What a week it害羞草研究所檚 been for Surrey害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 yet scored a point in the NHL. But he害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a big fan, I like him a lot,害羞草研究所� . 害羞草研究所淚 think there害羞草研究所檚 another level, and that害羞草研究所檚 when playing in the NHL. He害羞草研究所檚 earned a spot right now, you know 害羞草研究所� I don害羞草研究所檛 know how long it害羞草研究所檚 going to be. Maybe it害羞草研究所檚 the rest of the year, but he害羞草研究所檚 earned a spot.
害羞草研究所淚 know guys enjoy playing with him,害羞草研究所� the coach continued. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e had a couple of players come up to me individually and say, 害羞草研究所楬ey, don害羞草研究所檛 be afraid to throw him on my line.害羞草研究所� So I think that害羞草研究所檚 the ultimate compliment for that kid.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t was a dream come true for the family, for the community, and for all of us here in B.C.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所� Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)
Kuldip Bains speaks with Kate Pettersen () on watching his son, Arshdeep, make his NHL debut during the Mentors害羞草研究所� Trip! |
Bains made his NHL debut with proud father Kuldip at the game in Colorado, on the team害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渕entors trip.害羞草研究所� In Seattle, more family members watched him in action.
害羞草研究所淚t was a dream come true for the family, for the community, for all of us here in B.C.,害羞草研究所� Kuldip Bains told the Canucks害羞草研究所� rinkside reporter, Kate Pettersen.
害羞草研究所淗is demeanor is hard work, and right from the beginning he害羞草研究所檚 always working hard, to the fullest,害羞草研究所� Bains害羞草研究所� father added.
Two weeks ago Bains was called up by the Canucks from their AHL affiliate, Abbotsford Canucks, where he害羞草研究所檚 starred in recent months and in the first week of February.
Arshdeep Bains writes 害羞草研究所淏ibi害羞草研究所� & 害羞草研究所淏aba害羞草研究所� on every one of his hockey sticks paying respect to his grandma & his late grandpa.
害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 Bobby Clarke Trophy as top scorer in 2021-22 with 112 points in 68 games.
With the Canucks he害羞草研究所檚 wearing jersey #80, and on his hockey sticks writes 害羞草研究所淏ibi害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淏aba害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淏ains is a big deal for the Punjabi community, but also Surrey, and it害羞草研究所檚 such a great story,害羞草研究所� confirmed Harpreet Pandher, a broadcaster with Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Edition.
害羞草研究所淗e gets signed by his favourite childhood team, the Canucks. Getting signed, that doesn害羞草研究所檛 mean you害羞草研究所檙e going to play in the NHL, but the season he害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淕oing back to his junior days,害羞草研究所� Pandher added, 害羞草研究所渃oaches have mentioned that Arshdeep is very coachable, a good learner. Every level he害羞草研究所檚 been at, he害羞草研究所檚 worked hard and he made the adjustments needed to get to the next step.害羞草研究所�
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害羞草研究所� home-ice debut with the Canucks was not broadcast live on Hockey Night in Canada害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淗opefully he can get a point here, maybe a goal, that will be the next thing for him,害羞草研究所� Pandher said. 害羞草研究所淚 remember seeing Robin Bawa playing, someone with brown skin out there, and just getting goosebumps watching that. It害羞草研究所檚 the same feeling I had this week with Arshdeep, it害羞草研究所檚 great. How few Punjabis have played (in the NHL), it害羞草研究所檚 surprising to me, but it shows just how tough it is to play in the league.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所� RELATED STORY, from June 2023: .
Despite the early accolades, Bains said he isn害羞草研究所檛 entirely satisfied with his play in the NHL so far, just a few games in.
害羞草研究所淚t was so special,害羞草研究所� he said of Saturday害羞草研究所檚 home-ice win, , 害羞草研究所渁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.害羞草研究所�
