Red Deer Rebels forward Arshdeep Bains has an NHL contract.
The Surrey, B.C., native signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Truly honoured and grateful to sign a contract with my childhood team, the Canucks,” Bains said on Twitter.
“It’s a dream come true. I would like to thank the (Red Deer Rebels) for helping me reach my goal. Thank you to my family, teammates, billets and (Live Sports & Entertainment) for everything they’ve done.”
Bains leads the WHL in both points with 82 and assists with 52.
This season, the six-foot-one, 184-pound left-winger has 11 power play goals and 24 assists on the man advantage to help the Rebels boast the third-best power-play percentage in the league.
Welcome to Vancouver, Arshdeep! pic.twitter.com/mTgbX7NtJ2
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) March 11, 2022
The Rebels added Bains to their protected list 2017 and the team called him up from the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League partway through that season.
“In his 16-year-old season, he was leading the Triple-A midget league in B.C. in scoring. We brought him in and every player develops at different stages… it’s taken him all that time to get where he’s at,” Rebels owner, president, GM Brent Sutter noted about Bains last week.
“It’s a credit to him for staying with it, not giving up on himself, staying positive – keep working and keep making himself better every day… I think he’s done a really good job and he’s being rewarded for it.”