Vancouver Canucks legend Hamhuis rooting for old foes Marchand and Perry in Stanley Cup Final
Despite losing his best shot at the Stanley Cup to Brad Marchand, former Vancouver Canucks defender Dan Hamhuis has a sense of respect for the 37-year-old Florida Panthers forward.
Marchand is one win away from his second Stanley Cup ring after winning it all in 2011 with the Boston Bruins in his first full NHL season.
In an interview ahead of Tuesday’s Game 6 with Don Taylor and Rick Dhaliwal on CHEK’s Donnie and Dhali, the 42-year-old Hamhuis admitted a bit of affection for his peer, as well as for 40-year-old Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry.
“It’s hard not to cheer for the old guys,” Hamhuis said. “No matter what team they play for, I find myself having a soft spot for them and enjoying the success that they’re both having… It’s impressive… these are two guys that did whatever it took to break into the league, as annoying as it was in a lot of games to play against them, and through their career, they did whatever it took to win.”
Hamhuis, as you might recall, suffered a hernia injury in Game 1 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final that knocked him out of the remainder of the series.
Hamhuis last played in the NHL at age 37 in 2019-20 as a member of the Nashville Predators, the team he began his career with before joining the Canucks. Though he never faced off against Perry in a playoff series, they did face one another 49 total times in the regular season.
Marchand has 10 goals and 10 assists in 22 playoff games this year, while Perry has 10 goals and four assists in 21 games.
“Now at 37 and 40 years old, they’re doing whatever it takes to stay in a league and still win,” Hamhuis added. “Whether they’re on the team you’re cheering for or against, it’s hard not to respect them, and I certainly have a deep sense of appreciation for what they’re doing. I played at 37 and know how hard that is, to be able to do that and to see them not only just playing in the Stanley Cup Final, but they’re kind of leading the charge, and have big roles on the team, bringing it every night.”