Hello

The Vancouver Canucks are more than just a sports team in my life, they are part of who I am. At almost every point of my 23 years, I can attribute something to the Canucks. I was just a month old when my parents took me with them to see the  West Coast Express take on Joe Sakic's Colorado Avalanche. Later, it was on the screens of my GameCube where NHL '06 crowned Matthias Ohlund as my favourite player due to his ability to break the glass on occasion. Playing the EA Sports series was what really introduced me to keeping track of players around the league, statistics, transactions, and more. Every year, regardless of the price tag and usual lacklustre changes, buying the annual rendition of NHL was tradition. My passion for the team has spread immensely over time, including a love for jerseys, a hockey card phase, and religiously following the team; whether that is live at Rogers Arena, on TV/Radio, or for the past four years having season tickets to watch the Abbotsford Canucks as well. My childhood bedroom at my parents' home still dawns a handprinted stick in rink logo they made for me, and a jumbotron light fixture. I even managed to mention attending Round 1 of the playoffs last year in my vows when I married my high school sweetheart in September 2024.
 

Interestingly enough, the importance of the Canucks dates back 30 years before I was born. When the NHL was set to bring an expansion team to Vancouver to start the 1970's, my great-grandfather was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs front office. As a result, my grandfather grew up accompanying his dad on trips with the team down to Boston or over to Montreal sitting on the plane/bus with whichever player was not playing cards at the time. Something I love to say is "The Maple Leafs have not won the cup since my family worked for them". Eventually, Vancouver would come calling, and my great-grandfather would pack up the family and move west to help the Canucks enter the NHL. My grandfather would transfer to Simon Fraser University where he would meet my grandmother, and the rest is history. If it was not for an NHL team landing in Vancouver in the 70's, I would not be here today to bleed blue and green and scream shoot every time they are on a power play. I hope to share my passion with anyone who comes to read my insights, updates, jokes and more at Stick Skate Orca.