Chris Higgins and Kirk McLean are getting ready to lace up their skates again, this time for something that brings Canucks alumni together for a great cause.
The Vancouver Canucks ambassadors and alumni will take part in a charity hockey tournament at Fan Fest, helping raise funds for the Canucks for Kids Fund and giving fans another opportunity to see some familiar faces back on the ice.
The Canucks alumni usually play in several charity tournaments throughout the year, and although McLean doesn’t put the pads on anymore, he always looks forward to it.
“It's always exciting when we can get back together. We do a lot through the province with our alumni, whether it be charity games in the Lower Mainland or throughout the province, but the fact that we can do it at Rogers Arena and raise some good money for a great cause makes it even more special,” McLean said.
“I’m a lumbering defenceman now, I try to get the puck and move it to guys like Cliffy, who can carry the puck all day.”
Higgins has also continued to stay connected to the community through his work with Canucks Autism Network and Special Olympics BC. Events like the charity game give him another opportunity to give back to the people and organization that supported him during his playing days, a debt he says he wants to repay now that his hockey career is over.
"That’s why I got involved as an ambassador with the Canucks,” Higgins said. “Working with Canucks Autism Network and Special Olympics BC are some of the things that interest me and how I want to spend my time.”
Usually the youngest in the group, the 43-year-old plays any position he's needed, and is happy to fill in wherever, outside of goaltending duties.
The alumni group may not have the same speed it once did, but the competitiveness is certainly still there. While it’s all for fun, McLean says they still have a competitive spark.
“It will always kick in at some point, but this will probably be the first skate for most of the guys out there this season. We’ll go out there, we’ll have a good time, and then everybody still wants to win right?” McLean said. “No matter what’s going on out there, we don’t want to get hurt. A lot of guys still, obviously have to get up and go to work in the morning, but we have fun with it, we tease each other, and we love interacting with the other group that’s with us.”
Higgins says hockey for him these days is much more about enjoying the moment than the pressure it came with playing professionally, but the competitiveness is something that never goes away.
“If it's tied late in the game, two, three minutes left, all bets are off after that,” Higgins laughed. “But it's nice to play hockey with a smile on my face. It's so serious when you're playing in the NHL, it's your job, very serious, very competitive, it's not always fun, and now it's 100 percent fun. Flipping that mentality on its head has been really enjoyable. I don't feel a strong desire to go play hockey anymore, but when I do, I still have a great time.”
These games are as nostalgic for the players as much as the fans. In previous charity games, Higgins says he’s been impressed by how good Daniel and Henrik Sedin still are. Henrik is slated to play in the charity game, while Daniel will be the GM and on the bench for one of the teams, while Ryan Johnson will be the other team’s GM and also on the bench.
“Hank and Danny certainly turned back the clock a couple times. You can't teach what they have. It was funny, I hadn't seen them play in such a long time and then you see some of the little things that they did, and I was like, ‘oh man’, they were doing this against NHL talent, the same thing they're doing here,” Higgins said.
“It just felt like my brain snapped back to my playing days. Some of those things they did I learned from them; you saw some of those movement patterns and the way they see the game, the way they get up the ice. I never had seen anyone do what they had done before, it was cool to just experience those moments again.”
There will be a draft for the charity game, and teams will be mixed with Canucks alumni and special guests. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT for the game, and tickets are free for those under the age of 12 and 5$ for everyone else with proceeds going to the Canucks for Kids Fund. Fans can also enjoy a $5 menu with beer, hot dogs, popcorn, and pizza. Get your tickets here.
Fan Fest runs from September 24-26 at Rogers Arena, and there will be many great activations each day.
Thursday, September 24th the Canucks take on the Edmonton Oilers in a preseason game starting at 6:00 p.m. PT. Before the game, the players will arrive on the Blue Carpet between 3:00-4:00 p.m. where fans can welcome the team, take some photos and maybe even get an autograph. For tickets to the preseason game visit here.
Friday, September 25th features an open practice at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Canucks annual Meet the Team event for Full Season Ticket Members. The day wraps up with the Canucks for Kids Fund Charity Hockey Game. Tickets to the Fan Fest open practice can be found here.
Saturday, September 26th the Canucks take on the Seattle Kraken in preseason action at 4:00 p.m. PT. There is a career networking event from 11:30 – 1:30 p.m. and a ticket to the preseason game is included in your networking ticket, which you can purchase here. Starting at 12:00 p.m. there will be games, and activities on the newly named RBC Landing (formerly North Plaza). There will be another Blue Carpet for fans to welcome the players between 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Tickets to the game can be found here.
For more information on Fan Fest, visit here.
