It has been a bit of a homecoming for the newest Vancouver Canuck, Curtis Douglas.
Although originally from Oakville, Ontario, Douglas’s family, including his mother, father and extended relatives have lived or currently live in the greater Vancouver area. This has given him the opportunity to play for the Canucks in front of many friends and family made the experience that much more special for Douglas.
“They’re huge Canucks fans, so they were pretty fired up that I was coming here,” Douglas said of his family. “It’s pretty cool to go and see all of them again, and they’re at the game the other night. It’s pretty cool and special to have the Canuck on the chest.”
Douglas was picked up off waivers by the Canucks from the Tampa Bay Lightning and stands at an impressive six feet and nine inches. Douglas had started to grow at a young age, facing his first growth spurt when he was still playing in bantam, and while it was initially a challenge to adapt his play style for his taller frame, he credits his coaches for helping him develop his skills and be an effective player as he transitioned into his professional career.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have some of the best coaches and support staff playing pro, and they’ve all been fantastic and moulding my game and getting me to the point where I can feel comfortable out there and be reliable,” Douglas said.
Having initially started his professional career in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, Douglas’ main goal now is to take that next step to being a regular fixture in an NHL lineup.
“If you were to tell me last year that I was going to play a full year in the NHL, I would have probably not believed you, so it took a little longer for me to get there,” Douglas said. “Full-time NHL player is the goal, so [I'm] doing whatever I can on a daily basis to improve and get there.”
Joining a team that has so many young players who are just starting off in their careers is a change from his former team that had more veteran players. That environmental change has been different for Douglas, but has been exciting as well, as he too is navigating an NHL career that is still in its early stages.
“It’s a lot different because it’s a lot of younger [guys] and it’s more development and stuff like that. It’s been a bit of an adjustment, but it’s been awesome. They’ve been amazing in welcoming me in,” Douglas said.
Off the ice, Douglas is passionate about raising awareness for mental health and encourages having meaningful conversations surrounding it. Douglas is currently participating in an initiative called ‘ask me about my mullet’, with the hopes that in doing so, it will not only raise money but also provide space to have important conversations regarding mental health.
“My family and I have had our struggles with mental health, and it’s a point that’s really close to my heart,” Douglas said. “You never really know how big of a weight that you’re lifting off someone else’s shoulders just from a simple conversation that you might not think twice about, and it could alter someone’s day, alter someone’s week.”
Douglas hopes to be a great teammate both on and off the ice and plans to work hard and serve as a physical buffer for the young rookies on the team as the Canucks enter the tail end of their season.
“My favourite thing in the world is when you’re chasing after someone who’s getting the puck, and you can hear the bench yelling heads. It’s the best because then you know they know you’re coming.”
The Vancouver Canucks continue their eight-game homestand and will face the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night, with puck drop at 7:00 p.m. P.T.
Listen to this and much more as Curtis Douglas joins Chris Faber on the latest episode of the Canucks Insider Podcast.
