Surrey's Arshdeep Bains could make NHL debut with Canucks tonight
It looks like Arshdeep Bains’ NHL dreams may come true tonight. CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported this morning that the Vancouver Canucks are “talking about playing” Bains in tonight’s game in Colorado. Dhaliwal later added that he likes the chances of the 23-year-old suiting up for his NHL debut.
I like the chances of Baines playing tonight.
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) February 20, 2024
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has since told reporters in Denver that he’d like Bains to play tonight, according to Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy.
Tocchet says he want to get Bains in tonight. Demko starts. Garland is good to go. #Canucks
— Dan Murphy (@sportsnetmurph) February 20, 2024
Bains’ father is on the road trip, as part of the Canucks’ “mentors trip.”
Just spoke with #Canucks Arshdeep Bains. He’s really happy his father is here just in case his NHL debut is tonight. Waiting on Tocchet to see if he’ll announce lineup.
— Dan Murphy (@sportsnetmurph) February 20, 2024
The Canucks called up Bains, a 6-foot, 184-pound left winger, on Friday. The Surrey native took the pre-game skate but didn’t play Saturday at Rogers Arena and joined the Canucks on their current road trip. He watched Monday’s debacle in Minnesota from the press box.
It’s currently unclear if Bains, as the only healthy extra forward, would draw into the lineup due to an injury or for another reason. Conor Garland was hobbled after blocking a shot during Monday’s game but returned in the third period and will play tonight. The team held an optional morning skate in Denver today, so we won’t get an idea of possible line combinations until closer to game time at 6 pm PT.
The Canucks signed Bains as an undrafted free agent out of junior two years ago. He won the WHL scoring title in 2021-22, scoring a league-high 112 points with the Red Deer Rebels. Bains scored 38 points in 66 AHL games with Abbotsford last season, but has taken another step forward this year.
Bains leads the Abbotsford Canucks in points (39), assists (30), and plus-minus (+13) so far this season. He also recently represented Abbotsford at the AHL All-Star Game, where he was named MVP.
If Bains plays, he’ll become the first in Canucks history to do so wearing No. 80. Bains wears No. 9 in Abbotsford, but that number is already taken by J.T. Miller.
The Canucks will be hungry for a win tonight, following yesterday’s 10-7 loss in Minnesota. It’ll be a measuring-stick game against the Avalanche, who currently rank third in the Western Conference.
Vancouver wraps up this road trip Thursday in Seattle, before returning home to play the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
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