Former Vancouver Canucks tough guy is now releasing country music
Another member of the Vancouver Canucks 2010-11 team has been making waves this week.
Although, unlike Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Manny Malhotra, and Alex Burrows, this ex-player has been garnering attention for something non-hockey related.
Aaron Volpatti defied the odds to play 54 games for the Canucks across three seasons. The undrafted winger made the NHL despite going undrafted and being the victim of a severe burn injury as a teenager.
Ever since hanging up his skates, the 40-year-old has gone on to become a performance coach and author. Now, he’s entering the country music scene.
Volpatti has been teasing the release of his first song, “A Beer A Day,” throughout May. The song was officially released on Friday.
“Heās traded his hockey stick for a guitar and mic, bringing that same identity to the stage with an unapologetic, in-your-face attitude and raw energy,” Volpatti’s Spotify bio reads.
The Revelstoke, B.C. native might be the first retired Canucks NHLer to ever release proper music. There’s one notable ex-Canucks prospect, Chad Brownlee, who went on to country music fame after being selected in the sixth round by Vancouver back in 2003.
Volpatti previously garnered attention after publishing his book, Fighter, back in 2022. It tells the story of his unlikely ascension to the NHL, specifically after he suffered severe burns as a teenager back in 2005.
“Aaron was a true competitor, a fierce player on the ice, and a great teammate off the ice,” Daniel Sedin wrote after the book was published. “If you want to learn about the power of the human mind, you need to read this book!”
Volpatti has also been a mental performance coach for NHLers and top prospects. That includes working with both Liam and Marcus Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers earlier in the season.
Suffice to say, there may not be an ex-Canucks player who’s followed a path like Volpatti’s in retirement.