Former Red Deer Rebel Arshdeep Bains is having a career season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Abbotsford Canucks.
The 23-year-old from Surrey, B.C. has broken out offensively notching 39 points in 42 games to lead the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate in scoring.
His new point total has already overtaken his 38-point rookie season where he contributed 13 goals and 25 assists in 66 games.
“I’ve been playing some really good hockey,” Bains told The Advocate. “I think the staff here have done a really good job of helping me. Training in the summer with the canucks also really helped me coming into this season.”
Just over a week ago, Bains put the league on notice winning MVP honours at the AHL’s All-Star Challenge notching two goals and three assists in his first All-Star appearance.
He also scored with 12.9 seconds left to lift the Pacific Division 3-2 over the Atlantic. It’s a memory he won’t soon forget.
“That All-Star Game was pretty special. I never really thought of it as a goal of mine this summer but as we got closer to it it was special I got the opportunity,” he added.
Bains has a well-rounded game. He can score when given the opportunity but is looked upon as a playmaker. That’s evident of his 30 assists and nine goals this season.
“That’s who I am. I like to make plays and have fun on the ice,” he said. “I think in Red Deer I worked on that and coming into pro I play the same type of style. It’s nice I’ve been able to translate that.”
Bains’ season has attracted plenty of positive attention from Canucks fans calling on him to be promoted to the NHL. In a recent story on the Daily Hive Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet hinted that Bains could be called up soon.
“We might give Bains a chance to come up,” Tocchet said. “Whether he plays or not, I think he deserves a look.”
Meanwhile, Bains is patiently waiting for his opportunity to play for his favourite childhood team. When it comes he said he’ll be ready.
“It’s never a bad thing to keep developing and getting better. It’s been a really special season and I’m looking forward to the future,” Bains said.
In his final season with the Red Deer Rebels Bains signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks in March of 2022 after previously going undrafted to the NHL.
Bains was also undrafted into the WHL but signed a WHL Standard Player Agreement during the 2017-18 season.
He later was called up to the WHL after an insane start to the season with the U18 AAA Valley West Hawks in B.C. where he put up 56 points in just 22 games.
From that point on he became a regular and in his final season, he led the WHL with 112 points in 68 games and propelled himself up the Rebels’ all-time scoring list.
Bains explained his time in Red Deer taught him what it means to be in a winning environment.
“In Red Deer just the structure there from Brent [Sutter] down it’s always been a first-class organization,” he said.
“I think when they brought me in I wasn’t ready for the league but they had a plan for me. They developed me really well and by the end of my time there I think I was able to be a really effective player for them.”
Bains’ four and a half seasons in central Alberta he said were pivotal in preparing him for what he has accomplished and for what’s to come.
“When I was there I always had the plan of wanting to go pro. I took every summer seriously and I saw 20-year-olds before me getting contracts so I knew that could happen for me if I played the right way,” he said.
“When it happens right in front of you it makes you think you can do it too.”