Vancouver Canucks explain origin of their new postgame axe
The full scope of the Quinn Hughes trade has finally been revealed.
Following the departure of the Vancouver Canucks captain, a new postgame tradition was unveiled in the locker room.
As the Canucks ripped off a four-game winning streak in mid-December after the Hughes trade, clips of an axe being handed out in the locker room to the team-decided player of the game began to surface.
Of course, an 11-game losing skid followed, and the axe went into hibernation.
However, the axe reappeared last week as the Canucks ended their longest losing streak in team history.
Now, more details have emerged as to why the Canucks are using an axe in the locker room.
As the Canucks celebrated Firefighters Night at Rogers Arena on Friday, Vancouver firefighter Eric Himmelmin explained how the axe made its way into the Canucks locker room.
"It's a symbol of all the first responders and what they do for us. We thought it was a nice gesture to bring it inside our room and make it part of our culture."
In light of Firefighters Night, understand the story behind the #Canucks axe, given out by the players after a win. pic.twitter.com/XOz77QUpG3
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 24, 2026
“The Vancouver Canucks have stepped up and supported us in the biggest way, ever, in the history of our organization.”
“They supported us with a $1 million donation, which surpasses any donation we’ve ever had.”
As a way of recognizing the contribution, Vancouver Firefighter Charities gifted the axe back to the Canucks as a token of their appreciation.
The axe itself has the Vancouver Firefighters logo emblazoned on it, along with the word “Canucks” printed on the handle of the axe.
“The axe is so important to us as a symbol as firefighters, that it really just felt like the most appropriate gift. It really recognizes the significance of their contributions.”
Vancouver has won six of their 20 games since the Hughes trade, with just two wins in their last 16 games since the initial four-game win streak.
During those wins, here have been the recipients of the axe, with the previous winner awarding it to the next player.
1. Zeev Buium (Dec. 14). Scored in his Canucks debut in a win over the New Jersey Devils.
2. Thatcher Demko (Dec. 16). Recorded a shutout against the New York Rangers.
3. Tyler Myers (Dec. 19). Got the axe from Demko after a win over the New York Islanders, even though Kiefer Sherwood had a hat trick that night. Myers did successfully shut down Mat Barzal’s line while playing alongside Buium.
4. Kevin Lankinen (Dec. 20). Was perfect yet again in a shootout win over the Boston Bruins.
5. Conor Garland (Dec. 29). Had a scrap against Jared McCann as the Canucks won against the Seattle Kraken in a shootout.
6. Teddy Blueger (Jan. 21). Played over 18 minutes in his return to the lineup against the Washington Capitals. Helped limit Alex Ovechkin’s line to just two shot attempts at five-on-five.
While other teams around the NHL have their own quirky postgame rituals, only the Abbotsford Canucks and Vancouver Canucks have been spotted swinging around an axe after a win.