Happy fathers day Vancouver Canucks fans! Today, let’s help celebrate some fatherly moments in the past couple of seasons in Canucks history. From Conor Garland’s impressive effort against the New York Rangers only a day before the birth of his first son, to Max Sasson’s father chiming in on the pronunciation of their last name, here are some memorable father-related moments from the past two seasons.
Arshdeep Bains Makes NHL Debut On Father’s Trip
Bains made his NHL debut last season in a 3–1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on February 20, 2024. What made this debut even more special, however, is the fact that it coincided with the Canucks’ annual fathers trip. This meant that Kuldip, Bains’ father, was able to take in his son’s first NHL game live despite not being in Vancouver.
“It’s every kid’s dream to make their dad proud,” Bains told Sportsnet after his first NHL game.
“We are so proud. The whole town is behind him, everyone is calling — it’s unreal,” Bains’ father said to CBC News before the game last year.
Since his memorable debut, Bains has made a great impression on the Canucks organizations. He scored his first NHL goal on October 26, 2024 in a 4–3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. As well, he has been a force throughout Abbotsford’s Calder Cup Playoff run, leading his team in assists with 11 in 19 games.
Phil Di Giuseppe Scores First NHL Playoff Goal After Birth Of Child
The Canucks were deep in the middle of their Division Final series against the Edmonton Oilers in 2024 when Di Giuseppe and his wife welcomed their second child. At the time of the birth, Vancouver led the series 2–1, though they surrendered Game 4 to the Oilers while in Edmonton. Di Giuseppe came back into the lineup for Game 5, ultimately scoring his first NHL playoff goal and helping his team take a 3–2 series lead.
“It just makes what we do even more meaningful and that much more special, that they can come see me at work,” Di Giuseppe told The Hockey News back in January about being a father during the season. “Obviously, they’re a little too young now. So I would assume the guys with older kids get a greater sense of how proud that must feel. You know, just getting their chance to watch their dad go to work.”
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Conor Garland Dominates In Loss To Rangers, Welcomes First Son The Day After
Vancouver was in a state of mild chaos the morning of November 19, 2024. The organization had just announced that J.T. Miller would be taking an indefinite leave of absence, making them even more shorthanded considering Brock Boeser had already been out for a couple of weeks at this time. Garland’s status for the game was questionable as well, as his wife, Meghan, had been admitted to the hospital in anticipation of birthing the couple’s first child. After some deliberation, Garland decided to play.
While the Canucks ultimately lost this game 4–3, Garland was one of the team’s stars. He scored the 3–3 game-tying goal and logged 20:58 minutes played in the match. Almost immediately after, he rushed back to the hospital and welcomed his first child the morning after. True to his love for sharks and the movie Jaws, the Canucks forward named his son Quint after one of the movie’s characters.
To add to this memorable moment, Quint’s godfather is none other than Canucks captain Quinn Hughes.
Max Sasson’s Father, Alan, Has Given The Team Lots To Talk About
Many have discussed the impact of players called up to the Canucks throughout the season, with many of these players making their NHL debuts as a result of this. One underrated part of this process has been the joy shown by not just the player, but those around them who are undoubtedly proud of their accomplishments. Sasson made his NHL debut on November 23, 2024 against the Ottawa Senators, and nabbed his first NHL point in a play that made his father jump out of his seat in excitement.
Max Sasson watching his dad react to his first NHL point is too good 😂 pic.twitter.com/ZiwmcquprW
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 24, 2024
Another moment from this season that stuck out actually took place due to a change in Sportsnet’s Canucks broadcast. During the December 28, 2024 broadcast of the Canucks’ 5–4 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken, host Dan Murphy and commentators John Shorthouse and Dave Tomlinson notably changed their pronunciation of “Sasson.” By Vancouver’s next home broadcast, the pronunciation had changed back to how they had originally been saying it.
“I inadvertently introduced myself old school,” Sasson’s father, Alan, explained on X regarding the pronunciation mix-up.
While the pronunciation saga was short-lived, it was still a fun moment while it happened.
Bonus: Former Canuck Chris Tanev Almost Came Back To Vancouver During Off-Season, According To Father
The final moment on this list involves a player who spent a decade with the Canucks. Tanev, who signed his entry-level contract with Vancouver as an undrafted free agent back in June of 2010, joined the Calgary Flames back in 2020 after signing a four-year deal in free agency. With this deal ending in 2024, after a quick stint with the Dallas Stars in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tanev had a few choices regarding which team he could sign with next. While he ultimately committed to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, father Mike Tanev noted that his son had almost come back to his first NHL team.
“When Chris went to Dallas, we had a decision to make this summer. There were three teams,” Tanev’s dad explained on the show Donnie and Dhali back in February of 2025. “There was Vancouver — obviously, huge interest from Vancouver — Toronto and Dallas. The family thing makes sense. How close was Vancouver? I don’t know. But I can tell you [Vancouver] was one of the three teams that Christopher had to choose from.”
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