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Vancouver Canucks fans witnessed Brocktober, and then every moment thereafter has been quite Brocktacular.
When pucks are deposited to the back of the net at the exponential rate he has achieved this season, it's a clear sign that &ldquo;The Flow '' has certainly found his mojo. Everyone loves to see a player rekindle their scoring touch, but oh does it go deeper than that.
Brock Boeser joined the Vancouver Canucks in 2017 after spending two seasons at the University of North Dakota and since then has proceeded to light the Lower Mainland on fire. An impressive 29-goal rookie season with a 26-goal encore in year two had everyone salivating at what was to become of the beauty from Burnsville, Minnesota.
That level of ability on display stems from a long-running care and commitment to the game. 
&ldquo;Since I was a child, I was always passionate,&rdquo; Boeser said. &ldquo;Ever since I can remember, I had a hockey stick in my hand. So, I just really take a step back and think about how much passion, how much I loved the game when I was a kid and it just made me realize how much I should still love it today. And I do love it today.&rdquo;
Everything was looking up for a young man this city embraced to lead the Canucks to the promised land on the blade of that scoring stick. 
Then the world changed forever.
The COVID pandemic hit. Hockey stopped for a brief time and then the entire way everyday life was approached, including sports, changed into something nobody could have imagined. That level of shock to a young developing player must have been immense, right?
&ldquo;We got to practice a lot,&rdquo; said Boeser. &ldquo;And when you can practice a lot and help stuff development wise it helps your team learn things. It was such a weird year, the All-Canadian year. Lots of travel, long travel. But then you&rsquo;re playing the same team multiple games in a row, so it is different, but I definitely don&rsquo;t think it hindered anything.&rdquo; 
The maturity of Boeser is well documented by his teammates but his ability to persist with an exemplary work ethic through challenging times is on another level. COVID was only the tip of the adversity iceberg, unfortunately.
Hardships breed pressures on the mind that can heavily affect a person&rsquo;s ability to perform even the most basic of tasks. Immense then is the burden when your profession is to go out in front of thousands of screaming fans, physically push yourself to exhaustion, all while maintaining a high mental focus and executing a carefully designed strategy every single game.
Athletes are so often taken for granted to perform night in and night out. Lost then is the fact they are human. They face struggles, feel anxiety, get burnt out, persevere and crumble all the same, just like anyone else. Boeser&rsquo;s story with his father Duke&rsquo;s battle against Parkinson&rsquo;s and Cancer and eventual passing was certainly not hidden from any eyes.
Despite this, the expectations for him to be the scorer he was before the pandemic remained, even intensified. These pressures can be life and game-altering for young athletes, but Boeser&rsquo;s mentality underwent a shift that he hopes might help others.
&ldquo;In my case, I looked at hockey and held hockey accountable for taking away time from my dad,&rdquo; said Boeser. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d say it should never be like that. It&rsquo;s a time that you can get away from all that and really have fun with your friends because whenever you&rsquo;re dealing with something back home it&rsquo;s obviously a tough situation. But just enjoy the time with whatever sport you might be playing.&rdquo;
Because what comes with the sport? Teammates. And if you&rsquo;re lucky, friendships.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve been great. A year like last year was a tough year for sure,&rdquo; Boeser recalled. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t scoring as much or playing as I know I can play and those guys were so supportive and still believed in me, and you see this year they still believe in me. They&rsquo;re so happy for me and I just can&rsquo;t thank them enough.&rdquo;
It takes a village to raise a child, they say. In Boeser&rsquo;s case, there&rsquo;s been an incredible one. From when he first picked up a stick at two years old to now gliding across the NHL ice. The level of play the former first-rounder has shown does not come without the belief and support of those closest to him when it mattered most. JT Miller is among them and fondly recounted their friendship when asked about connecting on a <a href="https://x.com/Canucks/status/1733708165420859572?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">huge goal against Carolina</a> (on December 9th, the night of the Botchford Project).
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&ldquo;Oh, it&rsquo;s nice,&rdquo; said Miller of his teammate's success. &ldquo;Brock and I have played a lot of games together since we&rsquo;ve been here and this year, aside from the goals and the points and all that, he&rsquo;s taken his game to another level. We&rsquo;re good friends and I&rsquo;m happy for him.&rdquo;
Thatcher Demko is the only Canuck that has served longer than Boeser. Therefore, the goaltender has seen every step of his friend&rsquo;s journey. From the 2015 draft and explosive first two seasons to the doldrums post-COVID, to his present-day resurgence. He spoke highly of his teammate and what Boeser has been through to get to where he is now.
&ldquo;Brock and I are really tight,&rdquo; said Demko. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been really good friends for pretty much our whole careers, so it&rsquo;s awesome to see. I know how much work [Boeser] has put in. Physically, mentally, spiritually. Trying to get to his full potential. You&rsquo;re seeing him take huge steps in that direction. It&rsquo;s awesome.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s clear to see how friends, teammates and loved ones believe in Boeser. That belief is such potent fuel for someone building their game into its next evolution. This is a new Brock Boeser, a better Brock Boeser. Case in point, Head Coach Rick Tocchet praises so much more than just his ability to put the puck in the net.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s taking a lot of pride in the 200-foot game,&rdquo; Tocchet highlighted. &ldquo;He looks at me and he wants on the ice in those crucial moments to defend. And he&rsquo;s an underrated passer, that&rsquo;s a hell of a pass (on the Miller goal Botchford Project night versus Carolina). He knows to go to spots. He&rsquo;s done a really nice job this year for us.&rdquo;
The best are the best because they continually strive to be better. Their adversity is channelled into a dedication to power through the struggles. Boeser went through a self-identified mental reset this off-season and became another animal altogether. He&rsquo;s hungry to excel in all aspects of his game. He feeds off that belief in himself that came from all stages of his journey, culminating in the spectacle the entire NHL bears witness to now. That faith is given right back to every single person who has stood beside him and never lost confidence that he would become this. He has truly embodied &ldquo;The Flow&rdquo;.
&ldquo;I still hear (the nickname) all the time and even when I&rsquo;m out in public people will randomly say it,&rdquo; Boeser mused. &ldquo;Botch (Jason Botchford) was a guy that believed in me from the start. Talking with him in my first couple years, he was really nice to me and sincere. I always really appreciated that.&rdquo;
Five years ago, in a December 15th edition of the Athletties, Jason wrote the following line in response to highlighting Boeser not only coming back from an injury, but netting nine goals in a 10-game stretch and tallying yet another that game:
&ldquo;What is: Boeser&rsquo;s best is yet to come.&rdquo;
That statement holds true to this very day. Yes, Boeser is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL at present but if you think for a second this metamorphosis is anywhere near its conclusion, ponder further. The defensive commitment is there more than ever and the hustle for his teammates has reached new heights. He ran the gauntlet and came out the other side a man bent on developing himself and his game. The challenges and adversity laid the foundation of a comeback story for the ages, but it is Boeser&rsquo;s motivation, stoked by those who believe in him most, that solidifies his resolve to author that story and keep moving forward.
Grab your tickets for the Boest show around. The emergence has only just begun.
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Believing in Brock

Most of Nils H&ouml;glander&rsquo;s successes this season can be attributed to developing a more well-rounded style of play. The opportunities he&rsquo;s earned have come out of small defensive plays that won&rsquo;t be seen on any highlight reels &mdash; things that have been refined through his time with the Abbotsford Canucks.&nbsp;
This ascent from the Baby-Nucks&rsquo; first line to being an effective everyday player in Vancouver&rsquo;s lineup, took effort from more than just &lsquo;H&ouml;ggy&rsquo; himself. Rather, like all great teams in the history of sports, this was the work of a committee.
This time last year, it looked as if H&ouml;glander&rsquo;s sophomore slump had extended into his third season with the big club. Following a 5&ndash;1 loss to the St. Louis Blues last December, in which he was a healthy scratch, H&ouml;glander was sent down to the Abbotsford Canucks. The goal of the assignment was for H&ouml;glander to further his development under the watchful eye of Abbotsford&rsquo;s Head Coach Jeremy Colliton. Hopefully, by putting the work in, he would push for a roster spot in the coming season. 
After 45 regular season games in the AHL, the speedy forward has made a remarkable return to the NHL. His six-game playoff stint with Abbotsford saw him flourish with an average of a point per game. Now, with 12 goals in 40 games, H&ouml;glander has added another level to the way he plays his game &mdash; all just after his twenty-third birthday.
&ldquo;Coach Colliton helped me a lot and got my confidence back,&rdquo; said H&ouml;glander. &ldquo;He helped with small details on the ice as well.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve talked to Jeremy a lot,&rdquo; Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet added. &ldquo;We talk about certain players and H&ouml;ggy was one where he felt last year, at the start, his hockey IQ got chipped away at but if you watch his defending, he&rsquo;s getting a little bit better.&rdquo;
This improvement in defending that Tocchet references include the very &ldquo;small details&rdquo; that H&ouml;glander took note of. These small acts, such as tying up pucks in corners late in the third or diving out to break up a possible scoring chance for the opposing team, have propelled him to a different level of defensive play.
Since being drafted 40th overall in 2019, a big factor in H&ouml;glander&rsquo;s game has been his compete level and high-motor style of play. With the help of Colliton, he&rsquo;s been able to mix that with a stronger presence in the defensive zone. 
&ldquo;You throw the puck in the corner and he&rsquo;ll probably keep it in there for about 30 seconds,&rdquo; said Tocchet. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s being a good defender to me.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I learned a lot from last year in Abbotsford,&rdquo; H&ouml;glander said. &ldquo;I came back to the confidence I had before I got sent down &mdash; that was a big key for me.&rdquo;
From frequenting optional skates to being out on the ice early for practices, it&rsquo;s clear that H&ouml;glander has taken long strides since his first season. It&rsquo;s during these practice sessions with the big club that H&ouml;glander has been able to consult the wide berth of knowledge that makes up the Canucks&rsquo; coaching staff. 
With their names in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Daniel and Henrik Sedin have vastly impacted many lives within the Vancouver Canucks organization. H&ouml;glander is no exception. Things such as going over video with them or seeking out their advice during practices indicate the profound effect that the twins have had on him as well.  
&ldquo;A lot of guys learn from them and they teach each player individually,&rdquo; H&ouml;glander said. &ldquo;I think that&rsquo;s a big thing for the whole group and especially for me. I try to work with them every day and see what I can do, like some tips on the ice. That helps a lot when you have those guys.&rdquo; 
While we are only at the halfway point of the season, stats have been telling the story of a different Nils H&ouml;glander. The speedy winger has hovered near the top of the league in five-on-five goals per 60 minutes. He currently sits in sixth in the league with 1.67 goals/60. His previous season high was 0.94, which he logged back in his rookie year. When he&rsquo;s on the ice, the rate of goals for his team per 60 minutes clocks in at around 3.48 &mdash; 0.51 more G/60 than any of his past seasons. 
As H&ouml;glander continues his development with the big club, it&rsquo;s clear that Colliton and the Sedins aren&rsquo;t the only ones who have become part of his team. By holding frequent one-on-one practice sessions and making an effort to communicate with his players, Tocchet has become a big part of H&ouml;ggy&rsquo;s development. 
&ldquo;I like that he comes up and talks if something is wrong,&rdquo; H&ouml;glander said of his head coach.  &ldquo;You can see that he&rsquo;s really into his job.&rdquo; 
For H&ouml;glander, confidence and a newfound focus on the smaller defensive details of the game have paid off in dividends. The tenacious forward has been exposed to more defensive responsibilities. 
&ldquo;His body position and awareness is something that he&rsquo;s worked on,&rdquo; Tocchet said in early December. &ldquo;Last game, he was in a good spot a couple of times where before, you don&rsquo;t know what he&rsquo;s going to do, and I think that&rsquo;s [attributed to] a lot of reps and him being diligent on his game.&rdquo; 
With the help of a team made up of Colliton, the Sedins, Tocchet, as well as many of his teammates, H&ouml;glander has made significant strides from where he was at this time a year ago. For a high-motor player who hasn&rsquo;t even reached the mid-point of his twenties, the possibilities are endless.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: How a Team Effort Lifted Nils Höglander to New Heights  

The 2023-2024 season has been an eventful one for Quinn Hughes.
On opening night, Hughes was honoured as the 15th captain in Vancouver Canucks history. The seventh overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has taken the challenge and excelled with the added pressure of being a captain in a Canadian market.
Captaincy is not the only new quality Hughes has brought to the ice this year. The young defenceman has been experimenting with his shot, and it's been turning heads. Hughes is now showing that he offers much more than just his elite playmaking ability.
Not only can the hockey world visually see the progression of Hughes' shot, but data provided by NHL Edge further illustrates the numbers behind the excellence that has emerged.
Quinn Hughes Previous Career Highs
Average Shot Speed: 64.98 miles per hour. Shots On Goal: 154 shots (2022) Shot Attempts: 368 shot attempts (2022) Shooting Percentage: 6.4% (2019) Goals: Eight goals (2019 &amp; 2021)
Quinn Hughes Current 2023 Stats
Average Shot Speed: 66.04 miles per hour. Shots On Goal: 100 shots.&nbsp;On pace for 200 shots. Shot Attempts: 269 shot attempts.&nbsp;On pace for 538 shot attempts. Shooting Percentage: 11.0% Goals: 11 goals.&nbsp;On pace for 22 goals.
The usually self-deprecating defenceman couldn't help but show emotion, sharing a subtle smirk when being made aware of the numbers behind the elite-level shooting pace he is on.
When asked what he worked on in the off-season to improve his shot, he replied, "Nothing too much, just trying to get in spots where I can score more, not just being on the blue line, being a little bit lower."
Comparing his shot location on NHL Edge, you can see he's stuck to that strategy this season.
Last season, of his 149 shots on goal tracked, 61% of them came from the blue line, leaving only 39% of his shots coming from the medium-high danger areas.
This season, of his 100 shots on goal tracked, 42% of them came from the blue line, leaving 58% of his shots coming from the medium-high danger areas.
Hughes has maintained what he worked on this offseason, as the fanbase is seeing a 19% increase in shots on goal in higher-danger scoring areas. This modification of his game has been a key contributor to the boost of the Canucks scoring chances this season.
The University of Michigan product has showcased his new shooting technique with different movements, so he doesn't have to stop his momentum when skating. This alteration to his game has increased his average shot speed, and he's finding himself in more comfortable positions to get a high-quality shot on the net.
"A lot of times I'd beat a guy, and then I couldn't get away from him to have enough room to shoot, and now I can do it with fluidity and my stride to get myself in a shooting position," Hughes explained.
Canucks fans have seen how Hughes has utilized this move already, breaking his single-season goal record in just twenty-five games. Seven of his 11 goals have come from below the top of the circle. Four of these goals have been from attacking the net from the left side of the offensive zone.
It's not just the fanbase and hockey viewers who are taking note of Hughes' new approach; teammate Elias Pettersson commented on how Hughes is using the downhill side to attack goaltenders. "Whenever he has the puck, he's constantly looking to make a play. He's definitely got a big arsenal with a lot of moves."
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet echoed Pettersson&rsquo;s sentiments and has been encouraged by his star defenceman being more aggressive and taking more shots this season. "He's developed his shot. His shot is so much better than last year. He worked on his game."
"I'd be around the net when you're playing with Quinn Hughes,&rdquo; said Tocchet. &ldquo;Whoever plays with Quinn, if you're a forward, get to the net or be ready for a shot-pass."
Team Success
Hughes' rise in shot volume has been a catalyst for the team's impressive start. The Canucks are having their best first half of a season based on points percentage since 2010-2011.
"There's not as much pressure," Hughes replied when asked if the team's fast start has given him the confidence to shoot the puck more. "We're playing good hockey and in the offensive zone more. Having a defensive partner like Filip Hronek also gets me the puck more and gives me two or three more chances and good looks per game. Having a partner like him gives me more touches and more opportunities to make a play."
This Hughes-Hronek pairing ranks as the most dangerous offensive pairing in the league. The duo is first in goals for when on the ice, first in points as a pairing and first in high-danger scoring chances amongst all pairings.
Norris Trophy Candidacy
The Florida native leads all defencemen with 51 points and a +32 in 41 games. He&rsquo;s also second in the league for goals from a defenceman with 11. After receiving one first-place vote last year Hughes is making an even stronger case for Norris Trophy consideration this season.
Hughes is on pace for 22 goals, 80 assists, 102 points and a +64. Last year's Norris trophy winner, Erik Karlsson, finished with 25 goals, 76 assists, and 101 points but a -26.
Currently the odds-on favourite to win the award, Hughes is producing comparable numbers to Karlsson, who received 80% of all first-place votes. While sustaining this high level of production over the remainder of the season seems unlikely, he's shown no signs of slowing down over the first 41 games.
This year has been one to remember for the Hughes family. With the statistics Quinn has put up and is currently on pace for, he could insert himself in the record books with one of the best single seasons by a defenceman in NHL history.
Hughes has taken advantage of his reformed shot as it acts as a new tool in his bag. The mechanics he's taught himself over the offseason are translating to the very successful product hockey fans are seeing on the ice and a vital part in the early success of the Vancouver Canucks this season.

The Evolution of Quinn Hughes' Shot

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There exist few moments of perfect, startling clarity in hockey.&nbsp;&nbsp;
It is late in overtime against the St. Louis Blues when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/elias-pettersson-8480012" data-player-link="8480012">Elias Pettersson</a>&nbsp;receives the puck in his own end, a pass from behind his goal landing right on the tape.&nbsp;
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This has not been a five minutes devoid of scoring chances, yet something feels different when he gains possession now. Something in the air seems to shift, and as he arcs back around towards goal, it is evident in his teammates' posture on the bench.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Every last one of them is on their feet, their eyes locked on him. As he advances, they lean forward almost as one; watching, waiting, for what they now know is coming next.&nbsp;&nbsp;
And Pettersson, ever composed in the big moments, does not disappoint.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Skating the puck the full length of the ice, his speed beats one, two, three Blues players before he wires a wicked wrist shot home, sealing his third overtime winner of the season. The team pours off the bench to celebrate, but even before they reach him, a single truth has become resoundingly clear:&nbsp;
He has them.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Out on the ice, with the game in the balance, the players look to him.&nbsp;&nbsp;
He has them.&nbsp;&nbsp;
There exist few moments of perfect, startling clarity in hockey, but Pettersson seems to be making a habit of dealing in them.
--
Long before this season tilted into a leadership overhaul-before freshly minted letters on chests, coaches and captains changed and traded away-there was Pettersson, there was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/quinn-hughes-8480800" data-player-link="8480800">Quinn Hughes</a>, and there was a plan.&nbsp;
A plan to step up as leaders, regardless of what that might entail.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In many ways, it was a plot born out of sheer necessity. Both had ended the previous season in blistering form, riding the team's so-called 'Boudreau Bump' down the stretch, yet they'd fallen short of a playoff berth once again. Finding the result unacceptable, they went searching for what more, what else, they could contribute.&nbsp;&nbsp;
But where did they land, exactly?&nbsp;&nbsp;
"I mean, I'm obviously always trying to get better every year," Pettersson began, eager to establish this as his top priority. "I think for both me and Quinn, we're not rookies anymore, and I think we're ready to take that next step and be leaders. Maybe neither of us are the most vocal guys, but just like, take more responsibility and act more mature."&nbsp;
There can be little argument they've done exactly that, quick to justify the letter 'A' stitched onto their jerseys. They conduct themselves in an undeniably more mature manner now, both on and off the ice, and the excellence of their play is surpassed only by the consistency of their performances.&nbsp;
In Pettersson's case, it's hard-fought progress.&nbsp;
The beats of his story are familiar by now. From the highs of his electric rookie debut and the Covid-season playoffs, to the lows of his wrist injury and his underwhelming return, it's been a tumultuous career to date. Now that he's bounced back, that struggle for form has faded to a mere blip on the horizon-a chapter barely worth mentioning, except to provide contrast for his current play.&nbsp;&nbsp;
But for Pettersson, the story runs a little differently. For him, the experience was nothing short of foundational, shaping him into the kind of player-and leader-he still strives to be today.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
"Last season was important for me," he confirmed. "I prepared myself as good as I could and then just didn't have the start that I wanted. I didn't have the confidence."&nbsp;
A naturally gifted player, he'd always been able to rely on his hockey skills when faced with setbacks. The knock to his confidence, however, had proven detrimental on that front.&nbsp;&nbsp;
So instead, Pettersson fell back on his work ethic.&nbsp;
Determined to claw his way back, he shrugged off any excuses that were offered up and simply got to work. It was a long and arduous grind, and there was rarely anything pretty about it, but to him, that was the whole point.&nbsp;&nbsp;
"What I want to take out of [the season] is I learned how to get out of the slump by myself," he said. "[I learned] how to find the confidence again and eventually find my game. And now I have found my game, I know what I need to do before a game to feel good, how to play at my best every game-or try to play my best.&nbsp;&nbsp;
"It was good I had a little slump, because after that I really found, I guess, my true self, and how I want to play all the time."&nbsp;&nbsp;
His 'true self' is currently enjoying a breakout season, to the tune of maintaining a 100-plus point pace, chasing down franchise records, and cementing his status as one of the league's elite two-way centres. But as much as his runaway performances inspire in their own right, lifting his teammates and dragging them into the game, his influence does not end there.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Leading by example is far from a passive process-it demands intention, forethought, and discipline, and it's in this area where he has begun to excel. He consistently shows up and works hard, regardless of where his game is at, because he's learned how to get the most out of himself. He knows now that if he only prepares properly, if he follows his routines, then there can be no challenge too great for him to conquer.&nbsp;&nbsp;
And then, armed with this unshakeable confidence, he helps his team.&nbsp;
Whenever Pettersson has identified a team need or deficit this year, he has put himself forward for the task, before doggedly pursuing the required improvements to his game. From the troubled penalty kill and problems on the back end, to blocking shots and-most recently-improving on the faceoff dot, he has actively added to his own game in order to fill the gaps.&nbsp;
He built himself into a leader, because they needed him to.&nbsp;
Now, they need him to speak up.&nbsp;
--
Pettersson has made no secret of his naturally quiet and shy demeanour, often flagging his need to be more outspoken-a sentiment echoed by head coach Rick Tocchet, amongst others.&nbsp;&nbsp;
It's not difficult to see why: he perfectly exemplifies what Tocchet's Canucks strive to be, in terms of hard work, structure, and accountability. Add to the mix his hockey IQ, his insatiable drive to win, and the way he overcame his slump, and his contributions could surely only benefit the room.&nbsp;
For his part, Pettersson believes that he's now better equipped to step up and "just try to help out any way I can" if teammates are ever struggling with confidence. Drawing on his own firsthand experience, his advice would be simple.&nbsp;
"It sounds silly, but: 'don't think and just play.' It was just too much in my head, I was just thinking too much. And when you think too much on the ice, the play has already happened. So, you've just got to react and play, not think. Just trust your instincts."&nbsp;
Perhaps this wisdom could also be applied to his becoming more vocal; despite his repeated concerns, it seems he already has good instincts for where his input could be most helpful.&nbsp;
Consider, for example, his thoughts on training camp. From day one, he was placed in a group comprised largely of rookie forwards with no NHL experience, as well as two new acquisitions-and his soon-to-be wingers-in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/ilya-mikheyev-8481624" data-player-link="8481624">Ilya Mikheyev</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/andrei-kuzmenko-8483808" data-player-link="8483808">Andrei Kuzmenko</a>. This was a clear step up in responsibility for him, and he appeared to embrace it as such; after each huddle, he could be seen ensuring that his new linemates, hindered by a language barrier, understood exactly what was being asked of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Yet this was not his sole takeaway.&nbsp;
"For me, it was just welcoming them to the Canucks and make sure they get comfortable with everything," he revealed. "You know, on the ice we feel comfortable, but anything off the ice, I was just making sure they can ask me or any of the other guys who've been here."&nbsp;
He clearly has a strong foundation of caring for his teammates, but how does he make those instincts translate? How does he 'react &hellip; not think?'&nbsp;
Pettersson is still parsing it out.&nbsp;&nbsp;
"On the bench I get so emotional and into the game, so it just happens and I say some stuff on the bench," he explained. "But in the locker room &hellip; I guess it will come over time. I think previous years, it's just been nervous about messing up with the language &hellip; it hasn't come natural to me to speak up in a room full of guys. I've said some stuff here and there, but I still want to [improve].&nbsp;
"I've never been a captain, so it's like I never really had to talk to the room. It's nothing I'm afraid of, but it's just &hellip; I need to realize it's not as bad as I think it is."&nbsp;
Finding a way to push beyond his comfort zone certainly won't be easy, but he's already laid ample groundwork. It's new for him, and it's different-but so, too, were his other goals at some point. What's important is that he's dedicated to trying, and Pettersson confirms as much: he's not backing down.&nbsp;&nbsp;
He's just sizing up the challenge.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
As far as examples go, it's the sort that can bring an entire bench to their feet.&nbsp;
--
By its very nature, leadership will always remain a contentious topic in the NHL, inviting all manner of strongly-held viewpoints from spectators and participants alike. In the midst of something so subjective, then, perhaps the element holding the most weight is the opinion of the subject.&nbsp;
When all is said and done, who does Pettersson want to be?&nbsp;
"I want to be known as a guy who always works hard," he answered, with barely a moment's hesitation. "I'm always going to give my best every game. And obviously I want to be a good teammate, who cares about everyone."&nbsp;
This is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/elias-pettersson-8480012" data-player-link="8480012">Elias Pettersson</a>&nbsp;his teammates know. It is the player we watch out on the ice each night, dazzled by his thrilling dekes and his unceasing drive. And it is the man who worked his way through the toughest obstacle of his career to date, then found it within himself to look back with something like gratitude-because it made him better able to help his team win.&nbsp;&nbsp;
There will always be more challenges, and other roadblocks will surely rise up along the way. But he has proven that he will always choose the fight, secure in the knowledge that as long as his team needs him to, he can-and will-overcome.&nbsp;&nbsp;
On this, there exists nothing but perfect, startling clarity.
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Building a Leader

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Great personal relationships often lead to on-ice success. Take&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/elias-pettersson-8480012" data-player-link="8480012">Elias Pettersson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/andrei-kuzmenko-8483808" data-player-link="8483808">Andrei Kuzmenko</a>.
They've combined to be one of the unlikeliest of duos and have shown themselves to be more than capable of establishing a connection to excite hockey fans and viewers league-wide.
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Having joined the Canucks following a successful career in the KHL, Kuzmenko had interest from many teams around the league, and he chose Vancouver. Drafted fifth overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Pettersson won the hearts of Canucks fans the moment he arrived.
Did anyone think at the start of the season that this duo would establish this sort of potent connection?
The months that followed would provide an answer.
In a dominant victory during preseason action on October 7th against Arizona, Pettersson and Kuzmenko both scored, with the Russian winger also providing an assist. A newcomer to North America, and still adapting to the English language, a cheerful Kuzmenko provided his best interpretation of the communication between him and his new teammate.
"Petey, not shoot, pass to me, pass to me. Petey shoot, goal, okay, it is a good goal!"
From that point on, it appeared there might be something special brewing between these two.
<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/elias-pettersson-8480012" data-player-link="8480012">Elias Pettersson</a>&nbsp;is no stranger to having chemistry with teammates. In his debut season, the Canucks rookie instantly clicked with the other young superstar on the team in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/brock-boeser-8478444" data-player-link="8478444">Brock Boeser</a>. Boeser, when asked earlier this season, acknowledged the unbelievable talent he saw in Pettersson.
"Anyone that plays with [Pettersson], I think you get a little more space because he's such a good player and he controls the game out there when the puck is on his stick," said Boeser.
Along with the newly acquired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/ilya-mikheyev-8481624" data-player-link="8481624">Ilya Mikheyev</a>, Pettersson and Kuzmenko were grouped together from day one. While all other training camp combinations were shaken up, the Pettersson, Mikheyev, and Kuzmenko line stayed consistent. At one point, they were one of the best lines in the league, although Mikheyev would unfortunately later be sidelined with a season-ending surgery on February 2nd to repair a torn ACL.
When asked about his life off ice with his teammates (especially Kuzmenko) and how much that helps on ice, Elias was steadfast in his answer.
"It helps a lot when you get to know the guy. You build a friendship, grow closer, and it is fun playing with friends who you know well. I think chemistry and being good friends helps a lot."
Later in the season, prior to Vancouver hosting the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche at home on January 5th, Pettersson received some exciting, yet unsurprising news. The Swedish centreman had been selected for the third time in his young career to represent the Canucks at the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend.
Thanks to his leadership and 44 points at the time of All-Star voting Pettersson would make the trip down to South Florida in early February.
Being selected to NHL All-Star Weekend is an honour only the game's brightest stars receive, but Pettersson insisted that it is because of his teammates he can do so well.
"All I am thinking about while I am on the ice, is bringing my best game every game, playing for my teammates, and giving it my all out there to get the win. Of course, I am proud of my personal performance, but I always am focused on playing a good game, and when my teammates help, it usually goes well."
Despite early communication challenges due to the language barrier, Kuzmenko and Pettersson have blossomed into a duo capable of powering Vancouver's attack.
Through the first half of the season until NHL All-Star Weekend, Pettersson and Kuzmenko combined for 101 points, and they have remained just as productive post-break, combining for 20 of Vancouver's 55 goals from the beginning of February through March 11th.
Thanks to Kuzmenko's two-year extension signed with the Canucks in January and a run of recent success that has seen each player eclipse the 30-goal mark this season, the duo of Pettersson and Kuzmenko appears to be just getting started.
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A New Dynamic

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"Oh my goodness, is that who I think it is?"&nbsp;
It's the summer of 2017. I'm working my first job as a busboy at a local winery restaurant in my hometown of Kelowna, British Columbia. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of someone unmistakable. NHL veteran Scott Hartnell and his signature curly locks stroll through the entrance to the bistro.&nbsp;
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"And he's with the Schenn brothers! And Tyson Barrie!" I excitedly remark to a nearby coworker. &nbsp;
It's a classic Kelowna summer night. The four NHLers and their partners take in the view from their patio table. There's not a cloud in the sky and the sun is slowly creeping down toward the mountains that outline the west side of the Okanagan Valley. The weather is warm and the restaurant's patrons can lounge and eat in comfort outdoors. The light from above reflects upon the surface of the valley's crown jewel: Okanagan Lake. &nbsp;
I spent the night in awe at their mere presence. It was the first time I'd ever encountered the phenomenon that I had heard about so often throughout my childhood: that NHL players flocked to Kelowna during their offseasons. &nbsp;
It's true. Pro hockey players inhabit the interior like giants walking amongst men - both figuratively and literally. Enormous posters of Canucks 6'8" defenceman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/tyler-myers-8474574" data-player-link="8474574">Tyler Myers</a>&nbsp;drape the walls of my local gym facility with testimonials from the man himself about the quality of his Kelowna-based trainers. If you spend enough time around the facility, you'll surely end up seeing Myers' towering frame in person when he trains and skates on the ice next door. &nbsp;
Any summertime resident of Kelowna is granted a unique proximity to NHL players in their off months. I've had a multitude of encounters with world-class athletes that are typically restricted to the digital confines of my TV screen. To have been able to rub shoulders with players throughout the back end of my adolescence sparked the flames of my passion for hockey and sports. &nbsp;
Myers isn't the only Canucks player to have settled in the valley. Forward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/curtis-lazar-8477508" data-player-link="8477508">Curtis Lazar</a>&nbsp;calls Kelowna home in the summer, as does defenceman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/luke-schenn-8474568" data-player-link="8474568">Luke Schenn</a>. When the Canucks acquired blueliner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/ethan-bear-8478451" data-player-link="8478451">Ethan Bear</a>&nbsp;and winger Lane Pederson from the Carolina Hurricanes early this season, they joined that group.&nbsp;
Why does this happen? Kelowna is isolated from Canada's premier urban locales by vast mountain ranges to the east and west. It's disconnected from the country's ocean-to-ocean roadway, Highway 1. Why does it attract so many professional hockey players? How do they even find out about it?&nbsp;
For Ethan Bear, his first impression of Kelowna came in 2011 when he joined the Kelowna-based hockey academy Pursuit of Excellence as a 14-year-old. Since renamed RINK academy, NHL legend and fellow Kelowna inhabitant Jarome Iginla now coaches the U15 Prep team that Bear once played on. &nbsp;
"I loved the city and I loved the area," Bear said about his first impressions of Kelowna as a teenager. "[I noticed] how beautiful it is with the mountains, the way the city is, [and] the lake."&nbsp;
During his four-year junior hockey stint as a Seattle Thunderbird, Bear met his future fianc&eacute;e, a native of West Kelowna. "That gave me another reason to go back [to Kelowna]," Bear explained. "I visited her all the time and trained there when I got the chance. When I could make it official, I moved back."&nbsp;
Bear isn't the only Canuck that had their first taste of Kelowna life playing there in their youth. Tyler Myers and Luke Schenn both played for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets, one of the most successful organizations in all of Canadian junior hockey. Curtis Lazar also played for the Pursuit of Excellence U15 Prep team just a couple of years before Bear arrived.&nbsp;
Bear's Instagram page features a couple of photos of him with a bevy of NHL players in Kelowna. His posts showcase how the town has become a gathering place for NHLers from across the league between seasons, Bear's junior teammate and Islanders star forward Mathew Barzal alongside the Canucks defenceman with Okanagan Lake behind them. &nbsp;
As a Kelowna native, it's easy to see why. The natural beauty of the area is obvious from almost every vantage point. The weather is miraculously warm and dry in the summer, something that was attractive to Bear as soon as he first came into town. &nbsp;
"The weather is great," he affirmed, "it's hot and the winter's not too cold." The lake itself also serves as more than just a picturesque backdrop. It provides recreational opportunities for paddleboarding, kayaking, and wake surfing; all low-impact, low-risk activities that aren't prohibited in the fine print of NHL contracts. &nbsp;
When asked if a fraternity of sorts forms amongst players who summer in Kelowna, Bear confidently said it does. After he was jarringly traded across the continent midseason, the landing was softened for Bear when he entered the locker room and saw the familiar faces of his K-Town companions. "That's the cool thing," he told me, "you make friends over the course of the summer. When it works out that you're on the same team it just makes it that much better." &nbsp;
The allure of Kelowna, however, doesn't just lie in the natural quality of the city and the area. "It's really cool. Kelowna is a smaller town," Bear explained. For many NHLers, the bustling and densely populated markets of the league are a departure from what they grew up in. Bear was raised in the Ochapowace Nation outside of Whitewood, Saskatchewan, a tiny town well east of Regina. Curtis Lazar grew up in Vernon, an hour or so north of Kelowna with a population of around 40,000. Luke Schenn was raised in Saskatoon, a town whose population is far closer to that of Kelowna than that of Vancouver. For many, getting away from the big city lifestyle in Kelowna seems to be a breath of fresh air, without sacrificing offseason competition. &nbsp;
Having a relatively small population and being home to so many NHLers, the city surely has a booming NHLer per capita rate, and Bear hopes even more pros come in the future. "Hockey-wise, it's just better that more players are coming. When we do skate in the summer it's more competitive and guys push each other," he acknowledged.&nbsp;
That competition is visible when you get an occasional glimpse of their skates on public ice. They play with real effort, battling in corners and firing pucks hard. They're staying in game shape and getting the opportunity to compete against the best of the best, even when they're in their off-season oasis. &nbsp;
Whenever I see this happen on the very ice surfaces that I grew up practicing and playing on, I'm always taken back to that summer night in the restaurant; the first-ever intersection of worlds between my home and my passion. As I've grown older, the bond between those two has only grown stronger.&nbsp;
Inevitably, more and more players will migrate to Kelowna for the same reasons as the ones that preceded them.&nbsp;
Just as inevitable are the kids who will feel how I felt standing in that restaurant: awe-struck, and forever inspired.&nbsp;
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Kelowna's NHL Bubble

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The game is tied at two and not much time remains in the third period. At this most inopportune time, the Canucks take a potentially back-breaking penalty.
The home fans hold their breath, hoping the penalty kill wouldn't end in disappointment.
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And on this particular December night, the punctuation mark wasn't a puck in the back of the net. No, it was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/luke-schenn-8474568" data-player-link="8474568">Luke Schenn</a>, rivalling the strength of the lumberjack emblazoned on his jersey, sending Jakob Chychrun tumbling against the boards.
Just like he'd done to his opponents 2,946 times before that.
Al Murdoch's voice thundered throughout Rogers Arena, and John Shorthouse's voice reverberated throughout the lower mainland. The NHL had a new all-time leader for hits by a defenceman, and the fans jumped up in approval. It was a splendid milestone for the veteran defenceman, one worth every second of the celebration that ensued.
Not to be outdone by the roaring fans, Schenn's teammates jumped up, cheered, and banged the boards.
That's Luke Schenn. Respected by his fans, revered by his teammates. A consummate pro in every sense of the word.
But he didn't become this presence overnight, and he'd be the first to admit as much.
It seems improbable to think that Luke Schenn is anything but a born leader. You would be forgiven too, by anyone that had the chance to follow his career.
After making his debut in the 2008-09 season, it didn't take long for Luke Schenn to garner respect on the ice. In fact, he commanded it. Everyone had the scouting reports - he could hit like a truck, and you knew he would. He played with an edge, amassing 71 penalty minutes in just 70 games. You'd have to imagine there was no shortage of "Look out for number two" comments whispered on the opposing benches.
Needless to say, the adjective "cautious" would have been incredibly ill-suited for Luke Schenn's freshman season - especially when he was flattening Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin in front of his own bench, or dropping the gloves with Ottawa's Chris Neil to defend his teammate. No matter your seniority in the NHL or star status, you could expect him to approach every matchup in the exact same way.
But when the game ended, and he left behind the lime-lit tunnel of outstretched hands looking for high fives, he was still 18-year-old Luke. He was the youngest of the young, in an already inexperienced Maple Leafs locker room. Just trying to find his way in the finest hockey league in the world.
"As a young guy, you always wanted to come in and be all ears for the most part," he reminisced. "You just want to be a sponge and listen to what the older guys around you are telling you."
There, within the walls of the dressing room, cautious would have been far more appropriate as a superlative. And you can't help but nod your head in understanding once you realize that he graduated from a team of 16 and 17-year-olds to a team full of husbands and fathers in just a few short months.
"When you come in, you don't want to speak out of place for sure. You want to be respectful of everyone, from the coaches to the trainers to the veteran players that are moving around you."
And in reflecting on his emergence from those quiet, humble beginnings to become the mentor he is today, he credits the veteran players he had the chance to play with.
"You can only hang onto the title of a young guy for so long before you gotta turn the page and be a leader," he said, both in reference to himself and the young players entering the league today.
"I was really fortunate to have a group of guys where they'd always invite me to dinners, and make me feel included. Now the tables have turned and I'm the older guy, and I try to be that same presence the older guys were to me."
The tables have turned indeed, and in so many different ways.
Luke Schenn is now a husband, and father of two. The clean shave from 15 years ago has since been replaced with dark stubble, he's had the chance to hoist the Stanley cup twice over his head, and now, he's staring down 1,000 career NHL games.
But it's the sweeping changes across the entire league that truly catch his eye.
"To be honest, it's more and more young players in the league."
And with that leaguewide change comes a revised set of expectations.
"Things have turned where there's not as many old guys in the league, so young guys have to be leaders now. And as an older guy, I'm going to listen to the young guy too, as long as he's put in the work."
Looking around the league, you can see he's absolutely right. Locker rooms all around the league are adapting to this change - just look at their captains.
Just across the provincial border, Connor McDavid was named captain at 19 years old. Nico Hischier was named captain at 22, Brady Tkachuk at 23, Nick Suzuki at 23, Dylan Larkin at 24.
"Just like society has changed and developed over time, the NHL dressing room has as well."
And it's players like Luke Schenn that help the new faces of the league become true professionals, and eventually graduate into leadership roles, just like his veteran teammates did for him.
"At the rink, you want to relate to everyone and communicate. I think that's the biggest thing. And as an older guy too, you want to try to lead by example, and that's putting in the work. If you're an older guy who's been around for a while, putting in the work, then there's no reason why as a young guy you shouldn't be."
The mentorship doesn't stop outside of the rink either.
"You just want to relate to them. Obviously, we're in different stages of life where I go home and have a wife and kids, and [the younger guys] are doing other things outside the rink. So you try to communicate with them, ask them what they're up to. Just grow relationships with them."
And on a team like Vancouver, the importance of a presence like Schenn becomes especially salient. It's been four years since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/elias-pettersson-8480012" data-player-link="8480012">Elias Pettersson</a>&nbsp;changed everything in Vancouver - three years since Shorthouse proclaimed that the future is now. And now, more than ever, the future of the team is responsible for taking charge of the present.
"[On a championship team] you've got guys a little more experienced, guys who've been through more ups and downs in their career. Guys who have had more previous experience to fall back on. [But] as a younger team, you're typically trying to find your way in the NHL and there's some growing pains along the way."
Luke Schenn would fall firmly into the category of "guys a little more experienced, guys who've been through more ups and downs in their career."
He's been around the league, experiencing the highest of the highs the sport has to offer, and the lowest of the lows. He's been the star rookie and the grizzled veteran. Now, he's embracing his off-ice role, taking the young stars of the Vancouver Canucks and helping them become leaders. And when you see them inevitably and proudly displaying a letter on their jersey, above their heart, you can be sure that Luke Schenn's tutelage had a role in it.
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How Luke Schenn Became the Mentor for a New Generation

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Every year, teams across the National Hockey League strive to improve their in-arena experience and Canucks Sports and Entertainment is no different.
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This year, with a Hollywood-inspired pre-game video, a light and on-ice projection show, and several different segments to fill timeouts and intermissions, fans are drawn into the experience from the moment they find their seats.
Not only are these elements in place to entertain the fans, but to fuel the sort of atmosphere that can impact the product on the ice. Canucks captain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/bo-horvat-8477500" data-player-link="8477500">Bo Horvat</a>&nbsp;says that from the moment he steps through the tunnel each period, he can feel the energy that the fans are bringing to Rogers Arena.
"Any time the crowd gets going in this building, it gives us that extra motivation," he said. "We feed off the energy that our fans bring every night, the more into it they are, the more we feel it."
This season, the Canucks pulled out all the stops for their third annual pre-game hype video, titled Power Rising: Part One. The Mission Impossible-style video, produced by the director of in-game entertainment, Michael Pohorly, follows the players as they go undercover to execute a high-level heist.
The leader of their heist? None other than Canadian actress and long-time Canucks fan, Cobie Smulders, known for her roles as Robin Scherbatsky in How I Met Your Mother and Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Horvat noted that he and his teammates didn't need much convincing to star in the video.
"Most of the time we are all so focused on hockey," he said. "It was a really fun opportunity for the guys to do something different together, and to test out our acting skills. It was pretty cool for me and I know the guys embraced it."
While he enjoyed the experience, the captain said he doesn't see himself on movie sets in the future.
"I think I was pretty good, but I don't see myself pursuing an acting career," he laughed. "A couple of the guys had some pretty good fight scenes and had a lot of fun with it. Who knows, one of them might get into it after hockey."
One organization member who was happy to not get the call to be part of the project was head coach Bruce Boudreau. When asked if he had any desire to be involved, he replied with a hard "no." However, he said he was happy to see the team come together to work on the project.
With "Part One" in the title of the video, many fans were left wondering whether they can expect a follow-up later in the season.
"I had one line and a few of the guys had some bigger scenes that we haven't seen yet, so we'll have to wait and see what they have in store for us," Horvat teased.
The video hasn't been the only in-arena topic to spark conversation amongst Canucks fans this season. The game entertainment team kicked off the 2022-2023 campaign with a big question&hellip; "What will this year's goal song be?"
Many fans and media members shared their opinions earlier in the season after the team tested out Nickleback's "Burn It to The Ground" before switching back to last year's "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds. There was some conversation online about following in the footsteps of other teams around the league that are trying individual goal songs, an idea that Horvat isn't fond of.
"I believe that no matter how a goal is scored, it's usually a team effort," he said. "We tried the individual goal songs in my second or third year in the league and it was just okay. If someone tipped the puck, or they didn't know who scored right away, they would play the wrong song. It can always be better but what we have is good for now, the fans can sing along when we score."
Like the singalongs, anything that brings energy to the arena is good with Horvat, but he does have a favourite segment that he likes to watch during television timeouts.
"Whenever they show fun elements on the jumbotron, I take a glance," he said. "Not so much the kiss cam, but especially fans and their celebrity look-alikes or special performances. Anything that gets a good laugh or gets the fans to make noise gets us fired up a little bit and those are the moments that stand out and make a difference."
There are many other layers to the in-arena experience, including the many friendly faces that fill Rogers Arena. From the fan favourites like Finn and Crazy P to the hosts and security, concession and team store staff, 50/50 volunteers, the ice crew, and the hype team. The people that show up every game to make each fan's time at Rogers Arena one they won't forget, whether they are season ticket holders or are taking in their first hockey game.
The in-arena experience would not be what it is without these people, but there would be no point without the thousands of fans that fill the seats each game, something that the captain is well aware of.
"Canucks fans are very passionate, they want to see us succeed, make the playoffs and win a Stanley Cup, that's the goal every season," Horvat said. "The support I've received from the fans here in Vancouver has been outstanding. Walking through the streets, and having people say hi, really gives me an appreciation for what I do on the ice. Our fans continue to bring the energy, even when we face challenges."
Next time you visit Rogers Arena, come for the pre-game show, don't leave early to beat the traffic, enjoy every aspect of the in-arena experience, and maybe thank a game day staff member on your way out.
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Lights, Cameras, Canucks

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Nils &Aring;man was never supposed to be here.
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Only 36 active NHL players were drafted in the sixth round.
Fourteen of them were "overagers" - players who were passed over in their first round of NHL Draft eligibility. Eleven of those players were drafted in their second year of eligibility.
Only three were drafted after being passed over twice - Columbus' Carson Meyer, Tampa Bay's Cole Koepke, and Vancouver's Nils &Aring;man. &Aring;man is the youngest of the three and has appeared in more NHL games (35) than both Meyer and Koepke.
&Aring;man grew up in Avesta, a small town in Sweden of just 12,000 people that had only produced one NHLer in history - that being Nicklas Lidstr&ouml;m. &Aring;man excelled on Avesta's U16 and J18 teams, before joining the Leksands IF organization in 2016 to play in the top J18 league in Sweden.
His production was solid for the J18 team, producing 22 points in 30 games in 2016-17. The following season, he amassed 29 points across 32 games, but he struggled when moving up to J20, with just three points in 21 appearances. &Aring;man was not on the radar of North American scouts and went undrafted in 2018.
The 2018-19 season saw a leap in &Aring;man's game, as he accumulated 41 points in 45 games for that same J20 team that he had struggled on the year prior. &Aring;man still did not expect to be drafted.
"When I played in the Juniors in Sweden," &Aring;man remarked, "I wasn't actually that good."
&Aring;man was passed over again in all seven rounds of the 2019 draft.
&Aring;man continued where he left off in 2019-20, picking up 47 points in just 30 games on the J20 team. He was given his first taste of professional hockey, when he was promoted to Leksands' Swedish Hockey League (SHL) squad for an eight-game stint where he scored his first professional goal.
The 2020 NHL Draft was postponed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Leksands was already four games into the 2020-21 SHL season, with Nils &Aring;man yet to get on the scoresheet. This was his last chance of being drafted to the NHL.
&Aring;man was selected in the sixth round, 167th overall by the Colorado Avalanche. The decision to stay in Sweden with the organization that had fostered him since he was 16 was an easy one.
"When I got drafted, I talked to them and said, 'I need more years in Sweden'. That was the plan - stay in Sweden and develop."
&Aring;man finished the 2020-21 SHL season with only 10 points in 51 games and decided to remain in Sweden for one more year instead of joining the Avalanche organization.
"I didn't talk to them too much in that season," &Aring;man said.
His second full season in the SHL saw a slight step forward offensively. He scored four more goals and finished the year with 14 points. The real improvement came in his defensive game, as he took his minus-seven (-7) from the prior year to a plus-four (+4), with his team allowing only 20 goals with &Aring;man on the ice, the lowest on his team among those who played the full season.
The Avalanche had to make a final decision on &Aring;man by July 1st, 2022, or his rights would expire and &Aring;man would become an unrestricted free agent. Colorado decided against offering the 22-year-old Swede a contract, and nearly a week later, he received a call from the Canucks.
"I thought it was a really hard question," he reflected, "In the beginning I thought, maybe stay another year in Sweden and develop more, but the more I was thinking and talking to my agent, in the end I think I made the right choice."
&Aring;man worked relentlessly over the off-season in preparation for training camp, with a big focus on becoming more "explosive," while improving strength and conditioning.
Coming into camp, most expected &Aring;man would gain valuable development time with the main club, before ultimately being sent down to the AHL. Even &Aring;man himself had no expectation of making the team.
"Of course not," &Aring;man chuckled. "I was just thinking, go into camp and do my best and see what happens."
But as each preseason game went by, the Canucks staff became increasingly impressed with &Aring;man's game and demeanor, forcing their hand to pencil him into the opening night roster in Edmonton.
"I think I played pretty good in the D-zone and with my defensive game, that was the biggest part. Of course, I need to develop that and develop everything more, but that was the big thing for me".
&Aring;man appeared in each of the first 35 games for the Canucks this season, finding a regular spot on the fourth line. However, on December 30, &Aring;man was assigned to the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, putting a pause on his young NHL career.
This is far from the first time &Aring;man has battled adversity, and he has always found a way to continue bettering himself. While recovering from a broken hip at the age of 15, &Aring;man reportedly borrowed the keys to the local rink in his hometown of Avesta and snuck onto the ice each night to rebuild his stride. He is not content with being a career fourth-liner or AHL player either.
"I need to develop my offense more, do stuff in the offensive [zone], and not [end up in the AHL]."
With his NHL-caliber skating, hockey IQ, and dedication to the game, &Aring;man has all the fundamentals to become a solid middle-six NHL player for years to come. Not bad for a player that was not supposed to be here.
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Nils Åman's Unlikely Journey

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There are many factors that go into a successful NHL team.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Some of these are easily measured. Having high-scoring forwards, the goalies with the best save percentage, and shutdown defencemen. In a league with so much parity, however, it's often the factors that we can't measure that make the ultimate difference.
Being a leader, being a great teammate, being a good person; those are skills that don't show up in the box score but can change the course of a season.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Luke Schenn is having an outstanding year for the Vancouver Canucks. He's eating up a ton of minutes, producing at a career-high rate, and frustrating oncoming attacks. It's off the ice, however, where the 33-year-old veteran defenceman is making some of his largest contributions to the team.&nbsp;
It's hard to find a better professional than Schenn. At an age when most NHL players start to fall off, he's having the most successful season of his 15-year career, and it's in no small part due to his off-ice character and impact.&nbsp;
Location: Rogers Arena
Time: 8:52 PM, December 3rd, 2022
"Luke, Luke, Luke"&nbsp;&nbsp;
Rogers Arena has erupted into a chant, even as the boards continue to rattle. Luke Schenn has just laid a thumping bodycheck on his former teammate Jakob Chychrun, becoming the NHL's all-time leader in hits by a defenceman.&nbsp;
The Canucks play a highlight montage on the jumbotron to honour the milestone and Schenn struggles to conceal his smile, waving to acknowledge the crowd.&nbsp;
This wouldn't have been the record he picked to hold when he was drafted more than a decade ago, but Schenn's name is now etched into the history books.
"It's not something that you really set to do when you're coming into the league," he commented when asked about the record. "The cool thing is it's not necessarily [about] the number but the guys at the top of that list are, I think, honest guys."
Never one to be arrogant, Schenn humbly credits teammates and past mentors for helping him reach this point. He's always been there for his teammates, on or off the ice. That's something that doesn't go unnoticed by Canucks fans.&nbsp;
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Time: 10:14 PM, July 7th, 2021
Luke Schenn takes a lap of the ice, the weight of the Stanley Cup above his head offset by adrenaline. The Tampa Bay Lightning have just won their second consecutive Stanley Cup and Schenn has been a significant member of both teams.&nbsp;
When a defenceman is taken with the fifth pick in the NHL draft, there are certain expectations for how his career will go. Schenn never reached that individual level of success, but he found a way to be a contributing member of a championship team.&nbsp;
Having multiple Stanley Cup rings is an achievement that every NHL player dreams of, but very few accomplish. Schenn has now put his name on hockey's greatest prize.
It had been three years since Schenn was demoted to the AHL. Since then, he'd managed to resurrect his career, pulling himself from the bottom of the hockey world to the top. This range of experiences would prove invaluable over the coming years. It helped him relate to players at different stages in their journey.&nbsp;
"I've been on top, raising the Stanley Cup above my head and feeling the highest of highs [with] winning a championship. [I've also been at] a low point where you're in the minors for the first time 10 years into your career. [I can] relate to the young guys who are first or second-year pros and are just trying to make the NHL. I think that's the fun part in being able to relate to guys who have family and kids and also being able to relate to guys who are in their first years and young."&nbsp;
Location: Somewhere in the Sky
Time: 7:54 PM, November 22nd, 2022
The Canucks team plane lifts off heading toward the east coast. The core of the team is primarily made up of young players. Stars like Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson have only a few seasons of NHL experience.&nbsp;
Besides the core group, the Canucks also have plenty of players making the transition to becoming regular NHLers. While it's difficult to adjust to the increased size and speed on the ice, finding a way to be consistent for 82 games and handling the off-ice challenges can be even harder.
For the young players looking for direction, there's no better example than Schenn.&nbsp;
"There's a good amount of young guys on this team so his presence and just being someone you can always look to and know he's doing the right thing goes a long way," said Dakota Joshua, a forward currently navigating the challenge to full-time NHLer himself.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Location: Elisa Steakhouse
Time: 8:12 PM, September 18th, 2022
Joshua takes his seat as he's greeted by a mountain of food on the table. Over the next few minutes, the other Canucks will fill out the rest of the seats.&nbsp;
As an elder statesman on the team, Schenn has taken it upon himself to plan the team dinners. These act as a time when the guys can come together and get to know each other away from the rink.&nbsp;
"He's a good dinner planner. I got a chance to play with his brother who also loved to plan dinners so I'd love to go to the Schenn house for dinner sometime," Joshua said.&nbsp;
While planning team dinners may not be explicitly written in Schenn's contract, he takes it upon himself to go the extra mile. There are a few rules that he makes sure every dinner abides by.&nbsp;
"[I'm] making sure that everything is set up before they get there," noted Schenn. "Everything is family style, just throw everything on the menu on the table, have lots of laughs, and make sure everyone is included. You don't want to stress out about the game the next day, it's all about getting to know your teammates and having a good time."&nbsp;
Location: Canucks Home Dressing Room
Time: 11:15 AM, December 3rd, 2022
As Luke Schenn comes off the ice after the morning skate, he finds an aspiring sports journalist waiting for him at his stall.&nbsp;
After just a brief 15-minute conversation, Schenn's presence and poise stand out. It's clear how much he cares about his teammates, as well as how much effort he puts into bringing the team closer together.&nbsp;
"You want to try to get to know guys personally and ask them about their families or their backgrounds. Just try to get to know the guys as guys."&nbsp;
Building relationships off the ice and developing that team chemistry takes effort, but it's also what sport is all about. From the top level all the way down, every hockey player can relate to the relationships the game creates. Schenn's doing it on a larger stage.&nbsp;
"At the end of the day, I don't remember 95% of guys' games or plays they make, good or bad," remarked Schenn. "I remember the stories that guys tell. You always want to remember guys as good guys [first] and a hockey player second."
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Luke Schenn's Revival

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On September 1, 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/thatcher-demko-8477967" data-player-link="8477967">Thatcher Demko</a>&nbsp;received his first 60-minute taste of playoff hockey, and game action in nearly half a year, after the NHL's lengthy COVID layoff that spring.
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With their backs against the wall in a second-round matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, a single loss would send the Vancouver Canucks home. And after an injury sidelined starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom, the hopes of the last Canadian team now lied in Demko's hands.
It is a pretty tall task for any goalie to come back from a 3-1 deficit, let alone a backup netminder coming into a series cold.&nbsp;
To fans, it felt like the hockey Gods had finally intervened, and said enough is enough. This is a fandom of heartbreak, not heroics. If they only knew the spectacle they were about to witness, and continue to watch not only for the next two games, but for years to come.
The phenomenon became known as "Bubble Demko." Some sort of demi-God creature and bane of existence for the Knights. Call it what you want, he simply wasn't human.
As if 42 saves in Game 5 wasn't enough, Demko followed the performance up with a 48-save shutout. Not only had he and the team staved off elimination for the second time, they had evened the series. Long gone was the two-game lead that seemed to signify the end for the Canucks.
Surely we could chalk it up to luck? An adrenaline-fuelled performance for the masses? Low stakes, high rewards?
Losing to Vegas in six would be respectable - pushing it to seven seemed downright greedy and out of the question.
Ultimately, what set the "Bubble Demko" identity into motion was the superhero antics of it all.
You don't have to be a Canucks fan in Vancouver to remember the&nbsp;events&nbsp;of 2011. After a dark decade of frustration and early first-round exits, it felt like the underdogs were going to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals.
"I had nothing to lose. We were down 3-1," Demko said about being thrust into the thick of the series. "I just wanted to come in and do my best, and try to help the team out in any way that I could."
With desperado save after desperado save, the netminder had fans feeling like they were watching the trailer for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/thatcher-demko-8477967" data-player-link="8477967">Thatcher Demko</a>&nbsp;Experience. It was a show so good, people would have been willing to pay for a lifetime subscription in advance.
I suppose that's why the Canucks fandom was quick to keep the narrative alive. There wasn't a "Demko" without the "Bubble." They were one and the same.
But how did the star in the making feel about the nickname?
"It was kind of funny at first. I was getting some texts and stuff," Demko said.
But what started as amusing became sort of an annoyance.
"It's getting a little old now - I have kind of outgrown it," he admitted.
And outgrown it he has. Although Demko acknowledges it as a "foot in the door," the nickname itself has gone way past its shelf life.
"Now," he says, "I just want to be Demko."
So, how can fans retire a name that represents the magic of the bubble? You start at the beginning.
What transpired in the bubble was no fluke. Demko has always been an A-calibre goalie, and he has the track record to back it up.
The San Diego, California native first took his talent to the U.S. National Development Team for the 2012-13 season. During that time, he posted a 15-3-0 record with a 2.21 goals against average and a .903 save percentage in 19 games played.
Looking back, the 26-year-old had high praise for his lone year with the team, and the opportunity of testing himself against older opponents.
"The style of the program is tough. They hold you to a high standard, they give you a taste of pro hockey before you get there. When you're that young, it kind of gives you an idea of what to expect, and what it is going to be like."
He also took immeasurable pride in getting to do so while representing the United States.
"Playing for your country is something that no one takes lightly, and you don't want to take that stuff for granted."
Demko served as the third-string goalie for the World Juniors that December, and with his ties to USA Hockey, had a good chance of making the Olympic team this season.
When the time came for the next step, Demko landed at Boston College, which laid the framework for him to be a starter in his freshman year.
"Boston College gave me an opportunity to come in a year early, so I was able to go in when I was 17 and get a year of college hockey under my belt before the draft &hellip; that was the best move for my career."
In his first season, Demko led Boston College to a Beanpot victory and the Frozen Four, while picking up a plethora of accolades. Amongst those, he was named the Hockey East `Stop It' Goaltending Champion for having the lowest goals against average. Demko's 1.35 was the lowest since Jimmy Howard's 1.15 with Maine during the 2003-04 season.
With his sparkling play, NHL teams were starting to take notice of the up-and-coming goaltender. One of the teams being the Vancouver Canucks, who selected Demko in the second round of the 2014 draft.
After three years at Boston College, Demko was ready to test himself as a pro and join the Canucks' American Hockey League affiliate in Utica, New York. But like his time in the NCAA, Demko's stay in the minors was brief, and after two seasons, he was ready to take the leap to the big leagues.
When he arrived to Vancouver during the 2019-20 season, Demko played a supporting role behind Markstrom, appearing in a total of 27 games. But his appreciation for the former Canucks goaltender predated their time together as goalie partners.
"He was a guy that I always looked up to - he was older than me, had a lot more experience than I did at the time [and] was always there if I needed to talk about something, or pick his brain. It was a great relationship from the start. He was here when I signed my first pro contract &hellip; even now, it's great to see the success in Calgary and keep in touch with him."
With less than 50 games under his NHL belt, Demko had gone from backup to starter in front of an eager fan base, still reeling from the excitement of the bubble.
But not all was sunshine and rainbows. The 2020-21 season was one jam-packed with injuries, illness, new faces, and to everyone's dismay, underperforming play.
Even now, it feels like Demko has to play at such a high level each night to give his team a chance to win. In times of stress, the goaltender falls back on mindfulness.
"The biggest thing is taking it day by day. If you take a step back and look at the big picture, it may get overwhelming, so just waking up every day with a fresh mindset and trying to conquer the day is something that I have been focusing on."
He's done his best to enjoy the final stretch of the season, as the Vancouver Canucks battle for a playoff spot.
"Obviously all these games are important, so we [have] to show up, and have a smile on our face, and get to work."
See, maybe he is human after all!
At the end of the day, Demko is still the boy who fell in love with hockey watching LA Kings games with his dad.
And the same goalie who danced in between whistles in college, much to the chagrin of Patrick Roy (but that's a story for another time).
All along, it's never been "Dancing Demko," or "Bubble Demko," but just plain old Thatcher Demko - and as Canucks fans have come to discover, that's a pretty incredible version.
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Bursting the 'Bubble Demko' Identity

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A lot of on-ice chemistry in the National Hockey League is first formed off the ice, and that appears to be the case for Elias Pettersson and Nils H&ouml;glander. It seems obvious that the two skilled young Swedish forwards would have a lot in common, but it wasn't until this season that their friendship fully blossomed.&nbsp;
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Both Pettersson and H&ouml;glander played in the Swedish Hockey League before making the direct jump to the NHL. Pettersson played one season in the league, while H&ouml;glander played three before playing in North America, but they never played together before they arrived in Vancouver.
"Even last year we were good friends but we didn't become that close because he (Pettersson) wasn't in the lineup as much last year because he was injured," H&ouml;glander explained. "We've become close this year and hang out a lot. Obviously, we are both Swedish, so that helps."
What also helps is their bond shared over their favourite Call of Duty drop zones.
"We play video games together. A lot of Warzone. I am switching over to (EA's) NHL now," H&ouml;glander continued. "We go to Yaletown, hang around there a lot and have dinner."
H&ouml;glander has spent more time on the ice with Pettersson this season than any other forward other than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/bo-horvat-8477500" data-player-link="8477500">Bo Horvat</a>. In H&ouml;glander's time on Pettersson's flank, he has slightly elevated Pettersson's Goals For Percentage. The two of them are always talking and trying to make each other better.&nbsp;
Pettersson was struggling to start the season after a wrist injury that kept him out for 30 games last season and a contract negotiation that saw him miss much of training camp last fall. He was slow to find his high-flying offensive game, struggling both mentally and with his wrist.
"I think he was kind of in his head," H&ouml;glander said of Pettersson's start to the 2021-22 season.
His advice for Pettersson?
"Think about something else, have fun, and just go out and play," H&ouml;glander would tell him.
Pettersson would eventually find his footing and get back on track. After putting up only 22 points in the first 41 games of the season, he's been averaging more than a point per game ever since.
H&ouml;glander wasn't without his fair share of struggles himself this season. He played at a 40-point pace last season (adjusted to 82 games), and this season he hasn't looked like the point producer he was in his rookie year aside from the first few weeks of this season. His game hasn't changed drastically beyond his inability to get on the scoresheet. That's where his fellow countryman Pettersson comes to help.&nbsp;
"I haven't done the best I can right now," H&ouml;glander admitted. "I know that and he's tried to help me out with that. He's come up with some tips and tricks and everything, so it's helped."
While H&ouml;glander hasn't put up the offensive numbers that Canucks fans have come to expect of him, he did find the scoresheet in a 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils back on March 15 - his final game before suffering a groin injury that has kept him out of the lineup ever since.
In that game, an eagle-eyed fan caught H&ouml;glander wearing Pettersson's gloves on the broadcast.
"I always wear them. I really like them," he told the media postgame. "It's better to wear his than mine."&nbsp;
The friendship is obviously something that has been noticed around the room. When asked, Horvat was laughing with the media postgame and said: "I don't know what he was doing there. They're pretty good buddies."
The friendships in the room extend beyond just the two Swedes and to some of the other young core players as well.&nbsp;
"I can say everyone is close," H&ouml;glander said. "Huggy and Boes too, it's not like it's just me and Petey, we have a good group. We have fun together. Podkolzin is getting better with English, it's really good to see."
The chemistry between Boeser, Hughes and Pettersson has become evident over the last few seasons. And this season,&nbsp;Vasily Podkolzin, H&ouml;glander and Pettersson have shown on-ice chemistry in their limited ice time together. In their brief outings together, they outscored their opponents and controlled 56% of shot attempts, giving the Canucks a clear advantage when that trio is on the ice together.
"Yeah, I mean I think we had really good chemistry in the game we played together. We started there in Nashville and everyone felt really good when we played with each other," H&ouml;glander said of playing with Pettersson and Podkolzin in a game in which those three combined to open the scoring and set the tone in a 3-1 victory.
The trio clearly has chemistry and their play styles align well.
"We hang out outside the rink too and we talk about situations and everything so I think that's helped as well," H&ouml;glander said of the three in their free time away from Rogers Arena.
Even head coach Bruce Boudreau noticed the trio's newfound friendship.
"Petey gets along with them off the ice," he said. "They're the closest threesome we have off the ice in terms of togetherness."
But of all the young friends on the Canucks, it seems like H&ouml;glander and Pettersson are amongst the closest, often sharing their outings together on social media.
The two even spent Christmas in Vancouver together.&nbsp;
H&ouml;glander and Pettersson are still early in their careers and new to being linemates. And with H&ouml;glander currently sidelined due to injury, they'll have to wait to rekindle that on-ice connection. But with the foundation laid this season, these two will continue to grow on and off the ice and could one day turn into a skilled duo that opposing teams dread to see step over the boards.
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Swedish Connection

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They don't call the annual high-profile NCAA tournaments "March Madness" for nothing. As NCAA hockey and basketball teams fight to become champions on the national stage, a second kind of madness exists for NCAA free agents who display their talent on a sheet of ice.&nbsp;
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This exciting time of the year offers National Hockey League organizations, like the Vancouver Canucks, the ability to add players devoid of the usual cost of roster assets or draft picks. Canucks General Manager, Patrik Allvin, stressed the importance of the yearly process during his introductory press conference back in January.
"I think that it's a very competitive league and you need good depth," he said. "For us to become a consistent playoff team and a consistent contender, we need to build up the depth of the organization."
"Obviously, we want to play a fast and skilled game, and I think in order to be successful, you have to find players outside the first round in the NHL Entry Draft. You need to complement your organization with college and European free agents and I think that is something I am looking forward to."
The journey leading up to these moments for college players is so much more layered than a surface level addition to the organization.&nbsp;
College free agents who are eligible to sign NHL contracts have often taken the long road to get to this stage. Passed over in the draft multiple times, years playing Junior A hockey to preserve NCAA-eligibility; the fact of the matter is some players are late bloomers.&nbsp;
For Canucks defenceman&nbsp;Brad Hunt&nbsp;and his tenure with the Burnaby Express of the British Columbia Hockey League, this was certainly the case.&nbsp;
"I was always a smaller kid growing up," Hunt said. "The WHL was kind of never &hellip; I mean as a kid growing up, that's where you think you need to play to make the next level. But the best route for me was to play with Burnaby, and try to get a scholarship somewhere, and that way I came into pro a little bit older and more developed as a player."
Something often neglected is the extraordinary amount of work that people do behind the scenes. For the left-shot defender, his coaches at Bemidji State University - a college located in Northwestern Minnesota, not far from the Manitoba border, made all the difference.
"So I went to school at 19, and I got stronger and I got faster," he said. "I developed parts of my game that I didn't even know could be part of my game. And the coaches in Bemidji were great with me, Bert Gilling and Ted Belisle were huge, and the head coach was Tom Serratore who was fantastic for me for four years. But the thing is just developing my game. I came out of college at 23 years old playing pro, versus playing at 18 or 19. So I was more on my way to manhood versus being really young and I think that for me was the best way I could have come."
For college free agents, this is truly an exciting and nerve-racking time; a crucial juncture of their careers where the impact of their choices will only amplify as time roars on. Who can provide the right development plan? Which team can give more opportunity? The questions are endless.
For Hunt, connections were key.
"It was just one of those things where I got the phone call as soon as our season ended," he said. "My agent, Dan Plante, played with the [Chicago] Wolves and pretty much said, 'Do you want to go down and play and end the season there?'"
Signing a deal is only part of the equation, development being the true factor that leads to success. The crucial aspect about development is that it is non-linear. Allvin broke down one of his general player development philosophies, highlighting the synergistic nature of staff and investment of time needed to make an NHLer.&nbsp;
"Every player has their own path," he said. "It's not a sprint to get to the NHL, it's a marathon. So you have to be patient with the players and you have to support them with the right people and coaches, and development staff to help every single player maximize their chances to become a full-time NHL player."&nbsp;
Canucks Assistant General Manager &Eacute;milie Castonguay stressed similar views about player development at her introductory press conference.
"I think player development, and surrounding the players with the right resources and the right people so they can become the best version of themselves, is really important," Castonguay said. "For me, to have a human impact in this organization is super important."&nbsp;
Hunt signed an amateur tryout deal with the Chicago Wolves (Vancouver's American Hockey League affiliate at the time) in March 2012 after racking up 112 points over 150 NCAA games, again, receiving valuable development help from his coaching staff as he hit professional hockey.
"Then I go down, I really don't know the team and I walk into the room, and Craig MacTavish is the coach, who is a fantastic man, and he's really the person who put his neck on the line to give me a chance in the NHL, and started my career," Hunt said. "I will always be thankful for Craig, and what he did for me, to start my career. But yeah, just kind of took off from there. And the next season we had Scott Arniel (who is with Washington). It's honestly such a great experience - a lot of really great people who really helped me a lot."&nbsp;
For Hunt, it is clear the human impact was immense and the development of his game didn't stop when he reached the AHL. Always learning, the Maple Ridge, British Columbia native underlined his philosophy that helped him during his initial jump to professional hockey and maintain longevity in hockey over his career.
"I think you realize you are playing with bigger, stronger players, so the way you defend is a little different," he said. "The way other guys think the game, you learn so much from other players. It's just a learning process throughout your whole career, and I am still learning every day from players and coaches. It's been awesome."&nbsp;
Fast-forwarding to the present day, not many players exemplify found NCAA value like Hunt. Multiple 50+ point AHL seasons and over 510 professional hockey games highlight his career.&nbsp;
Hunt had a pointed message for future NCAA free agents, one that could have featured in the film&nbsp;Remember the Titans, a movie that is full of motivational monologues that could get practically anyone to run through a wall.&nbsp;&nbsp;
"Don't give up - and don't be crushed if you don't get an NHL contract right away."
"At the end of the day if you get a chance to play in the ECHL or AHL, you get to play hockey for a living and you get to collect a paycheque to play hockey - never give up no matter what. I mean just keep pushing forward and getting better and better, don't get down on yourself. There's plenty of options that you can do for hockey. I mean, everyone's goal is to play in the NHL, but you can still have a great career, whether it is in the AHL or not."&nbsp;
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The Long Road

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Elias Pettersson&nbsp;says that even though he never believed he would achieve his dream of becoming a professional hockey player, he continued to hope for it. He continued to train for it. He kept wanting, perhaps purely out of spite, that distant glory that he could imagine shining on the horizon when he stepped onto the ice in his hometown of &Aring;nge, Sweden.
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Like most great things, the dream grew from a place of childlike wonder, as well as childlike boredom. Yes, there was soccer and golf - played with friends and his father - but nothing seemed to capture his heart quite like hockey. Even today, the sport that once brought him so much joy during his childhood still makes him excited on a game-to-game basis.
"It's just the compete," he says. "Playing in front of thousands of people. Friends staying up late and watching, and I'm having so much fun playing."
He laughs when asked about his support system back home. As he describes the late-night (for them) texts saying that they've been watching, the appreciation is written on his face. His friends and family in Sweden are some of his biggest fans, oftentimes staying up until four in the morning just to watch him play.
The way this season started, some may say that supporters could sometimes be few and far between. There seemed to be a constant flow of criticism and doubt from social media. If cheering for someone brings people together, cheering against someone seems to be even more unifying.
But the thing is,&nbsp;Elias Pettersson&nbsp;is his harshest critic. He stays on the ice taking countless faceoffs at the end of morning skate.
"I think that was a big part of my game that wasn't close to where I wanted it to be," he says. "So, I really put a lot of time and effort in that because &hellip; I&nbsp;am&nbsp;a centre. But my faceoffs weren't good enough the first two, three seasons. So, I really put a lot of effort in that."
He stays on the ice practicing one-timers far longer than he really has to. He has proven time and time again that he has an amazing shot. But when the world's eyes are on you, and the public is saying that your shot isn't good enough, well, Elias Pettersson works on his shot.
"I always keep working on my shot," he says.
He scores on the one-timer mere hours after saying this on February 19 against the Anaheim Ducks.
Because Elias Pettersson isn't someone who stops working once he's accomplished one thing. There's always something, in his eyes, that he can improve on.
So much pressure is placed upon his shoulders. It's so easy to forget his age. That is, until he asks you what you're taking in university, and you realize that he is young enough to be a university student himself. You realize that he's already so accomplished - and yet still so young.
His kind demeanour when answering these questions is just barely hiding a seriousness that is obviously present in his training. You talk to him, and you can just tell that everything is important to him.
It's only normal that the amount of doubt would feel suffocating sometimes, but his voice is sure when he says, "I use it as fuel."
"Of course, some people gave me some shit this year," he chuckles. "But I mean, I don't blame them."
"I've been doubted that I'm too small my whole career," he adds. "I'm always going to get bashed-on that I'm too skinny and too weak, blah blah blah. But I use it as fuel. I want to - not prove them wrong&hellip;"
He thinks for a moment.
"I mean it's not like &hellip; I'm playing&nbsp;for&nbsp;them," he continues. "I'm not. But in some ways, I&nbsp;like&nbsp;to prove people wrong."
The beginning of this season in particular was a tough time, and Pettersson says he's learned a lot about "finding strength," and adds that the fans' belief in the team "definitely helps."
He understands that public opinion can't be "the main factor for [him] to work [his] best," however. He has to find the will to play and get better from somewhere internal.
He says there are things to take away from every game. Even the bad ones. There's always something to be worked on and something to be praised. There isn't a single game that doesn't mean something.
"Never thought I would make it, but I always kept dreaming," he says, noting that he chose to pursue hockey simply because it was the sport he had the most fun playing growing up.
In some ways, he still is that kid in &Aring;nge. Still looking straight-on into the sun over the horizon. He seems to draw people into him. Because sitting down with Elias Pettersson you can sense that he's going to do something great. His devotion to his own game and the game as a whole is something inextricably linked to everything he does. Even as he works and grows, he still can't quite fathom the fact that he's made it this far.
"Here I am," he says with an air of disbelief. "Living my dream."
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The Weight of Dreams

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Over the past decade, there has been an evolution when it comes to defencemen in the National Hockey League. Gone are the days when a defender needed to be a towering figure as some of the best blueliners in the game stand under six feet.
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One of those players is&nbsp;Quinn Hughes.
The Canucks superstar is showing that if you are skilled enough, you can still be a dynamic force on the blueline regardless of height.
According to the Canucks official roster, Hughes stands 5'10", 180 lbs. The average player in the NHL is about 6'1", 198 lbs, which means he needs to find new and technical ways to get the opposition off the puck. Luckily for Canuck fans, Hughes seems to have figured out the secret to success for shorter defenders.
"Being patient, learning, having a good stick and skating well," Hughes said. "You need to know how to be strong on guys, when to push guys and making sure my game's always evolving."
The last decade has seen a dramatic change in how NHL general managers view defenders under six feet. For example, during the 2011 NHL draft, zero defencemen were drafted in the first two rounds that were under six feet tall. Fast forward to 2018, the year Hughes was drafted, where four defencemen under six feet were selected in the first round alone (Hughes 7th, Ty Smith 17th, Nils Lundqvist 28th and Rasmus Sandin 29th).
Currently in the NHL, there are 10 blueliners who were drafted in the first round who are under six feet. Flashback again to 2011, there were only two in Ryan Ellis and Keith Ballard. Instead of prioritizing height, teams are focusing on skill which is proving to be the right investment.
One other thing that has changed over the decade is the position Hughes plays.
Before the age of 13, Hughes was actually a forward but thanks to some sick teammates, his life was forever changed and for the better.
"I loved it," Hughes said when discussing his transition to defence. "I was actually only supposed to play D for a game or two because we had guys who were sick or something and all of a sudden, I wanted to play D the next year. I asked the coach the next year to switch full time."
The Canucks can thank not only his coach but also whatever bug was going around that week. If not for a coaching decision, fans would have never been able to experience his dynamic play on the blueline.
When Bruce Boudreau first arrived, he said Hughes and&nbsp;Elias Pettersson&nbsp;approached him to play on the penalty kill. Since then, Hughes has played close to 50 minutes of ice time while shorthanded, and looks to be having success. He seized the opportunity presented and has become a strong, well-rounded defenceman because of it.
"I think they are giving me a lot of opportunity," Hughes said. "I'm learning. (Coach Brad) Shaw is really helping me &hellip; We will see where we are at the end of the year but they are giving me a lot of confidence, a chance to play my game and in return, I'm trying to do whatever I can to help."
Some factors behind his defensive success are positioning and being able to get back in the play after pinching. Rather than putting his head down and just trying to get back, Hughes skates back with his head up always trying to read the play and what the opposing forward is going to do next. This is a skill he works on with his dad during the summer or whenever the opportunity arises.
"I think everything we try and do, we do fast," he said. "Not necessarily where your head is down but with a purpose. That way, you are never really casually going and always working on your explosions and crossovers."
Once he gets the puck away from the opposition, his real strength takes over. Hughes has a remarkable ability to change directions and even spin off defenders.
"It happens so quick," he said. "Sometimes it's hard when the guy is behind you but if he is in front of you with his stick up, he's not going to recover. Usually when I see his stick come up, I know I can turn back."
In the Canucks opening superhero video, Hughes plays Spider-Man. Just like the web slinging superhero, it seems as though Hughes has a sixth sense or a Spidey Sense that helps him get out of trouble. This is something he has had to develop over the years. Although he states he does not have a sixth sense, the way he moves on the ice and reacts draws strong comparison to the Avenger.
"I think because I was a small guy growing up, I had to learn the game different," he explained. "It's not like I'm some 6'6" guy who can rely on my brawn. I think I had to really understand so no, I don't think I have a sixth sense, but I do have an understanding."
Despite his limited time in the NHL, Hughes has helped change the game for the better. Hockey fans now get to experience these high skilled defencemen who would have been an afterthought just a decade ago. The game is changing, and Canucks fans are lucky enough to witness the excitement first-hand.
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Quinn Hughes and the Evolution of the NHL Defenceman

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Conor Garland&nbsp;sensed something was bound to happen last summer.
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As a restricted free agent on a team with changes on the horizon, he knew a trade out of Arizona was a probable outcome.
"I was disappointed about that aspect of it, but I just kind of waited to see what team I went to and Ol [Ekman-Larsson] texted me before it happened," Garland recalled. "He let me know that he heard we might end up here."
The Canucks were in their own unique position as well. Coming off a last-place finish in the NHL's all-Canadian division, they were ready to return to the Pacific Division with higher expectations. The Garland/Ekman-Larsson trade, which sent Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel to the desert with some draft capital, was the culmination of their aggressive approach.
While many would say this is not how the Canucks expected their season to go, there is no doubt that Garland is a definitive part of what makes this roster different and more captivating than in previous seasons.
Garland's adjustment to this hockey market and its relentless energy was evident quickly. Fans became enthralled with his fast pace and goal celebrations on the ice. It did not take long for him to evolve into a centrepiece of the Canucks' top-six.
The bread and butter of Garland's game is his agility along the boards, spinning past opponents while keeping the puck on his stick or passing it to a teammate gaining speed. It is not a Canucks game without a clip of number 8 putting on the brakes and evading his pursuer in just seconds.
"I like having the puck," Garland said. "Everybody wants it out there and sometimes you got to have a little poise and wait for the right place."
Puck possession is not the only benefit; he has drawn penalties with the opposition desperate to keep him from getting loose with the puck. Garland acknowledged this strategy came from a size disadvantage on the ice and he has utilized it throughout his hockey career.
"As a big guy, you can shield the puck and use your body and get into guys a little more," he said. "For me, to hold onto the puck longer, I've got to cut back and be an elite skater. I just try to use that to my advantage and find ways to make plays."
The spins are just the beginning. From his crouched position at the front of the net that became a meme of its own, to skilled plays like a no-look pass to set up&nbsp;Vasily Podkolzin&nbsp;for a beautiful goal in November, Garland has found ways to entertain in different ways.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Perhaps the most entertaining thing we have seen from him came early in the season, down in Washington State. With only a few minutes left in the Seattle Kraken's first-ever home game, Garland stepped up and delivered the game-winning goal in dramatic fashion, stunning the crowd at Climate Pledge Arena.
"I like playing the big games," he said, recalling that night. "That was a big game and the environment was crazy. There's no music in warm-ups and it was the loudest I've ever heard in the building. It's an easy game to get up for and when you have a chance to win a game late, I kind of perk up a little bit."
Even more memorable may have been the stare Garland darted behind the bench at a fan who had heckled him earlier. Truly, he is a player who does not forget things easily.
Even with the spoiling of the party down south, Garland considered the team's winning streak under new head coach Bruce Boudreau to be his own highlight of the season thus far.
"We had struggled for so long," he said. "We were battling and then we went on that run there and it felt good. It felt like we were a good team we were working with, and we were taking a mile together so that was a lot of fun for us."
It was a fun stretch for the team, but there remains uncertainty for what will be accomplished by April. As a team battling to keep pace for a playoff spot, the Canucks have a lot to live up to if they want to be in the postseason. Garland knows this.
"We should be hard to beat, especially with how well we play five-on-five," he said. "I think we just keep getting better, whether it's management that thinks they need to get players, or we get better as a group with chemistry or in the off-season. Guys get better and you come back as a better team."
Garland gave much credit to his teammates for their recent run of success, pointing out he has struggled to be productive at points. This season has not been without its high moments for Garland and his team, however. He made franchise history with a six-game point scoring streak to start his time in Vancouver, the first time it has ever been done. He's come to life in games against Seattle, sowing the seeds for an entertaining Pacific Northwest rivalry.
You cannot ask for more of a team player; one who tries to downplay their own success and credit their teammates for winning hockey games.
It has been an eventful year for this Vancouver Canucks team, and&nbsp;Conor Garland&nbsp;has been right in the middle of the action all season. He has been the exact type of player fans hoped to see when the club acquired him with that draft day trade in 2021.
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Garland's Game

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On June 20th, 1994, Sports Illustrated released a cover featuring New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter stopping phenom Vancouver Canucks winger Pavel Bure on a penalty shot with the headline reading: "Why the NHL's Hot and the NBA's not."
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After the article, the NBA turned the spotlight onto the talented players that filled its league, starting with the eternal Michael Jordan leading the Chicago Bulls to three straight championship wins. Jordan's rivalries with fellow stars Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Isiah Thomas became must watch television. The era lives on in the 2020 mini-series "The Last Dance", which over five weeks amassed 5.6 million viewers, the most-watched ESPN documentary of all time.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the following year, the NHL had a Fall lockout, wiping out the first half of the 94-95 season. Then? It decided to invest in glowing pucks for Fox broadcasts so newer fans were able to track the play more easily. Politely speaking, the lead was short-lived. &nbsp; Now, twenty-seven years later, the two leagues may have a chance to join forces in the name of brotherhood, through two maternal half-brothers from Texas of all places: University of Houston Cougars shooting guard Quentin Grimes and Vancouver Canucks defenceman&nbsp;Tyler Myers. Grimes and Myers are on the verge of becoming the first sibling duo to play in the NHL and NBA. Grimes has declared for the 2021 NBA draft scheduled for July 29th. He is currently expected to be drafted in the 2nd round, but even if he isn't drafted, he may still sign with a team afterwards as an unrestricted free agent, not an uncommon situation in the NBA. &nbsp;&nbsp;
This story isn't special just because of a sibling-related historical milestone. The two leagues throughout their shared history have not had many, if any positive reasons to be connected with each other. Hockey has always been on the outside looking in anywhere but Canada as its three major counterparts dominated the rest of North America's sports landscape.
To be clear: millions of kids won't now suddenly be playing basketball in the summer and hockey in the winter. But with the recent television rights deal involving Turner Sports to broadcast NHL games, the door is opening even wider. Can you imagine Shaquille O'Neal on the TNT panel talking about how Grimes' half-brother is a 6'8 hockey defenceman?
It's why this family's journey to continue binding together the two sports is so important. &nbsp; Grimes began his collegiate career with a commitment to the Kansas Jayhawks in 2017 before transferring to the University of Houston after his freshman season. Showing a slow but steady improvement through his sophomore year, his breakout finally happened in 2020-2021, where he averaged 17.8 points per game along with career highs in steals, rebounds and 3-point field-goal percentage.&nbsp;
Myers, 10 years Grimes' senior, just finished his 13th season in the NHL. Having played more than 800 games in that span including the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he also collected the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2010 as the NHL's rookie of the year. &nbsp; As noted before, the Canucks defenceman towers at a massive 6'8 stature (which mixed with his strong skating ability makes him a unique option for any general manager in the NHL), you'd have to wonder in the most ridiculously absurd fantasy based only in the mind of this writer, could Myers follow the path of other multi-sport athletes such as Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders to join his sibling in the NBA to create one of the most shocking duos in sports history? &nbsp; Not so fast. &nbsp; "I don't know what kind of super team we can create," said Myers with a smirk on his face. "But I'm certainly very excited for him. I don't know if we would be the first set of brothers in the NHL and the NBA but what would be pretty cool. I'm definitely keeping an eye out for him in the next year." &nbsp; Myers was drafted 12th overall in the 2008 NHL draft while playing for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. Quentin won't have to look far to reach out to someone for advice.&nbsp;
"It's an exciting time for sure for Q [Quentin]," Myers said. "You know I remember going through my draft year, it was a very exciting time for an 18-year old kid. Q's a little bit older now going through it but you know, it should be very exciting for him and I hope he enjoys it." &nbsp; Myers went on to have a fantastic debut season. In 2009-2010, he led all Sabres defensemen in scoring with 48 points, still a career high. After six seasons in Buffalo, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets. After five seasons, he returned to British Columbia, signing with the Canucks as a free agent in 2019 to a five-year, 30 million dollar contract. &nbsp; The true unsung heroine of this story is Tonja Stelly, the mother of Grimes and Myers. Stelly herself played two seasons of basketball at Fort Hays State in Kansas, until eventually transferring to Kansas State. It seems obvious the boys can thank their mother for their shared athletic prowess. Stelly spoke in a segment during Hockey Night in Canada, "I teased their fathers, since they have different dads, I'm like, you know, there's only one common denominator."
Myers moved from Texas to Calgary in order to pursue hockey when Grimes was only 3 months old, so the regular dynamic of a sibling relationship wasn't possible at that time. "It's hard, I mean they're only children, if you will, because they haven't ever lived in the same household together. We didn't get those opportunities that I wish they would've been able to share." said Stelly. Living in a family dedicated to sports fosters an understanding that there are no guaranteed opportunities to advance your career, so when one comes along, it should be embraced. In a few months, Grimes hopes to achieve his dream, becoming part of sports history the moment he steps onto an NBA court.&nbsp; &nbsp; "I think that would be very exciting for the whole family if that were to happen. Definitely rooting Q on to take the next step here out of college. Pretty exciting to see. It's too bad our schedules are the same, it's gonna be hard for me to get down to watch him play." said Myers. &nbsp; If the stars align, the history books will have Myers, Grimes, Stelly and the family's very grateful dads etched into its pages by the end of July. "It would be a huge success story, I mean, just as far as every parent wants to see their children live out their dreams and be happy." said Stelly, holding back tears. &nbsp; 27 years ago, the NHL and NBA were neck in neck in a ratings battle that got the world asking which was the dominant sport heading into the future.&nbsp; &nbsp; After 74 years of shared existence between the two leagues, the real winner seems to be a family from Texas.
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Bridging The Gap

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"Canucks Twitter exploded."
This statement could go two ways depending on what happened to Vancouver's beloved NHL team. This year, it often carried a negative connotation.
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It was like one of those rides at Disneyland designed to go forward and backward, except it malfunctioned and it just kept teetering back and forth. Also, the people in line for the same ride were yelling out suggestions of what they should and should not do, as if it had any effect on the machinery. And, the operator was on TikTok, watching a familiar hockey player accidentally roundhouse kick his wife during their wedding, so they couldn't hear the screams.
It&hellip; wasn't looking good.
To be fair, all sports teams and fanbases faced an irregular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs were postponed to the most non-hockey month of August, journalists asked athletes the same question over and over: 'How does it feel to play in an empty arena?'
Players' answers were predictable: They missed the fans in the stands.&nbsp;
But Canucks captain&nbsp;Bo Horvat took it a step further. In April, he displayed his acknowledgement after the team's first commendable win after returning from a COVID-19 outbreak that affected more than half of their roster.
He turned towards the cameras, lifted his stick, and thanked a crowd that wasn't physically present. Despite various hardships within the organization, he saluted the fans watching at home and engaging online.
In an interview, Horvat thought the cameras wouldn't catch the gesture but was grateful they did.&nbsp;
"We know they're cheering from home, but we want to see them back in the building as soon as possible &hellip; When you win a game in front of your fans, there's no better feeling."
These quotes, accompanied by that brief clip of him confidently gazing into the camera, shattered the fourth-wall of plexiglass that divided fans and players online.&nbsp;
It emphasized how valuable social media has become, especially the case during an unprecedented season.
Taking one stroll around Rogers Arena on a gameday, it's easy to understand of what Horvat and other hockey players are playing without. The absence of human reaction. The lack of a responsive roar when the puck pinged off the goal post. That constant hum during stoppages in play. A mutual, futile wish for both fans and players in the Canadian division is to return to that boisterous environment of a sports event, as most of the American-based teams allowed a controlled capacity into their arenas in the latter portion of the season.
The mini-hordes of cardboard cutouts everyone saw on TV were, indeed, inanimate and dispirited. Mikko Koskinen's stick taps were blundering loud. The artificial cheering was often drowned out by incoherent yelling, bodies slamming into the boards, and sharp skating sounds.
Most of all, Rogers Arena felt hollow.
But the Canucks fanbase made sure to show up in a digital setting, as they did in previous years and as the late Jason Botchford embraced when writing The Provies and The Athletties. He placed fans at the forefront of his analyses, a rule of thumb that most traditional journalists never considered. Admittingly, Canucks Twitter is hard to miss by other NHL fanbases, media members, and the athletes themselves.
"There's a sense of pride with the team that this fanbase has and you can definitely see that on social media for sure,"&nbsp;Zack MacEwen&nbsp;agreed.&nbsp;
Pride was clearly evident when his mother, Juliana, constantly supported him online, as hockey moms should. She even retweeted a Fancam of her son, a fan-made video edited with music and featuring clips of the creator's favourite singer, actor, or in a sports fandom sense, team or athlete. It is becoming a popular promotional method used in social media strategy and, overall, an entertaining form of appreciation.
"Yeah," MacEwen smiled sheepishly, letting out a little laugh. "She likes to get involved in that. I tell her to pump the brakes a little bit, but I think it's a good way for her to stay connected."
Indeed, Canucks Twitter also teaches and reminds both new and jaded fans about the team and its history. Where else can users watch a video of rookie Alex Edler dancing in the 2008 Dice &amp; Ice Gala, then scroll to a heated debate on the ethics of viewing a player's public Spotify playlist, then hold back tears to a tribute video of the Sedin retirement ceremony?
Alas, the Canucks Fan Experience isn't always a walk in the park. There's bound to be vitriol and valid opinions about individual player performance and the team itself, inevitable on such a viral digital platform.
"There's always some negativity that you see and don't see and that's just part of life and the game," MacEwen indicated. "Anytime you hear that, you kind of take it with a grain of salt. You can use that to fuel you. I've taken pride in trying to prove a lot of people wrong my whole life, and I'm gonna try to keep doing that and continue to make that part of who I am."
Each player faced some form of adversity and critique in their careers, but the Canucks' 2020-21 season seemed to accumulate hardship after hardship, even excluding the outbreak. From reverse retro jersey debates to trade deadline arguments, how could the same fanbase that came together to follow&nbsp;Elias Pettersson's universally-acclaimed offseason continue to pit themselves against each other?
It's simple, really: Canucks Twitter is one of the most active and polarizing online communities in the NHL. The recent divided discourse is, ironically, what brings the fanbase 'together'. Their concerns demonstrate what being a true fan is: wanting the best for your favourite team, regardless of the situation.
On May 3rd, this was illustrated in a turbulent home game against the Oilers.
Late in the second period, Connor McDavid plucked the puck at the blueline, and you can guess what happened next. I watched his quick shot pass through a desperate&nbsp;Braden Holtby&nbsp;and the puck painfully trickled into the net. Like clockwork for this year's point-leader, who would reach his 100-point milestone within a shortened season a few games later against, you already know who, the Canucks.
I bitterly ripped my eyes away from the Oilers' congratulatory huddle and knew what I'd be opening my Twitter timeline to: disappointment, misery, and the occasional&nbsp;'It's McDavid, what can you do?'
In the third period,&nbsp;Brock Boeser&nbsp;took a wrist shot after a clean faceoff win, tilting the ice in the Canucks' favour and putting the team within one goal of tying the game.
The goal horn shook the arena, smoke pumping out of the video board, and I heard several exclamations behind me. Once the goal horn faltered, the energy fell back into an awkward standstill. The players reset at centre ice, and the puck was dropped like nothing happened.
Then, I turned my phone on, and my timeline was still buzzing.&nbsp;
'Boeser!'s typed out in unison, siren and heart emojis sprinkled around, retweets of his goal video from the official Canucks Twitter account. That familiar rush that got my heart pumping blood faster than it was programmed to do. I visualized a frenzied crowd waving their towels in the air, cheering long after the goal.
Both of these contradictory feelings combine as the Canucks Fan Experience, and it was carried over to Twitter.
It's finding amusement in hearing the routine 'Woop!'s from&nbsp;Nate Schmidt, or natural expletives from&nbsp;J.T. Miller. It's the collective proposals for Nils H&ouml;glander's umlaut addition to his jersey, eventually coming to fruition. It's befriending international Canucks fans in Australia and Finland, who commit to watching the games early in their days.
It's so much more than watching a rubber disk roll past a goalie.
Sometimes, I think back to times where Canucks Twitter exploded&hellip; in a good way. H&ouml;glander deserved to hear the crowd go absolutely nuts when he attempted a few lacrosse goals.&nbsp;Brandon Sutter's first career hat trick in January should have been surrounded by a jumping sea of blue and green.&nbsp;Olli Juolevi&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jack Rathbone's first NHL career goals were entitled to a welcoming, ear-splitting crowd.&nbsp;
Moments of priceless harmony within this fanbase, confined to words and images on a screen. But celebrated just as enthusiastically as they would've been in person.&nbsp;
Canucks fans will show up for this team, regardless of circumstances and barriers, such as a literal global pandemic. That's the way hockey in Vancouver was, and is, and always will be, according to Botch.
Didn't we all pay for this rollercoaster ticket to have fun?
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The Power of Canucks Twitter

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Jumping into the National Hockey League can sometimes present a wide array of challenges for new players. What Nils H&ouml;glander has endured and accomplished with the Vancouver Canucks in 2021 is something else entirely.
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H&ouml;glander's career has taken him from his minor hockey days in Mal&aring;, Sweden, a small lakeside town of 2,000 known for its ski slopes and fishing, all the way to becoming a core member of the Canucks in his first NHL season. Not only has that journey involved getting accustomed to a new country, a new language and a new group of teammates but doing so in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;
And to his credit, the 20-year-old winger has faced the adversity with a smile. "I'm really proud of myself, I've worked hard to be in this situation," H&ouml;glander said at the start of the season. "It feels amazing to be on the ice and be with the team now."
The NHL baptism the former 2019 second round draft pick has experienced is certainly not the same one his linemate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhl.com/player/tanner-pearson-8476871" data-player-link="8476871">Tanner Pearson</a>&nbsp;got as a freshman. Pearson famously broke into the league in 2013-14 with the Los Angeles Kings, becoming an integral piece of the team's second Stanley Cup victory. In the eight years since, he's witnessed the first steps of many young hockey stars, including H&ouml;glander's.
"I think it's really different. Just the fact that you can't hang out with the guys or just do something inside with each other," Pearson said. "I remember when we played [before the pandemic], we had a pretty good crew that went out together a lot. But I think he's handled it pretty well."&nbsp;
In the average NHL rookie season, players have all the time they need to get accustomed to a new roster; both on the ice with an 82 game schedule and off of it through family dinners, team activities and shared hotel rooms on the road. The challenges of playing hockey during a worldwide pandemic caused all of those familiar plans to be modified or outright cut by the NHL for safety purposes.
Before his arrival in Vancouver for the abbreviated season, H&ouml;glander suited up in 23 games for R&ouml;gle BK of the Swedish Hockey League, an opportunity that simply wouldn't have been possible in a normal year. By the time Canucks' training camp began in January, H&ouml;glander already had his feet under him and was skating in midseason form.
And despite the current restrictions, Pearson and the rest of the Canucks have done what they can to make sure the kid they affectionately call "H&ouml;ggy' enjoys his time in Vancouver. "I think it's just about talking to him a lot," Pearson said. "Obviously, the only place we can really hang out is at the rink. So making sure that everything's going well not just here, but at home too. How he's coping with not being able to do a lot."
Even without all the usual chances to get to know his new teammates, H&ouml;glander still made an instant impression on them. "He's a real nice kid," Pearson said. "He doesn't talk a whole lot. But on the ice, he's definitely a little water bug out there. He plays hard, and he's not afraid to go to the dirty areas to chip in."
While H&ouml;glander has been adjusting to learning a new language in Vancouver, he's let his play do all the talking for him. In his very first game as a Canuck, he pounced on a rebound and knocked the puck past Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen for his first NHL goal; one of the bigger highlights in a rookie campaign that will likely see him finish top-five in team scoring.
"I couldn't believe it when the puck went in there, I was just in the moment," H&ouml;glander said at the time.
For past Canucks rookie standouts like&nbsp;Elias Pettersson,&nbsp;Quinn Hughes&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brock Boeser, the fanfare surrounding their debuts were much more noticeable thanks to the buzz of a jam-packed arena. But even without being able to watch him play in person, H&ouml;glander has become a clear favourite among the socially distanced Canucks fanbase. Throughout the first half of the season, fans on social media led a movement to have his jersey corrected to include the proper umlaut '&Ouml;' in his name.&nbsp;
As his on-ice confidence has grown, so too has the number of people that have been hoping to see H&ouml;glander attempt his famous "Lacrosse Goal"; a move he accomplished twice in the SHL that won him the league's Goal of the Year award in back-to-back seasons.
Beyond his scoring touch, H&ouml;glander's work ethic and relentless "water bug" style play has both frustrated his opponents and quickly earned him the trust of the coaching staff. In a May 3rd game against Edmonton he provided a textbook example of those skills, beating defensemen Ethan Bear to a puck behind the net and setting up a screen for a Nate Schmidt blast, picking up an assist in the process.
To his coach, Travis Green, the potential is rounding into place with every passing day. "I think he's shown some good glimpses of what he can be. He's had some great games," Green said.
"At times the seasons looked a little long for him. He's learning a lot on the fly as well. A lot of little details in the game. With the smaller ice, time and space is different. Offensively, I think it's been a bonus for him."
H&ouml;glander's offence and impressive rise has become the focal point of a Canucks season that hasn't gone according to plan. Regardless of the obstacles thrown his way, the young forward has routinely brought a positive attitude and a willingness to learn with him to the rink, and sometimes it's made all the difference.
"I think being a young kid, you want to enjoy it," Pearson said. "He's been given a pretty good opportunity to succeed, and he's taking advantage of it."
To his coach, that mindset shows the sky is the limit for Nils H&ouml;glander. "He's definitely a bright, bright player for us,'" Green said. "I'm excited to see how he develops from year to year. He's only gonna get better."
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Hög's Plan

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Participating in The Botchford Project was the experience of a lifetime. That my day coincided with International Women's Day on March 8th, made it a distinct honour, too. I received the email stating I had been selected and I could not believe it. I read it a few times before doing a couple victory laps around my desk at work. I had just started writing about the Canucks this year on my personal blog and for CanucksArmy.com covering postgame reports. I was shocked and elated that I had been chosen for an opportunity of a lifetime representing the legacy of the iconic, Jason Botchford. I long admired Jason's penchant for including women in his work, whether it be Georgia Twiss' lovely art, or highlighting women in his Athleties or Provies, he was always a trailblazer.
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First up was the morning skate. I put on my best outfit and headed to Rogers Arena, anxious at the outset like Allison Reynolds sitting in detention, but was surprisingly composed when the big moment arrived. Ryan Biech greeted me and showed me around the building. We walked around Rogers Arena, then sat down and took in the morning skate. He made me feel welcome and comfortable. One of the highlights, from the morning skate, was seeing&nbsp;Brock Boeser&nbsp;take the ice for the first time since, his injury on February 8th against the Flames. Esteemed members of the media were starting to arrive, take notes and tweet out line projections for tonight's game.
Later, we headed to the locker room to interview the players. I made sure to walk behind the media because I am terrible with directions and couldn't exactly remember where to go. Once we go to the locker room, Captain&nbsp;Bo Horvat&nbsp;was the first person in his stall and greeted the media with "I thought you guys were quarantined."
On the morning of March 8th, the NHL announced the media would be being closing the locker room and limiting player access going forward. This was the last time media would be allowed in the locker room since the NHL announced the new policy changes before the season was suspended a few days later. I felt very fortunate that I got this experience while I could.
After a brief afternoon respite, I made my way to Rogers Arena where the security greeted me with the enthusiasm of a prestige night club bouncers faced with a Sweet Dee-type. It dawned on me to show them my emails about the Botchford Project, and finally, they let me in. I met with the incomparable Thomas Drance for dinner. An outstanding part from my day was watching him work. The unique ways he interviews players and how he carriers himself was inspiring to see in person. For someone like myself, who's an aspiring writer, it was fascinating to observe in person.
Game time was fast approaching, my seat was number 65 in the press box, it was Jason Botchford's seat. It was an honour to sit in his spot, beside his partner in crime, Jeff Paterson. JPat was extremely gracious, helpful and one of the hardest working people I have ever seen. The game against the Columbus Blue Jackets may not have been the most exciting game, but, watching the game from the press box was exhilarating. It was surprising how small the media spaces are. When the play is ongoing it was necessary to fold your laptop screen down so you could lean forward and see the ice.
The locker room media access drastically changed after the game. Normally, media would be granted one on one player access. However, it was now in a press conference setting, where one player would sit at a mic, while the media would take turns asking questions. The media may not fan been fans of this new setup, but the players seemed to not mind being further away from us.
After the press conferences, we headed back up to the press box to start writing. It was neat to be writing beside people I admire and respect. Honestly, I wasn't sure when I was supposed to leave, but, I was going to take advantage of this opportunity. I was having a wonderful time and I planned on staying until they told me otherwise. Well, I ended up staying until just after midnight, writing away until Harman Dayal was the only person left.
The Botchford Project was an opportunity of a lifetime. Before me, there were eight brilliant fellows, who make up the Botchford 9. I asked them to share a memorable moment from their Botchford Project experiences and here are some of our highlights.
<h4>David Quadrelli: The Botchford Project 1</h4>
My Botchford Project Day was a life changing experience. It allowed me to further get my feet wet and rub elbows with the top dogs in the Vancouver media scene, something that is incredibly valuable but doesn't happen often. Having these people as mentors has been incredible for me and being able to reach out to them even now if I have a question or want their opinion on an article, I'm working on is super helpful.
<h4>Stephen Hawco: The Botchford Project 2</h4>
After game day skate we all went down for Travis Green's media availability as is done every other game day.
While we were waiting for Green, Drance suggested I should sneak in a question! I was a little hesitant to the idea at first but as I was sitting there listening to all the regulars ask their questions, I started to feel a bit more confident.
Once there was a second of silence I jumped in and asked a question about&nbsp;Adam Gaudette, who my piece was on.
I'll never forget the surprised look on Green's face when I opened my mouth, like "who is this guy?", but he proceeded to give me a well thought out answer that I was able to use in my article! Afterwards Thomas Drance had a big grin on his face and gave me a fist bump...it was an awesome start to an unforgettable day.
<h4>Natalie Hoy: The Botchford Project 3</h4>
Impostor syndrome was a very real thing when I was at the rink on my Botchford Project day, but so many people introduced themselves and made me feel as at ease as I possibly could. I learned a lot from just watching media members do their thing-whether it be interacting with players, to how quick they are with recognizing (and tweeting out!) novel line rushes.
I live in Kelowna, so it was also my first time at a game this season. I had seen the Canucks' zombie-themed in-arena film online, but it was much cooler on the big screens. The reporter beside me was not nearly as enthused; he had sat through it every home game (at that point, around 15 times), and I guess it was getting a little stale. Fair enough - but I'm sure the pros of the job more than make up for it!
<h4>Cody Severtson: The Botchford Project 4</h4>
When I got there, I had Ryan Biech give me a tour, and I was pretty much in, "don't embarrass yourself mode." The second I arrived at the waiting area by the entrance, Jim Benning rounded the corner, and I may have got out a meek and incredibly awkward, "hey."
I might have said, "sup?" but my brain has chosen to do me a favour and purge it from my memory, something I greatly appreciate.
After dropping off my 70-pound laptop bag at the media room, I made the long walk over to the bleachers, where I had the pleasure of meeting several icons in Vancouver media.
After introducing myself, I told them what I'd hoped to write, got feedback on the potential piece, and then I sat down to take notes on the team's morning skate.
It was then I realized that I left my glasses in my laptop bag ...and my phone! So, I sat there blind and incapable of noting the worldly tips and tidbits being taught unto me by these legends of Vancouver hockey journalism!
Rather than run back and grab the essentials, I sat, watched, conversed, and reset my internal counter of trying not to embarrass myself.&nbsp;
<h4>Nate Lewis: The Botchford Project 6</h4>
During morning skate, I told Ryan Biech and Thomas Drance which Canucks I wanted to talk to for my article:&nbsp;Troy Stecher? Great;&nbsp;Jay Beagle? No problem; Bo Horvat? Awesome; JT Miller? Alright.. Their reaction signalled to me that halfway through the season the collected media members and Canucks staff didn't have an easy rapport with the breakout first-liner. The impression I had gotten of Miller from an outside perspective was of a highly competitive person who wore his emotions on green and blue sleeves.
During game day media availability, I talked to Stecher, Beagle and Horvat and was unsure if I'd have time to get a fourth interview in. Most of the media had already left the dressing room but I hung around because Miller was just wrapping up a lengthy conversation with Ben Kuzma. Canucks PR staff asked Miller if he could answer a few more questions for the Botchford Project participant and he readily agreed, smiling up at me while he picked at his sock tape. Miller was gracious, thoughtful and generous in answering my questions. There's no doubt that he can be prickly at times, as opponents and referees have found out, but in this moment I found his candour and presence to be both refreshing and humanizing, a great reminder of every person's multi-faceted nature; a reality that can be forgotten when that person is so dang good at hockey.
<h4>Eric Thompson: The Botchford Project 7</h4>
I think the best part of my experience was getting to work alongside writers and journalists from different media outlets. Hearing what the other writers were working on and how all their different creative processes worked was really helpful, both for my Botchford Project piece and moving forward with my other work. It was an incredible experience and I can't thank the Canucks, Drancer and Harman enough for helping me be a part of the inaugural season of Botchford Project recipients.
<h4>Chris Faber: The Botchford Project 8</h4>
A memorable moment for me was dealing with&nbsp;Elias Pettersson. It was an optional skate that day and he didn't participate or deal with any media. I mentioned to Canucks PR that I was writing about Jason Botchford and when they told Elias, he came right out. Talked to me for more than 5 minutes and I could really feel how much he cared about Jason.
Sitting in seat 65 I got pretty emotional. I was trying to hold it back, but it was almost impossible. I wanted to be up there with Botch one day. I kept imagining him leaning back in a chair and giving me a hat tip. Words can't describe how much he means to me, but I try to emulate his energy everyday, try to help anyone who needs it and try to bring the Botch energy in all the Canucks content I create.
<h4>Dani Huntley: The Botchford Project 9</h4>
The media room is where Travis Green took the podium to answer questions after the morning skate. I had a couple questions to ask him and I was told he wouldn't answer my questions at the podium. Instead, I was fortunate enough to have a one on one with him in his office.
&nbsp;I was so nervous walking down the hall into his office by myself, I kept repeating my questions in my head. He shook my had and I sat down. So far, so good, I was playing it cool. He made it easy on me being very kind and approachable. He is a coach who gets a lot out of his young players, so I asked him about&nbsp;Jake Virtanen&nbsp;and the progression in his game this year.
"The positive part is Jake brings a lot of speed to the game. He's a big body, when he gets a step on somebody, he's hard to handle. Offensively he can create things on his own, and that also is a benefit for us when we play him on the third or forth line because he can create offense. Everyone is looking for offense out of your third and fourth line and he's been able to do that I find on any line."
Travis Green also, spoke about what Jake still needs to improve on, in order to play more complete game on a consistent basis.
"Now the part he's still working on in this game, how does he play on a line that's playing against top teams, where he's strong defensively in his own zone, winning puck battles on the wall, being able to break the puck out, and not let the other teams top players spend time in our zone."
&nbsp;"So, that's the constant teaching and talking through with a player, you know I've said it a lot, at the end of the day the onus goes on the player. You know, I've never seen a player not get played, or not play as much as he wants for playing too good."
"The better a player plays over 200 feet, the more minutes he gets and I think Jake really in the last three years has progressed into a player, and we are still trying to push him to become even a better player."
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A day at The Botchford Project

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The Vancouver Canucks are going the other way this season.
That is exactly what Jason Botchford wanted. The team is on track to make the playoffs this year for the first time since 2015.
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The Canucks went out and made huge moves to acquire players like&nbsp;J.T. Miller&nbsp;at the draft and&nbsp;Tyler Myers&nbsp;in free agency. To bolster the line-up even more, they recently went out and traded for one of the top available players at the deadline in Tyler Toffoli.&nbsp;
Three players that so many fans wanted to hear Jason rant about on the Pat-Cast with his buddy Jeff Paterson.
Jason Botchford was simply the best.
When I began to write about the Vancouver Canucks, I would try to emulate the same tone that he had when writing about this team.
Jason was informative, fun and consistently produced must read articles.
I was simply trying to shoot for one of the three with my own articles.
He included his followers in much of his work. His Twitter followers always had a smile on their face the next day after being included in the Provies or Athletties.
Jason's postgames were a work of art. They had storylines that ran on for years, he made those articles become must read material because if you didn't read it you would fall behind. If you missed a few of his postgame's you would end up being lost without knowing some of the inside jokes.
He was pretty much writing a novel about the Canucks season, influenced by the fans and fine-tuned by himself.
Jason Botchford has changed the media landscape in Vancouver. He's lifted some of the top content creators in Vancouver and inspired others to be the best they could be.
Harman Dayal is the perfect example. Harman is a contributor to The Athletic and a big reason for that is Jason Botchford.
"I really can't say enough about how much he helped me on my way up. I essentially went from a nobody to a guy that had a voice in this marketplace. A huge reason for that was because of the support that Botch gave me," said Dayal
That generosity and willingness to help other may have come from those who helped him rise to the top of the industry. One of those people was a BC Sports Hall of Fame journalist named Tony Gallagher.
Gallagher was a long-time sports journalist in Vancouver and lent out a much-needed hand to Jason when he arrived on the media scene in Vancouver.
"He came in with such confidence. He came in with such knowledge, such an understanding of the business. Something that's really hard to do is to hit this market running. He just came right in and was right at right home."
Jason even kept Gallagher going at the end of his career, proving that Botch would help anybody if they had a passion for their work.
"I think that towards the end of my career (Jason) really helped kind of carry me along and keep me semi interested. It's a great relationship and I just, I miss him horribly."
Gallagher realized Jason was on to something when he began going online with his postgames.
"He was the best around and when J started the Provies he took it to a whole new level," said Gallagher
His Provies/Athletties postgame's changed the way that writers would construct a postgame recap. Wyatt Arndt is a contributor for the Athletic and was Jason's back-up man for the Athletties last season.
"When Botch hit his prime with the Provies they became must read. That's when you saw people saying I'm not going to bed until I read the Provies," said Arndt
"Part of his legacy was how he got everyone involved. He didn't just make it about hockey, he made it about everything. You wanted to feel like Botchford listened to you and you wanted to be a part of the club."
Arndt also talked about how Tony Gallagher was such a big help for Jason's transition into this market.
"The Legacy of Tony Gallagher was passed on to Jason Botchford and Jason passed it on to others. If you wanted to write or get into sports and you had a passion for it. He would help you as far as he could and if he found out you didn't love it; he'd be like well go chase your passion then. He was all about making sure you did what you wanted to do."
Jason was always engaging with fans. Mostly through replies and direct messages on Twitter. He was also kind to fans of his when they would run into him on the street. He even had time to do a 30 minutes interview with any podcasters that would request his presence to liven things up on their show.
I think it's safe to say that Botch was most known for his writing. To me, his audio work was just as good, if not better. It didn't matter if it was 20 minutes of yelling at Halford &amp; Brough on the radio or an hour with Jeff Paterson on their podcast.
Jason was electric when the recording light was on.
I asked Jeff Paterson about what recording the Pat-cast was like.
"It was one of the highlights of my work week. He was always ahead of the curve. His showmanship stuck out. He had all the knowledge to do the job but it's about what he did with that knowledge. He had the flair and his soundbites continue to live on."
Jeff also talked about what life has been like since Jason's passing.
"Since his passing, I realize how much he meant to me. There are so many moments on the road where I catch myself and need to take a moment to realize how much I miss him now. I didn't see it at the time, I just saw us as two guys who covered the Canucks and liked to have fun on the podcast. I miss him every day, there's so much in this job that reminds me of him. Travel this year has been so different. Every city I can think of either a place we had gone, a place we had recorded the podcast or something that we had done or seen. It's just a constant reminder that he's gone and how much I miss him."
Whether it was his podcast partner, his co-workers at The Athletic or his readers that would consistently refresh their feeds at 1am to read that night's Athletties. He had us all hooked on him and his Canucks content.
We are lucky to have a fanbase in Vancouver that is so passionate about their local hockey team. Canucks fans are the best fans and it shows with the interactions on social media. The fans truly care about this team, sometimes they care too much.
Jason was aware of this. It was likely why he wanted to include the fanbase in so much of his work.
Vancouver Canucks fans aren't just a sleeping giant. They are passionate fanatics that crave a Stanley Cup more than any other team in the NHL. With Botch looking down on this team now I always wonder what he would have been reporting about this year.
J.T. Miller's incredible start in Vancouver, the team making a big trade for&nbsp;Tyler Toffoli&nbsp;before the deadline or Phoebe not winning the Canucks' Top Dog race. One thing he would have certainly been writing about is how "The Alien"&nbsp;Elias Pettersson&nbsp;is dealing with the added attention during his sophomore season.
Elias Pettersson got a lot of support early on from Jason Botchford. Botch was fuming at other media members during Pettersson's first training camp when they wouldn't stop asking Pettersson about his weight.
Pettersson enjoyed the work that Botch did, he always had his back and that's a relationship we don't often see between a media member and a player.
Botch knew that Pettersson was going to be a superstar. He let it be known very early on.
"He was always good to me. He said I was going to save the franchise."
"It was a lot of pressure," Pettersson laughed.
Pettersson mentioned Jason Botchford in his acceptance speech when he received the Calder Trophy.
I asked Pettersson why he wanted to talk about Jason Botchford when he received his Calder Trophy for rookie of the year. A night where Pettersson was being recognized in front of the hockey world for one of the greatest achievements of his hockey career.
"He always talked good about me, he said I was the guy. Then you hear the news about what happened, so I felt like I wanted to mention his name because he was a really good reporter."
Elias Pettersson wasn't the only Canucks player that was emotional about the loss of Jason. Many of the Canucks were stunned by the news of Jason's passing. Including some of the players he spoke to the most.
"It was a huge shock, you talk to him at year end and it was just a huge shock, he always looked happy and healthy. It was a sad day for all of us, I dealt with him for 4 or 5 years, he's done a great job with the young writers and reporters by mentoring them, he's definitely left a legacy behind," said&nbsp;Bo Horvat.
"It was probably the same as (the fans), we were devastated, you feel for his family, it was very tragic. He was strong in his beliefs and he asked hard questions. My parents read his work a lot and they said he was an advocate of mine," said&nbsp;Troy Stecher.
"Everyone was shocked, me and Brock were texting each other about what happened, and it was so devastating. We work different jobs but they cover us, we work with them every day, you see them every day and then he's gone. It's so sad because he has a wife and three kids. I would read some of his stuff, I don't know much about how to write a report or article, but I liked his." said Pettersson.
Jason may be gone but his legacy lives on through all of us. From the players to the fans, the podcasters to the bloggers, even management to the radio hosts. Jason left an impact on every single one of us.
For me, he changed everything. He made me move from my hometown over here to Vancouver to pursue my dream of working in sports media. He's inspired myself and countless others to be better to one another and not to let anything hold you back from reaching your goals.
This year the Canucks have been playing with a Botchford mentality. They are shocking the league and leaving a smile on Canucks fans' faces.
Two things that Botch always did and will continue to do.
Elias Pettersson may have changed the franchise but Jason Botchford changed the way that media members will cover it. He wanted playoffs so bad for this team. He knew this young core was about to turn the corner as it has this season.
I hope he's looking down today with a smile.
Jason will not be forgotten. His impact around this organization will live on forever. He will be the first person many of us think of when this team hoists the Stanley Cup.
"It's with guys like him that allows a city to dream of better days too." -Jason Botchford.
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Botch's Impact

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There's a term in professional wrestling - "pop". It's a type of cheer, an instantaneous crowd reaction. It's indicative of a few things, but mainly, it's an indication of how invested the audience is in the "babyface" - the good guy.
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I'm no stranger to crowds, wrestling and hockey alike. And one of the loudest pops I've ever heard came when&nbsp;Tanner Pearson&nbsp;scored against the Calgary Flames about thirty seconds into their divisional matchup with the Vancouver Canucks this past Saturday night.
One second of play later, I heard an even louder one as&nbsp;J.T. Miller&nbsp;dropped the gloves with noted pest extraordinaire Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuk won the bout, but Vancouver didn't care - the message had been sent.
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We're five years out from the last Canucks playoff appearance, and many Vancouver fans were initially hesitant to get excited for a strong start to the season. But now it's February, the Canucks are first in a competitive Pacific Division, and Rogers Arena is teeming with excitement, fervor, and noise.&nbsp;
So is Vancouver. Walking around the city, especially near the rink, it's hard to go a block without spotting a blue and green jersey or ball cap. The hesitancy is gone. Vancouver is all in.
"The past couple games, really the whole year, the fans have been terrific," said&nbsp;Brock Boeser. "They're loud every game, they give us momentum, and I think it's a big part of why we're having success at home."
The Canucks had won 6 of 7 coming into the month of February, taking down the reigning Stanley Cup Champions in the process. The subsequent three-game skid did little to stifle the enthusiasm in Vancouver on Saturday night as the Canucks took on the Flames with the opportunity to put some more daylight between themselves and one of their divisional rivals.
"It's a huge game," Chris Tanev agreed on Saturday morning. "They're a few points behind us, and it's crunch time now. All these points are huge, especially when you're playing a divisional rival."
It certainly didn't hurt that it was a Hockey Day in Canada tilt between two historic rivals, but this year's Pacific Division race is one of the tightest ever at this point in the season, and it feels like anything can happen.
"I don't think it happens very often if you go back through the history of the league," head coach Travis Green said. "It's exciting, that's for sure."
The occasion wasn't lost on the fans inside the rink either. The atmosphere at Rogers Arena was nothing short of electric, and the players responded in kind early on in the crucial divisional matchup.
Jacob Markstrom's first save of the night, a routine stop by all accounts, was met with a disproportionate roar of approval. The fans were ready to erupt for anything - and with a team this exciting, it'd be hard to blame them. Markstrom drew even louder cheers with a flurry of saves on Noah Hanifin and Tobias Rieder in tight.
Of course, any all-Canadian matchup will have its fair share of travelling fans, and they made their presence known when Derek Ryan tied the game before Miller and Tkachuk were even out of the box, and again in the back half of the opening frame.
Not to be outdone by the visiting fans, the home crowd popped for a beautiful move from&nbsp;Bo Horvat&nbsp;that resulted in a Rittich save, and an Alex Edler hit that knocked Rieder off his feet.
There was palpable disappointment in the arena when the Canucks failed to score on what was otherwise a fantastic powerplay, but a slick skate-to-stick-to-twine move from&nbsp;Adam Gaudette&nbsp;set that right, ending the period on a positive note.
But the best crowd pops build, like a crescendo. They are the culmination of a series of moments, the release that follows anticipation. As the Canucks built up sustained pressure, missing several golden chances to equalize, the crowd grew anxious, but excited. The play traveled up the other end of the rink, where the Flames got in a few chances of their own. Markstrom covered up a puck that was whacked at by a Calgary forward, and the fiery Vancouver goaltender responded with a shove and a whack of his own, falling upon the player and earning a pop for the ages. Vancouver exploded with overwhelming, rapturous applause for their All-Star netminder. The passion the city has for the club and its players was on full display as Rogers Arena shook with excitement and appreciation for one of the biggest parts of the team's success in 2020.
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Another wrestling term I like is "heat". Heat is another type of crowd reaction, one of annoyance, animosity, and contempt. It isn't quite as instantaneous as the pop - it's more a status, a measure of hatred built up over time.
Milan Lucic has nuclear heat - that was more than apparent when he shoved&nbsp;Antoine Roussel&nbsp;to the ice after another scrum in front of Markstrom's crease. The crowd was already hot - after all, it was a then-tight scoreline in a divisional matchup between two historical rivals. Lucic is a heel, through and through. He's there to gain heat and use it to his advantage and he plays the role well, with a bleach-blonde look he seems to have adopted just to lean into the character a little bit harder.
Conversely, Jacob Markstrom seemed to be the babyface combatant in the evening's main event - he was at the centre of most of the game's pops, for his big saves just as much as his involvement in the rough stuff. But the babyface can't always win. Sometimes the heel gets one over on him, and it was Lucic himself who delivered the 4-2 dagger to put Saturday's contest out of reach for the division leaders. The boos (muddled with cries of "Looch!" from Calgary's fans, no doubt) rivalled some of the loudest cheers of the night for decibel level. And that's as good of a measure of passion as any - these fans are invested in this season and this playoff race, they care, and they do NOT like the Flames.
Chris Tanev has been a part of the Canucks for a long time, and knows how important the Vancouver fans can be. "If you're down a goal or two in the third and the fans get going, they give you that little bit of energy you otherwise wouldn't have."
In a tight race like the one the Canucks find themselves in, that energy could be the boost Vancouver needs to get over the finish line.
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Saturday Night Heat

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Prior to their lengthy five-game road trip, the Vancouver Canucks played the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Arena. The game was a quintessential Canucks home performance. They were outshot. They were out chanced. They got terrific goaltending. They were opportunistic. Most importantly, they won the game. Add a&nbsp;Bo Horvat&nbsp;empty netter and you've got the Canucks recipe for success at home.
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Thatcher Demko, the first star of the evening, fresh off his fifth win in six appearances and one of the best performances of his NHL career, gushed about the support from Canucks fans: "(The fans) have been great. They've been super supportive all year. I know that our guys love playing for them. Love playing at home. This is our home. The fans have been proving that, the city has been proving that. It's a lot of fun for us."
Running counter to some underlying metrics the Canucks won on home-ice for the ninth time in a row; the 12th win in their last 14 home games, dating back to December 3rd. Over this streak the Canucks have averaged a Corsi For of 44.98% at 5v5, but once these numbers were adjusted for game situation I found that the Canucks have been leading for 41% of their game time at home, which provides added context as to why their CF% is considerably lower than league average. However, the script flips when the Canucks leave Vancouver. While their 5v5 CF% of 48.93% on the road is far better than the comparable non-adjusted rate at home, adjusting again for game situation on the road finds that the Canucks only led for 25% of those games. While Vancouver's CF% has been better on the road than at home, this alone is not a good predictor of success without the context that they have trailed for a whopping 44% of game time played on the road compared to just 21% of the time at home.
Nonetheless, the Canucks have earned 24 of a possible 28 points at home over their winning streak, and have collected an average of 1.48 points per home game this season, which is the 5th highest rate in the league. On the road, their average points collected (APC) plummets to 0.93, which is worse than the road APC for the four Pacific Division teams who the Canucks are battling for playoff spots and positioning. League-wide, the split between Vancouver's home and away APC (0.55) is the largest of any team currently in a playoff position. This would suggest that the Canucks' playoff hopes, and potential playoff success, hinges on winning games at home and getting to or slightly above an APC of 1 on the road, with an eye to capturing 1 of the top 2 spots in the division and home-ice advantage in a first round playoff matchup.&nbsp;
Many analytically oriented folks would look at the underlying numbers of the Canucks home and away performances and come to the conclusion that the biggest driver of Vancouver's home success and road struggles has been luck. And this is a compelling argument. The favoured statistical proxy for team (or player) luckiness is PDO, which adds, in this case, a team's 5v5 save percentage to their even-strength shooting percentage, for a total that averages out to 100 or 1.000. Any result above 100 is a candidate for regression, likely driven by unpredictable factors such as puck luck, a hot goalie, or a streaky shooter. Similarly, any total below 100 should rise given a larger sample size. On home ice the Canucks have the highest PDO in the league at 103.3. Away from Rogers Arena their PDO ranks 25th at 0.98. This high 'luck factor' at home coupled with a lack of puck possession in the same games would suggest that Vancouver's phenomenal run of form at home is not sustainable. However, there are a few mitigating off-ice factors that may continue to be durable positive influences on the Canucks' home performance.
When asked about the divergence between home and away success Travis Green said that road results were something he has talked with the team about and emphasized that, "to win long-term in the league you've got to be able to win on the road. We want a team that plays well at home, everyone wants to have a good home record, but you need to win on the road". Green continued to say that he thinks part of the difference might be age-related. Given that the Canucks' two best players are under the age of 22, with&nbsp;Elias Pettersson&nbsp;in his second NHL season and&nbsp;Quinn Hughes&nbsp;in his first, comments on age from the coach are bound to focus attention on the two All-Stars.&nbsp;
In talking about going on road trips as a young player,&nbsp;Bo Horvat&nbsp;acknowledged that there is a learning curve in managing your own rest and preparation, and that "it's totally different when you're going back to the hotel and preparing for a game &hellip; you have to learn to work both ends of it." The ongoing off-ice maturation of two young players doesn't fully account for the radical difference in home and away results. However, given how critical Pettersson and Hughes are to the team's on-ice performance, the idea that both players are still learning to navigate a professional travel schedule in one of the more far-flung NHL cities could certainly be a factor in the Canucks' struggles on the road.
For some of the veterans on the team, being in Vancouver means recharging with family and friends. Speaking with&nbsp;J.T. Miller&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jay Beagle, two players who spent time playing in the Eastern Conference, both players brought up the extended length of Canuck road trips. Beagle said, "I felt like last year it was easier on the family because they knew that I'd be gone for 10 days and then you're back on a home stretch for usually like 10 days". Miller added, "there's nothing like these road trips here, there's a lot of 10-dayers instead of 4-, 5-, 6-dayers", and that "by the time the road trip is over we're just dying to come home and spend time with our families".
While it's important for the Canucks' young stars to learn to manage the off-ice challenges of numerous road trips over a season, for veterans like Beagle, Miller, and Horvat, spending a chunk of time with their loved one's can be rejuvenating. Winning in front of an enthusiastic crowd may be another reason for a young team to look forward to playing home games. And when it comes down to getting results, a little bit of luck can be just what a team like that needs. &nbsp;
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Home Cooking: a recipe for continued success?

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When 19-year-old&nbsp;Quinn Hughes&nbsp;arrived in Vancouver last March, he wasn't too sure what to expect from the city.
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"Nervous, anxious. You're in a really big, beautiful city. I stayed in a hotel, I met everyone, was at the rink doing treatment, going to dinner with guys. Nothing too crazy, I got around."
Quinn's father Jim was the Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so Quinn grew up playing hockey and surrounded by hockey culture. Hughes' mother Ellen also won silver at the 1992 Women's World Hockey Championships, and was named to the tournament all-star team.
Adding that Quinn's brother Jack was drafted first overall in 2019 and youngster Luke Hughes is considered a top prospect for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, it's safe to say the Hughes family are experts on hockey culture and what it means to be a hockey player.
Still, Quinn says there's a side to moving to a new city that fans don't always see.
"I don't think people realize how hard it is for someone to come in like that," he says about his move to Vancouver.
Still, his teammates were integral to his settling in Vancouver and eventual success on the ice. "In a group like this, they're encouraging, supportive, and welcoming."
Hughes, who appeared in the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis, also credits the fans for a smooth transition.
"Fans were great then, they're awesome now. So supportive. Everyone wants to see us do well."
Much like Hughes, Canucks forward&nbsp;Antoine Roussel&nbsp;is just learning what it means to be a Vancouverite.
After signing a four-year contract in July 2018, the fan favourite made his way to Vancouver with another Canucks legend - Alex Burrows.
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"Alex Burrows flew with us. It was good timing, he wanted to see the city and his friends. We got dinner and walked through the city and it was funny that he got so recognized, like a rockstar. I thought that was pretty cool."
Since his arrival in Vancouver, Roussel has quickly become a fan favourite for his vehement defence of his teammates and the city. When the Montreal Canadiens came to Rogers Arena in December, Roussel raised eyebrows with his criticism of the Habs jerseys in the crowd, saying, "to be honest, I hate that. There are too many red jerseys here. It pisses me off they way they feel like it's their home. It's our home. Get the hell out of here."
Along with his antics off the ice, Roussel had a career season in 2018/19 with 31 points in 65 games - despite missing the last month of the season with a knee injury - and was the recipient of the Canucks' Fred J. Hume award for Unsung Hero, as voted by the fans.
Moments after his much-anticipated return to the game on December 3rd, Roussel put the puck past former Canucks goaltender Anders Nilsson, followed by a celly to the skies, saluting Alex Burrows in the Ring of Honour.
This season, Roussel has also found inspiration in the changing actions of the fans.
"I found that the fans stay more at the end of the game. We stay and salute the crowd at the end and I think the team wasn't doing that before. You don't see many people leave before the game ends, it's pretty cool."
Since moving to the city in 2018, Roussel has fallen in love with Vancouver, on and off the ice. He says the seawall is a family favourite, particularly amongst his kids.
"We love the seawall. Biking, taking the kids outdoors. I could really see myself living here after my career."
While most of the Canucks call Vancouver a second home, there are a select few who know Vancouver like the back of their hands.
One of them is Richmond, BC native&nbsp;Troy Stecher. Before signing with the Canucks in 2016, he played three seasons with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL before heading to the University of North Dakota for three more seasons.
"I lived at my friend's place for five years in the summertime when I'd come back [from junior], at Oak and 41st so kind of Vancouver proper, near Queen Elizabeth Park. So it wasn't far from downtown, so I'd kind of experience all the same things I did as a kid, like go to Canadians games, Whitecaps games in the summer, ride the seawall. For me, it was just coming home"
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Now 25, Stecher notes that Vancouver itself is a motivator, with the Pacific Ocean just outside his front door.
"I get so excited to wake up in the morning and take the dog out and feel the ocean breeze."
Making their last playoff appearance in 2014/2015, the team has spent the past years rebuilding, reworking, and finding their groove. It's been a time of transition, as the team finds an identity in a changing league.
Now in his fourth season with the team, the Canucks defenseman is proud to call Vancouver home.
"Playing at this level, you get to experience different cities all the time when you're travelling playing road games. Doing that has been really unique to experience different cultures, different cities, what they believe in. At the same time, it's just given me an appreciation of Vancouver so much more and how beautiful a city it actually is."
"To me, it's the most beautiful city in the world. Pretty biased because I'm from here, but I truly do believe that."
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Home ice advantage

The Comets Pathway

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When&nbsp;Jay Beagle&nbsp;returned to the Canucks lineup after missing six games with a lower body ailment,&nbsp;Bo Horvat&nbsp;could breathe a sigh of relief.
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Not only for lessening his load in the face-off circle, but the driver's seat as well.
Horvat and Beagle carpool to the rink on game days. The arrangement started last season, when the two figured out they only live a few blocks apart. They quickly bonded over country music; their dogs; a shared love of the game.
The game of Mario Kart, that is.
As mentioned on Air Canucks, Beagle, Horvat,&nbsp;Tanner Pearson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brandon Sutter play Mario Kart on the plane together.
Beagle and Mario Kart have a long history. He remembers growing up in Calgary, playing the video game on Nintendo 64 with his brother and sister. He played when he was in Washington - jokingly challenging Phil Kessel to a game during a fueled 2017-18 Stanley Cup run. When he found out a few of his new teammates broke out the Nintendo Switch for some multiplayer action between cities, it was a no-brainer.
"Bo has the upper hand on me right now. It hurts me to say that," Beagle says with a smile, suggesting he'll try to coax out the captain's winning strategies on their next drive. "When we play each other, even in something as fun as that, I don't like to lose."
Have fun. Compete hard. It's the culture Travis Green has pushed since being named the Canucks' head coach ahead of the 2017-18 season. And in their historic 50th year, fans are getting a taste of the push back; the comradery; a future carried by youth.
It's one Beagle wanted to be a part of.
Undrafted out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, the 34-year-old centre worked his way through the ECHL and AHL - winning championships at both levels - before cementing a spot in the NHL in 2011. He didn't have any ties to the Canucks prior to signing a four-year deal here in July of 2018, but was intrigued by their vision and the opportunity to share his experience with a young core.
His work ethic and upbeat personality have fit right in with the Canucks and the understated, lead-by-example attributes displayed by many of their recent veteran signings.
"Jay's been awesome towards me," shares Horvat. "I've only known him for a year and a half now, but just asking him questions about his journey and how he got into the league; watching him work night in and night out, and just be the hardest worker on the ice all the time&hellip; I've learned a lot from him that way."
Horvat's journey to the NHL was more clear-cut, the Canucks selecting him ninth overall in the 2013 Entry Draft. But high expectations and criticism have trailed the Rodney, Ontario native through this hockey market. It fuels his off-season training - and subsequent improvements - each year.
Officially given the team captaincy at the start of this season, Horvat acknowledges the influence of players like Beagle, and Henrik and Daniel Sedin, in developing his leadership style. "I'm not the most vocal guy, but I'm going to lead by example and play the way I know how to play."
Beagle was quick to notice Horvat's maturity; a calm demeanor and perseverance that are hard to come by, and especially in players his age.
"As a captain, you have to be selfless. You have to put the team and others in front of you, and Bo does that very well," he adds.
Bo and his wife, Holly, host families staying at the Ronald McDonald House each home game through their Horvat's Heroes initiative.
Beagle has also embraced an opportunity to get involved in the community. He joined a group of kids from a Downtown Eastside youth program for some street hockey earlier this month.
From an outside perspective, it can be easy to forget a career in the NHL is more than what's left on the ice.
It can be quiet pre-game rituals. Making time for local initiatives.
Sometimes it's two players that grew up 3,000 kilometres and a decade apart, unwinding in car ride conversation. A little more than your typical mentor-mentee exchange, Beagle notes.
"I don't think of it as anything else than just a friendship growing."
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Teammates & rivals

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Adam Gaudette&nbsp;knows nothing is guaranteed in the NHL and that's why his goal celebrations, which have become very popular amongst Canucks nation and his teammates, are so boisterous.
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"We love to see it, It's kind of a dying breed."&nbsp;Troy Stecher&nbsp;said about his teammate's goal celebrations.
Stecher was not wrong either, names that come to mind when you think of 'big celebrators' are the likes of Alex Ovechkin or Auston Matthews to name a couple, but it is something that is not seen as much as fans would like to.
Players too, for that matter.
Seeing their teammate getting pumped up after a goal injects some extra energy to the group which has the capability of changing the momentum in a game.
"They seem to like it. It seems to fire everybody up which is a good thing. Everybody wants to score, everybody wants to win." Gaudette said on what his teammates think of his celebrations.
Stecher added, "It gives us some energy. It keeps things light and kind of takes a serious edge off and helps you remember that you're playing a game."
He admitted, the guys on the team like to have fun at "Celly Gauds" expense, throwing the odd chirp at him. All in good fun.
Stecher also referenced Gaudette's "Superman" celebration against Ottawa in preseason, a precursor for what has been seen throughout the early parts of 2019/20.
It has been clear...no one on the Canucks loves to score more than&nbsp;Adam Gaudette, if they do, they don't show it.
Gaudette said he's had exciting goal celebrations for as long as he can remember during his hockey career.
"It's just the love of the game." he explained.
That love for the game has been evident for the young Gaudette.
On the ice he shows his true personality whether it's him or a teammate scoring.
Off the ice, however, he is much more reserved and soft spoken but it's easy to tell he's passionate about scoring but more importantly winning.
"Just work hard on the ice and celebrate after" he says.
There aren't any special or premeditated celebrations, he says they just come to him right away but his go-to is the patented one-knee fist bump.
But it's not just the goal celebrations that has made him popular with fans...
Back in 2014, Vancouver traded defenceman Raphael Diaz to the New York Rangers for a 2015 fifth round selection that was eventually used to draft the Braintree, MA native.
To put the early success of the trade into perspective, Diaz played just 11 games for the Rangers and had stops in Calgary and Hartford of the AHL before ultimately making the move to Switzerland.
The 23-year-old Gaudette is in his second NHL season after getting into 56 games with the big club in 2018/19 and has shown vast improvements in his play at both ends of the ice.
"I think I had a good summer in the gym. On the ice I got faster and stronger, it just made me feel more comfortable out there, more confident. Also holding onto and carrying pucks for long periods of time, just having a big comfort level." Gaudette said about his approach coming into this season.
Travis Green has taken notice of the 2018 Hobey Baker winner's steadily improving game.
"The details in his game are getting better from the defensive side of the puck. He's a quick learner and wants to be good at both ends of the rink and he's having a pretty good year." Green said.
20 games into his season, Gaudette has scored on 23.1% of his shots on goal.
Of course, those numbers will even out more as the season plays out but it is very promising to see so early into his NHL career.
He is starting to solidify himself as a productive third-line centre with his 13 points (6G, 7A) in those 20 games in a Canucks jersey along with his better defensive play that Green mentioned.
With those 13 points, he has already surpassed his previous season total in 37 fewer games thanks to a two assist effort against Ottawa on Tuesday.
"I knew it was going to be a transition, I didn't know how drastic it would be but it was something that I needed to work through." Gaudette said on going from NCAA to the pro ranks. "It took a bit of time but I'm up to speed now and things are going well."
Having found ways to score goals at just about every level he's played, his offensive capabilities have been starting to show at the NHL level since his late-October call up.
November saw all of the centre's six goals this season, with three of them coming on the man advantage. That is the highest goal mark for someone not on the top power play unit that is currently tops in the NHL with 30 goals.
He has shown all kinds of potential in being not just a serviceable player at the NHL level, but an effective one.
Adam Gaudette is just scratching the surface with his potential and he will surely be a fun player to watch develop with this exciting young core for years to come.
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The Celly Gaud

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There has never been a Vancouver Canucks defenceman with as much raw skill as&nbsp;Quinn Hughes.
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When the Canucks called on the 19-year-old defenceman with the seventh pick at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, general manager Jim Benning could hardly contain his excitement, expressing how excited he was for the fans of his team just moments after he called Hughes' name at the draft podium.
Now we know why.
Hughes is nearly going stride for stride with&nbsp;Elias Pettersson's impact during his rookie season a year prior, and that's no easy feat.
The Canucks didn't know where they were going to get goals from the year after Henrik and Daniel Sedin retired, and Pettersson answered that question.
A question that hasn't been answered for even longer, however, was when were the Canucks going to get a defenceman who could get the puck up to their forwards, and really drive their offence? Well, so far, Hughes has been that guy.
Hughes leads not only the Canucks, but&nbsp;the entire National Hockey League in offensive zone possession. He's also eighth in the league in end-to-end rushes; and while these aren't the typical statistics you would see on a box score, they make a huge difference.
Thanks to these abilities, Hughes has completely revitalized the Canucks' power play, and has been a very welcome addition to the team's new-look defence corps. The much-improved blueline now features the likes of&nbsp;Tyler Myers&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jordie Benn, along with Hughes.
All three have played big roles this year, but without Hughes, there would likely be major question marks surrounding their power play, much like there would have been last year, had it not been for Pettersson. From the moment Hughes was added to the first power play unit this season, it immediately looked much more dangerous.
Opposing penalty kills had no idea what Hughes was going to do next, would he pass to Boeser or Pettersson, or would he use his skating abilities to turn on a dime and open up an entirely different passing lane? Hughes certainly makes the Canucks' power play more dynamic and unpredictable.
Playing with a veteran defenceman like Chris Tanev has been good for Hughes, but it's also been good for Tanev, who, with Hughes, has formed a very solid second defence pairing for the Canucks. According to Tanev, Hughes is the most skilled defence partner he's ever played with:
"He's definitely by far the most skilled partner I've played with. Just the way he can change direction and how good he is with the puck, any partners I've played with, no one's really been that skilled. He's a little bit smaller, and I think that helps him, he's able to slip through guys and change direction in the blink of an eye, and it's very impressive to watch."
Hughes' skating abilities and top-notch hockey IQ have drawn high praise since before he crossed the stage in Dallas, but an underrated aspect of his game is his shot. Not only can Hughes let go of a booming slapshot from the point, but he can get that slap shot off in the blink of an eye.
Hughes abilities were on full display Saturday night when the Canucks managed to come back from a late two goal deficit, picking up assists on both the tying goal, and the goal that brought his team within one late.
Although his point production has decreased from what it was in his first 10 games of the season, Hughes' coach and defence partner alike have been impressed with his defensive play -- something that Tanev believes Hughes isn't given enough credit for.
"He plays very good defence, he's very good obviously up the ice with the puck, and really good on the power play. He's a full 200 foot player and he's only going to get better as time goes on."
Hughes has been able to get the respect of everybody in the Canucks' dressing room, most of whom refer to him as "Huggy" or "Huggy bear". According to Canucks' captain&nbsp;Bo Horvat, both Hughes and Pettersson earned the respect of everyone in the room due to their off ice actions, just as much as their on-ice actions.
"If guys come in and work hard, and don't think they're bigger than the team, they're going to fit into our room really easily, and I think Quinn does that. He works hard every single day, and he's willing to learn and get better as a team. He's been really good so far and he's super easy to get along with. Hasn't lipped anybody off yet, so that's a positive too."
The captain's words are very similar to what many Canucks players said about Pettersson last year; quiet kid, works hard, and has a team first mentality. Seems like a recipe for success.
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