7 things to know about newest Canucks blueliner Ethan Bear
Well, Jack Studnicka’s reign as the newest member of the Vancouver Canucks lasted about 18 hours after the arrival of newly acquired defenceman Ethan Bear.
The Canucks acquired the 25-year-old blueliner, and depth centre Lane Pederson, from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Here are seven things to know about the most recent addition to the Canucks’ roster:
1. Bear grew up in Ochapowace Nation, Saskatchewan
Ethan Bear spent his childhood in Ochapowace First Nation, a Cree First Nation about two hours east of Regina, Saskatchewan.
He began playing hockey there at the age of five, at a rink named after his great-uncle, Denton George.
According to Bear, it was his grandparents that sparked his passion for the game.
It started with my grandparents,” Bear said in an interview with Oilers Nation. “They didn’t have cars back then so they would walk five hours with their hockey bags to town, which is now about a 10-15 minute drive, so the passion started then, and I’m carrying it on.”
2. He’s the first player to have his jersey name in Cree syllabics
Back in 2020 prior to the play-in round, Bear made NHL history by being the first player to wear an NHL jersey with Cree syllabics on his nameplate, doing so as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.
Ethan Bear wearing his name in Cree syllabics with pride. #StanleyCup Exhibition Game
🇨🇦: https://t.co/8ZQhNSdUvL @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/E7yWT8oR4Y
— NHL (@NHL) July 29, 2020
3. He spoke out after he was a victim of racist remarks
Heading into the 2021 NHL Playoffs, the Oilers were favourites against the Winnipeg Jets after finishing the regular season nine points ahead of them. They proceeded to get swept by the Jets, instead.
Inexplicably, some Oilers fans online took out their frustrations by directing racist remarks toward Bear. That prompted a response from Bear, his girlfriend, general manager Ken Holland, Connor McDavid, and others.
Standing with you Bearsy #EndRacism https://t.co/8acJCLwMbx pic.twitter.com/u3CHZZnyKq
— Connor McDavid (@cmcdavid97) May 27, 2021
4. Bear idolized other well-known First Nations NHLers
Bear admitted in an interview that he didn’t really cheer for an NHL team growing up. Instead, he cheered for other NHLers who were of Indigenous ancestry.
“Being a First Nation kid: Carey Price, Jordin Tootoo, Jonathan Cheechoo… I followed and cheered for them. The main NHL teams I cheered for were Montreal, Nashville and San Jose because of those guys, but I didn’t have a favourite team.”
5. He was once named WHL defenceman of the year
During his days in the WHL, Bear was an absolute force.
In the season after his draft, Bear nearly helped the Seattle Thunderbirds win a WHL title with 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 18 playoff games. However, they ended up losing in the finals to the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The next season, Bear was even more dominant with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 17 playoff games. He also returned to his team’s lineup in the postseason just one week after breaking his finger, helping lead his Thunderbirds to a championship after a 4-2 series win over the Regina Pats.
“It hurt the whole time,” Bear said. “I couldn’t play to my full ability, but I did my best.”
6. Bear played top-four minutes as a rookie
Not long after helping Seattle capture a WHL title, Bear was playing NHL games for the Edmonton Oilers. He got his NHL cup of coffee during the 2017-18 season, playing 18 games with Edmonton.
After playing no NHL games in 2018-19, Bear went from AHL call-up option to top-four mainstay.
Adam Larsson broke his fibula during the first game of the 2019-20 season and the Oilers needed someone to step up on the right side.
That player ended up being Bear, who skated in all 71 of Edmonton’s regular season games, registering five goals and 21 points in the process. Bear mainly played alongside Darnell Nurse, and the duo was trusted in key situations throughout the season.
“He’s not intimidated by playing with great players like Connor and Leon,” Oilers former assistant coach Jim Playfair said in an interview. “He trusts himself.”
7. Contracting COVID was a turning point for him last season
During the 2021 offseason, Bear was traded from Edmonton to the Hurricanes in exchange for winger Warren Foegele and, initially, Bear’s stint with the Hurricanes got off to a good start.
He registered six points in 16 games while beginning the season playing alongside defensive stalwart, Jaccob Slavin.
Then, Bear contracted COVID in November, and he wasn’t able to replicate the same success. He returned to Carolina’s lineup two weeks later but had just two points in his next 24 games. Bear finished the season with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 58 games.
Bear reportedly talked about battling breathing problems after contracting COVID. He also did not suit up for a single one of Carolina’s 14 playoff games, with veterans Brendan Smith and Ian Cole slotting into the lineup instead.
Even when the Hurricanes were last in Vancouver, Bear was scratched in favour of former Canucks blueliner Jalen Chatfield.
You can bet that the 25-year-old will certainly get a chance to crack a weak and depleted Canucks defence as soon as he arrives in Vancouver.
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