Vancouver Canucks
Recap: Local WHLer’s Huge Day Signing with Canucks
The outpouring of excitement and support for Arshdeep Bains when he signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks three days ago was impressive and entertaining. We thought this would be a good time to recap it all via the player’s and related social media accounts.
The undrafted, recently turned-21-year-old Surrey native can be seen lighting things up this season in his final Western Hockey League campaign with the Red Deer Rebels. He presently leads the WHL with 88 points in 57 games while becoming the first ever player of South Asian descent to lead that league in scoring.
His tweet on Friday:
Truly honoured & grateful to sign a contract with my childhood team the @Canucks Itโs a dream come true. I would like to thank the @Rebelshockey for helping me reach my goal, thank you to my family, teammates, billets & @LiveSportsEnter for everything theyโve done. pic.twitter.com/vCWG1L0iCG
— Arshdeep Bains (@20_bains) March 11, 2022
Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced the signing via press release and social media:
Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the club has signed Surrey, BCโs Arshdeep Bains to an entry level contract.
DETAILS | https://t.co/a5uoyOprEa pic.twitter.com/vaVt9n1NMK
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) March 11, 2022
Almost immediately Bains’s family, his community, and the Canucks family jumped into the fray, sharing in the revelry.
My bro just signed to my home town favourite nhl team.. will never get over this @20_bains #Canucks pic.twitter.com/WvnhS26Gqg
— Amrit (@Canucks4043) March 12, 2022
The Rebels, third place in the 12-team eastern conference, clinched a WHL playoff spot this past week while Bains’s centerman Ben King earned league player-of-the-week honours. An undrafted 19-year-old, King has tallied 86 points in the same number of games. It was a pretty boisterous few days in Red Deer.
He's really good! https://t.co/ztaLtbBzwZ
— x – Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) March 11, 2022
You can read and hear more about Bains and the signing with the attached local twitter links.
Signing with Canucks a โdream come trueโ for Bainshttps://t.co/48CogTGcLS
STORY: @RDA_Rode
PHOTOS: @88_create #RDREBELS #WHL pic.twitter.com/d6jkVUQ13l— x – Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) March 12, 2022
Rebels GM and owner Brent Sutter said “I’m very proud of Arsh’, we bring him in as a 16-year-old player and he’s into his fifth season with us. A kid that was undrafted into our league, he’s worked on his game, he’s made himself better, I thought last year is when we really started seeing him take some strides and coming back this year he and I had some talks about the expectations I had for him and he put on himself and he’s come in and done all that and more.”
Apparently as many as 15 NHL teams had expressed some interest in Bains. He chose his hometown club where he’ll have the opportunity next fall to make the AHL Canucks roster.