Thursday’s home opener was just one game of 82, but for Arshdeep Bains, it was a chance for him to make a strong first impression with the new head coach.
Bains received a big cheer from the crowd when public announcer Al Murdoch called out his name during the players’ introductions. He received a bigger cheer when he sprung Filip Chytil in on a breakaway for Chytil’s second goal of the game, which gave the Canucks a 3-0 lead in the third period.
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“I just thought he’d take off. He’s a smart guy. He knows when there’s an opportunity, show a stick, [and I gave] it to him,” said Bains. “He’s not going to miss that. So it was kind of a gift for me.”
Through his first 21 NHL games, Bains had just one point, so getting the assist in the first game of the season helps maintain the confidence he built during his strong play with Abbotsford in their Calder Cup run.
“I’m coming in with confidence and playing my game. That’s the difference this year, I’m going to try to just play my game. I’m going to make mistakes, I’m going to learn from them, and it’s going to be growing pains. But I think just being confident in what I can do and letting the staff trust and teach me and see how far I can go,” said Bains.
Through his three seasons with the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL, Bains has consistently been near the top in points production. His new mindset of playing his game and allowing the game to come to him enables the 24-year-old to play with more freedom.
Another area where he excelled in the AHL was his play on the penalty kill. Bains was often the first forward over the boards for Abbotsford to kill penalties, and he is looking to bring that part of his game to the NHL level this season.
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Head Coach Adam Foote liked Bains’ debut for the 2025-26 season and gave him praise for his work on the penalty kill.
“I thought he did really good tonight,” said Foote of Bains.
“What I like is [that] he sacrificed himself for the team. I thought he had a great hockey game. I mean, he held in there. We had to change up [things] here and there with matchups with power plays and penalty kills, and guys’ energy. I just kept telling him, ‘Man, you’re playing good, don’t worry about who you’re playing with.’ I thought he kept going with a motor. He’s going to learn. He played so well as far as his energy and his speed, and a couple of things that, in my head, our coaches will fix those little things.”
The local kid spends his summer in the Vancouver area and can often be found in the gym at Rogers Arena. He's earned praise for his offseason work ethic, driven by his understanding that as an undrafted player, his attention to detail in training must be exceptional.
“I stay here all summer, I train in this building all summer and every summer I come in here, it’s not easy work, and it’s a good system we have, and I’m pretty lucky that I get to play at home, because all the benefits of being around this rink,” said Bains.
“Patrik Allvin has done a good job of believing in me and giving me opportunities throughout bits of the last couple of seasons, and now giving me a chance to make a jump.”
Bains skated on a line with Chytil and Conor Garland on Thursday, and is looking to continue to develop chemistry with his linemates while also wanting to play without fear and try some things as he did during his time in the AHL. This league will test you, but as an undrafted player in both the WHL and NHL, Bains knows all about taking on challenges.
