Ian Cole backs off wearing late Luc Bourdon's number for Canucks
When the Vancouver Canucks released their newest signings’ uniform numbers this week, it wasn’t without a bit of controversy.
On Friday, defenceman Ian Cole was introduced as donning No. 28 next season, last worn by the late Luc Bourdon, who passed away in 2008 while a member of the team.
The Canucks had infamously mismanaged handing off the No. 11 jersey — worn by the late Wayne Maki and previously taken out of circulation by the team — to Mark Messier upon signing with Vancouver.
Maki’s family was vocal in their disappointment in the Canucks for not getting their blessing for handing off his number to Messier, and many Canucks fans naturally wondered if the team had similarly failed to get the blessing from Bourdon’s family, with no public mention of his name upon announcing the numbers.
The Canucks’ social media feeds were filled with fans asking about it, and after seeing the reaction, Cole ultimately announced that he’d changed his mind about sticking with No. 28, the number he had previously worn with six other NHL teams.
“While I did not know Luc nor did I know he wore #28 with the Canucks, I certainly remember his heartbreaking story and tragic passing, Cole wrote in a statement posted to the team’s Twitter account. “Out of respect to him and to honour his memory, I have decided to change my jersey number to #82.”
A statement from Ian Cole pic.twitter.com/5y0524JTHj
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 8, 2023
However, Cole wrote that he wasn’t informed by the team about Bourdon’s history with the number, something that seems like it should’ve been communicated.
“When I signed with the Vancouver Canucks, I was asked what number I wanted. I responded that I would love to wear #28, the number I’ve worn on my jersey since I was 12 years old and basically my whole professional career,” he wrote. “When the selection was made public, I found out the significance of the number.”
At the very least, it seems like the Canucks and Cole have rectified what many saw as an unforced error.
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