Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
Sports

Meet Canucks’ Newest Entry: Arshdeep Bains

Naina Grewal Darpan, 20 May, 2022 08:02 PM
  • Meet Canucks’ Newest Entry: Arshdeep Bains

Surrey’s 21-year-old Arshdeep Bains filled the community with pride when he signed a three-year entry-level contract with Canucks on March 11, 2022. Bains’ contract will take effect starting with the 2022–23 season, as he likely kickstarts this facet of his sports journey with the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League on a full-time basis.

Moreover, he has become the first player of South Asian descent to win the Bob Clarke Trophy as the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) top scorer! Just over the span of one explosive season with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, Bains has skillfully propelled forward his hockey career.

Bains is the third player of South Asian descent to join the Canucks organization after Robin Bawa from Duncan and Manny Malhotra from Mississauga. Following the footsteps of Bawa, Malhotra, and Surrey’s Jujhar Khaira (who currently is with the Chicago Blackhawks organization), Bains is looking to become the fourth player of South Asian descent to play in the National Hockey League (NHL).

For the passionate go-getter, hockey started in Surrey around the age of three, with his father putting him into the sport. With his two older brothers that played hockey, it was quite an easy route getting into the sport. Throughout elementary and high school, Bains pretty much played all the sports he could, with a lot of soccer, and mostly hockey. As he got older, his father constantly encouraged him to become better at hockey. “My dad would get me on the ice and take me to the gym. He was definitely the first one to believe in me and always pushed me. That said, my parents also always made sure that I put school first. My mom would boost my commitment to school, and my dad would cheer me on at practices,” shares Bains.

Towards early high school, Bains played with the Burnaby Winter Club Bruins and then moved to playing for the Delta Hockey Academy. With practices in between school commitments, the academy worked closely with the school to support student athletes better. When Bains left the academy, he had become equipped with the knowledge of how to balance hockey and school. As such, he has been able to set his priorities straight and successfully manage his time, especially with supportive parents by his side.

Bains details that his parents have been a huge part of his life and he never shies away from a chance to thank them for all that they’ve done. “They’re a huge part of my life.” The proud parents were super excited when they heard of the Canucks signing, and Bains reveals that there may have been a couple of tears involved. For him, it is incredibly special that he gets to move on and live his own dream and his parents’ dream.

Apart from his father being Bains’ biggest role model, the talented player also emphasizes how much he loved the Canucks growing up, and how they have always been his favorite team. He can still recall the energy around the 2010 semi-finals and Bains’ unconditional love for all the Canucks players. Needless to say, signing with a team he held so close to his heart was immeasurably surreal. With an impeccable season under his belt, Bains says that there was interest coming from different teams, but the Canucks decision was a no-brainer.

While the victories along the way are to be celebrated, a sports career comes with its own challenges as well. Bains shines light on some hardships that are part of the package, “When you’re moving away from home as a teenager, it is tough. But it is a defining opportunity learning to live on your own and taking care of yourself. Growing up, balancing both school and hockey was also hard, and then there is drafting, with which everyone goes through adversity. What keeps me going is just loving the sport and wanting to get better.”

When Bains signed with the Canucks, he got waves of support coming in and had many people reach out to him with congratulatory regards. Being a role model for kids was a great feeling for the superstar. While he understands that the newfound attention comes with the challenge of people criticizing him, he chooses to focus on the positives like helping kids become part of the sport. The budding hockey player’s advice to young enthusiasts wanting to pursue a career in hockey entails his top three tips:

 

  1. You’ve got to love the sport. You don’t want to be forced into sports. It’s always for fun. It’s to enjoy, especially when you’re a kid and want to see what you love.
  2. Understand that parents want the best for kids, and use the push from them as positive encouragement. For parents, it is important to not be too hard on the kids.
  3. School is the most important thing. In fact, there are many sports-based university scholarships available to take advantage of.

Bains elaborates that those who grow up playing sports make memories that last forever, “Sports can be a significantly important part of someone’s childhood. Overall, sports is just another way to grow in a different aspect you can’t learn in school. Being with friends is a special part of people’s lives and it becomes even more amplified with sports. If you can play hockey or any sport, or if you can get your kids into an organized activity, it will be well worth it.”

As Bains prepares for all that is to come, a good schedule, discipline, organization, and workouts are key. At the same time, Bains is committed to balancing the professional and personal, be it summer hikes, quality time with his family and dog, or diving into the world of chess. The sportsman’s future aspirations include an eagerness to play with the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks, while honing his skill sets to keep pursuing the chance of playing in the NHL. Undoubtedly, this is just the beginning of what is evidently a career where even the sky is not the limit!

 

MORE Sports ARTICLES

Sania Mirza shares life lessons she learnt from healthcare workers

Sania Mirza shares life lessons she learnt from healthcare workers
Opening up about the lessons she has learnt from our doctors and healthcare workers, popular sports personality Sania Mirza shared, "While this has been a time of uncertainty, it has surely been a time of learning and reflection for me. Our doctors and healthcare workers have taught me how care is the essence of humanity, and how it will help us rise above the challenges we face.

Sania Mirza shares life lessons she learnt from healthcare workers

Baseball Hall delays induction to Sept 8. to allow crowd

Baseball Hall delays induction to Sept 8. to allow crowd
The ceremony will take place outdoors on the Hall's lawn as a ticketed event with a limit on crowd size, the Hall said Wednesday. Tickets will be available starting July 12.

Baseball Hall delays induction to Sept 8. to allow crowd

Former India hockey left-winger Usman Khan passes away

Former India hockey left-winger Usman Khan passes away
Former India hockey player Usman Khan has passed away following a prolonged battle with cancer, Hockey India announced on Friday. The stylish left-winger was 76. Khan is survived by three sons and a daughter, and was based in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh.

Former India hockey left-winger Usman Khan passes away

Athletics legend Milkha 'better and more stable': Hospital

Athletics legend Milkha 'better and more stable': Hospital
Legendary athlete Milkha Singh, who was on Thursday admitted to a local hospital after he complained of a low oxygen level, is stable and is being monitored by a team of medical experts, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) said on Friday.

Athletics legend Milkha 'better and more stable': Hospital

Athletics legend Milkha admitted to hospital, again

Athletics legend Milkha admitted to hospital, again
Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh on Thursday was admitted to hospital after he complained of low oxygen level. Singh's wife Nirmal is still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is under observation in Fortis, Mohali.

Athletics legend Milkha admitted to hospital, again

Grand Slam leaders pledge to address Naomi Osaka's concerns

Grand Slam leaders pledge to address Naomi Osaka's concerns
The leaders of the four Grand Slam tournaments reacted Tuesday to tennis star Naomi Osaka's stunning withdrawal from the French Open by promising to address players' concerns about mental health.

Grand Slam leaders pledge to address Naomi Osaka's concerns