A former Red Deer Rebels star will be featured in an upcoming documentary that follows young South Asian hockey players competing to find success in the sport.
Former Rebels forward Arshdeep Bains, who led the Western Hockey League in points this past season and signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League earlier this year, 2021-22 season with the Rebels will be a part of Out of the Stands, which is set to release in early 2023.
“This was his last year so the stakes were high for him. He was very clear in what he wanted: he wanted to be noticed by NHL teams,” said Baljit Sangra, who directed and produced the film alongside Nilesh Patel.
“We followed his journey. His family was so supportive. They’re a hockey family – his older brothers played and his parents often would come (to Red Deer) to see games.”
READ MORE: Bains reflects on final season with Red Deer Rebels
Bains was the first player of South Asian descent to win the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL’s scoring champion.
Arjun Bawa is another of the four players who will be featured in the film. Rebels fans may recognize the name, as he was selected by the club in the second round of the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. He signed with the Rebels that year. He played this past season with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BCHL.
Sangra said she hopes the film will inspire children of colour to get involved in the game.
“If they can see themselves (in the game), it means a lot. It makes it doable if they can say, ‘If he did it, I can try to follow his path,’” said Sangra.
“I’ve seen (Arshdeep) and all of these players around kids. The kids get very excited. … I remember asking some kids in Red Deer watching games who their favourite player is and a bunch of them said Arshdeep.”
READ MORE: ‘I want to make this sport for everyone:’ Bains reflects on signing NHL contract
Sangra said the film is a celebratory experience.
“You really get a nice insight into the community by meeting the families and seeing the journeys and the hard work,” she said.
“We’ve been really welcomed by everybody, including the organizations, who really see a value in this film too.”
The Telus original film will also follow Kayden Sadhra-Kang, who started this past season in Lethbridge and was traded to the Swift Current Broncos, and Arvin Atwal, a former WHL player who is now continuing his hockey career in Slovakia.
Out of the Stands is currently in post-production and is expected to be released early in 2023. For more information on the film, visit www.outofthestands.com.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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