfolio of published work. Priority will be given to applicants currently enrolled in journalism programs.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications through the link provided below. Please note that the application period will close on Friday, November 29th at 12:00p.m. PT.