Canucks: First NHL goal ‘meant to be’ for homegrown winger Arshdeep Bains

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Arshdeep Bains got a solid vote of confidence before suiting up for his hometown Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

The left winger spoke with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, and the Canucks legends told him they felt Bains was about to score his first NHL goal.

They were right.

“I had heard that from a few guys,” Bains said after burying the game-winning goal in Vancouver’s 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. “They are all very happy for me. And it almost felt like it was meant to be that way.”

Bains – originally from Surrey – said his mum and dad were in the stands to witness his milestone night.

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The 23-year-old forward picked up a loose puck in Penguins territory midway through the second period and advanced to linemate Daniel Sprong, who charged across the ice and fired a shot into Alex Nedeljkovic’s pads. Pittsburgh’s goalie couldn’t grab the rebound, which fell to Bains and he tipped it into the gaping net.

Sprong’s play felt like “a gift,” Bains said.

“I can’t even put it into words,” he said. “It just happened so quickly and all the guys were so happy. It’s just a special moment.”

Pittsburgh called a 30-second timeout after Bains scored, giving him a moment to celebrate the moment with his teammates. The Canucks handed out hugs and high fives while the Penguins huddled on their couch. Sprong ran across the ice to collect the puck – a memento Bains said he would give to his father.

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One teammate had constructive criticism of the goalscorer.

“I wish he had a bigger smile at his goal. But you see the reaction of the guys on the bench: I think we were happier than him,” winger Kiefer Sherwood said with a grin.

“But he’s a guy who just keeps his nose down and keeps working. … So it feels really good for everyone to kind of support him and watch him do his thing.”

After going undrafted, Bains signed with the Canucks as a free agent in March 2022 after a standout campaign in which he scored 43 goals and 69 assists in 68 games for the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League.

He spent the 2022-2023 season with the American Hockey League Abbotsford Canuckswas called up to the NHL team for eight games last season.

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However, it was in September training camp where Bains really made an impact. The 6-foot-1, 184-pound forward was initially sent to Abbotsford following the club’s latest round of budget cuts, but the Canucks head coach Rik Tocchet quickly said Bains would be back in Vancouver soon.

“He’s got some speed, but he’s starting to find some kind of identity where he can control as well,” Tocchet said of how Bains has caught his attention. “He finds the positions where he needs to be defensive. He’s working on his game.”

Others in the Canucks’ locker room have also noticed Bains’ growth.

Vancouver star Elias Pettersson said he always knew his young teammate had what it took to be a good player.

“He makes plays. He has to touch to pass the sauce and make the right decisions,” said Pettersson. “But he has a habit of working hard and playing the right way. And I think he’s only going to get better for us.”

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