What a week it含羞草研究社檚 been for Surrey含羞草研究社檚 Arshdeep Bains, who played his first few games with the Vancouver Canucks and became just the fourth player with Punjabi roots to skate in the National Hockey League.
A rookie forward, , played again in Seattle two nights later, then helped the Canucks to a comeback 3-2 win over rival Boston Bruins in Vancouver on Saturday.
At Rogers Arena, dozens of family members and friends watched Bains play on home ice for the first time, with a team he cheered for as a kid growing up in Surrey, where he still lives with family.
Heading into another home game Tuesday (Feb. 27) against Pittsburgh Penguins, Bains hasn含羞草研究社檛 yet scored a point in the NHL. But he含羞草研究社檚 earned the trust of head coach Rick Tocchet and also teammates, meaning he just might stay with the league-leading Canucks for the rest of the season.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 a big fan, I like him a lot,含羞草研究社� . 含羞草研究社淚 think there含羞草研究社檚 another level, and that含羞草研究社檚 when playing in the NHL. He含羞草研究社檚 earned a spot right now, you know 含羞草研究社� I don含羞草研究社檛 know how long it含羞草研究社檚 going to be. Maybe it含羞草研究社檚 the rest of the year, but he含羞草研究社檚 earned a spot.
含羞草研究社淚 know guys enjoy playing with him,含羞草研究社� the coach continued. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e had a couple of players come up to me individually and say, 含羞草研究社楬ey, don含羞草研究社檛 be afraid to throw him on my line.含羞草研究社� So I think that含羞草研究社檚 the ultimate compliment for that kid.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t was a dream come true for the family, for the community, and for all of us here in B.C.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社� Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)
Kuldip Bains speaks with Kate Pettersen () on watching his son, Arshdeep, make his NHL debut during the Mentors含羞草研究社� Trip! |
Bains made his NHL debut with proud father Kuldip at the game in Colorado, on the team含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渕entors trip.含羞草研究社� In Seattle, more family members watched him in action.
含羞草研究社淚t was a dream come true for the family, for the community, for all of us here in B.C.,含羞草研究社� Kuldip Bains told the Canucks含羞草研究社� rinkside reporter, Kate Pettersen.
含羞草研究社淗is demeanor is hard work, and right from the beginning he含羞草研究社檚 always working hard, to the fullest,含羞草研究社� Bains含羞草研究社� father added.
Two weeks ago Bains was called up by the Canucks from their AHL affiliate, Abbotsford Canucks, where he含羞草研究社檚 starred in recent months and in the first week of February.
Arshdeep Bains writes 含羞草研究社淏ibi含羞草研究社� & 含羞草研究社淏aba含羞草研究社� on every one of his hockey sticks paying respect to his grandma & his late grandpa.
含羞草研究社� Randip Janda (@RandipJanda)
A special night for the Surrey kid making his home debut at Rogers Arena tonight.
Bains, 23, was undrafted in both the WHL junior league and the NHL, and , in March 2022. He played junior with Red Deer Rebels and captured the WHL含羞草研究社檚 Bobby Clarke Trophy as top scorer in 2021-22 with 112 points in 68 games.
With the Canucks he含羞草研究社檚 wearing jersey #80, and on his hockey sticks writes 含羞草研究社淏ibi含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淏aba含羞草研究社� to pay respect to his grandmother and late grandfather. Before stepping to the ice, he touches the ground (rink floor) in a blessing of Mother Earth, a tradition among Sikh Punjabis.
含羞草研究社淏ains is a big deal for the Punjabi community, but also Surrey, and it含羞草研究社檚 such a great story,含羞草研究社� confirmed Harpreet Pandher, a broadcaster with Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Edition.
含羞草研究社淗e gets signed by his favourite childhood team, the Canucks. Getting signed, that doesn含羞草研究社檛 mean you含羞草研究社檙e going to play in the NHL, but the season he含羞草研究社檚 had, making the AHL all-star team and being the MVP, it was kind of a no-brainer that he deserved a shot at the NHL.
含羞草研究社淕oing back to his junior days,含羞草研究社� Pandher added, 含羞草研究社渃oaches have mentioned that Arshdeep is very coachable, a good learner. Every level he含羞草研究社檚 been at, he含羞草研究社檚 worked hard and he made the adjustments needed to get to the next step.含羞草研究社�
As the fourth Punjabi-roots player in the NHL, Bains follows in the footsteps of Robin Bawa in the 1990s, Manny Malhotra a decade later, and fellow Surreyite Jujhar Khaira in recent years.
Due to pre-scheduling, Bains含羞草研究社� home-ice debut with the Canucks was not broadcast live on Hockey Night in Canada含羞草研究社檚 Punjabi edition, which showed the Toronto-Colorado game instead.
While that was a live-TV miss for the local Punjabi community, the Bains story is huge in Surrey.
含羞草研究社淗opefully he can get a point here, maybe a goal, that will be the next thing for him,含羞草研究社� Pandher said. 含羞草研究社淚 remember seeing Robin Bawa playing, someone with brown skin out there, and just getting goosebumps watching that. It含羞草研究社檚 the same feeling I had this week with Arshdeep, it含羞草研究社檚 great. How few Punjabis have played (in the NHL), it含羞草研究社檚 surprising to me, but it shows just how tough it is to play in the league.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社� RELATED STORY, from June 2023: .
Despite the early accolades, Bains said he isn含羞草研究社檛 entirely satisfied with his play in the NHL so far, just a few games in.
含羞草研究社淚t was so special,含羞草研究社� he said of Saturday含羞草研究社檚 home-ice win, , 含羞草研究社渁nd if I was being honest I was probably a bit more nervous tonight than the first two games. It was awesome, and I had a lot of family and friends here. We were able to beat Boston at home, so it was awesome.含羞草研究社�
