Monthly Archives: August 2019

True Blue 2019(Vol.3)

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It’s that time of year again at NUCK SAID. Now that it’s officially the Vancouver Canucks off-season: True Blue 2019 is here. As has become an annual tradition that began in summer 2014, it’s time to put the spot light on YOU the fans and YOUR hockey stories! This is open to ALL Vancouver Canucks AND Utica Comets fans!

What does that mean? It means featuring YOU, the fans on the blog ALL summer long.  As we count down to the new season around the corner, it is time to share your Canucks/hockey stories and how you became a fan of this team, the game and what keeps drawing you in with no looking back.

I’m calling out to ALL Vancouver Canucks AND Utica Comets fans to share their stories. Whether you’ve been fan your whole life, or only a little while, whether you grew up in British Columbia or across the country or in the USA or across the globe, I would love to feature YOU and YOUR story as a part of this year’s series. We all have a different story as to how this game and the team captured us, but through it all we are all connected. Fan stories and experiences are some of my favourite hockey stories to share with you and since I’m asking for your stories, I also shared a part of my story.

If you’d like more details on how YOU can be featured in True Blue 2019, simply send me a message on twitter (@nucksaid) OR send me an e-mail to: nucksaid@gmail.com with the subject line: TRUE BLUE 2019.

Without further ado, I present to you the 3RD edition of True Blue 2019.

This is Brieann’s True Blue story in her own words:

“So I guess you could say that I’ve been a Canucks fan my whole life. I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t watching hockey. I remember my love for the team started in 2003 at 8 years old. I got my first ever jersey and proudly wore it to the Canucks training camp in 2003. This was the first time that I have ever seen the Canucks in person and it was SO awesome! I met Dan Cloutier and many other Canucks. It was amazing to see many of the Canucks I have seen on TV, now play in front of me. The same thing happened in 2007, when the Canucks came back for their training camp! This time around it was even more special, as I got yo meet my favourite player in Markus Naslund. I remember he walked out the door, missed my sister and I, looked back, saw us and signed our stuff. I was beyond happy! I also got to meet LU as he was just traded to the team the year before. 

As the years went on, I loved hockey more, but had yet to go to a game. That all changed when I was 16 as my parents got me tickets for a game! It was the second home game back after the Olympics on March 14, 2010. The funniest part of this story is the creator of this blog, Sarah, was at this same game and we hadn’t met yet! I remember she had a really cool sign that she had made that I loved! The game was awesome! Henrik Sedin became the all-time assist leader during the game and it was so nice to see them beat Calgary. It made me love the game more and I wanted to see them play live again. 

I got to see the Canucks again before the 2010-11 season as they had their training camp near my hometown again. My dad and I got up at 4:00 in the morning to drive to the arena as it was about an hour and a half away. We were one of the first people at the arena when the doors opened. Again, it was an amazing experience getting to see the team again. I had gotten a few signatures from different players but I really wanted to get Henrik Sedin’s as I had his jersey and he was favourite player after Naslund retired. I ended up not getting his signature at the arena and I was crushed. I thought that was my one and only chance to meet him ever. I asked my dad if we could go to the hotel they were staying at and as were pulling in, I looked out and saw the Sedins standing there with Erhoff and Samuelsson! No one was with them! I ran over and got my autograph! You could not wipe the smile off of my face. 

2011 was the season that should have been us. It was the perfect season and you couldn’t have written it any differently heading into the playoffs. We all know what happened though and through it, I loved the team more. To see people come together to cheer for a single team, gave me so much excitement and I have a feeling that the tears we shed for 2011 will turn into tears of joy soon. 

I went to college and ended up in enemy territory. As we all know, being a Canucks fan anywhere is tough, but it was especially hard in Calgary. Luckily I made some friends online who loved the Canucks and could keep the passion alive for me. It was kind of fun being a fan there and I got to see the Canucks play while I was in college. I remember being decked out from head to toe in blue and green because I didn’t want anyone to think I was cheering for the Flames! 

When I moved back home, I continued to love the Canucks and watched them as much as I could. It wasn’t until I turned 23 that I went to Vancouver again and saw a game at Rogers Arena. It turned out to be Burrow’s last game as a Canuck. I always remember Burr as being a phenomenal player and he rightly deserves the Ring of Honour celebration he’s receiving. 

Over the years, the Canucks started doing the Young Stars tournament and I went to as many years as I could. My friends and I would always try to meet some of the players and to see who the young talent was on some of the other teams as well. One year, we had just finished watching the game and were getting ready to leave, there was an elderly man going up the stairs in front of me and he was having a bit of trouble. This kid, who was in a suit, was helping him up the stairs. I wanted to thank him for his knid gesture and I was looking at him and couldn’t figure our how I knew him, so no words came out. As we were walking away, my sister leaned over and said “was that Brock Boeser?!”

Years later, I finally to meet Brock Boeser as the Canucks had their pre-season game in Kelowna last year. It was a great moment as he signed MY jersey! I also got to meet a certain Swedish superstar by the name of Elias Pettersson! He was really nice and it was amazing to see his amazing season. 

The last incredible thing that I have done was attend the 2019 NHL Draft with Sarah! It was amazing to see the draft process and see the craziness of the draft floor. 

I’m excited to see what the future holds for this team. I think we could win a championship but only time will tell. We have a great core and we are getting some good pieces to play with them. Canucks fans should be very excited. 

Thanks for reading, 

Brieann.”

—-Thank-you, to both Brieann for sharing YOUR True Blue story with all of us! [I still think it’s funny how we were both at that game years ago before our paths ever crossed AND now you’re one of my BEST friends]. AND, if you’re not already following her on twitter, what are you waiting for: @BrieannKnorr.

Stay tuned as there are some more great stories lined up to be shared this year but there’s always room for more of you! If you’d like more details on how YOU can be featured in True Blue 2019, simply send me a message on twitter (@nucksaid) OR send me an e-mail to: nucksaid@gmail.com with the subject line: TRUE BLUE 2019.

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

True Blue 2019 (Vol.2)

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It’s that time of year again at NUCK SAID. Now that it’s officially the Vancouver Canucks off-season: True Blue 2019 is here. As has become an annual tradition that began in summer 2014, it’s time to put the spot light on YOU the fans and YOUR hockey stories! This is open to ALL Vancouver Canucks AND Utica Comets fans!

What does that mean? It means featuring YOU, the fans on the blog ALL summer long.  As we count down to the new season around the corner, it is time to share your Canucks/hockey stories and how you became a fan of this team, the game and what keeps drawing you in with no looking back.

I’m calling out to ALL Vancouver Canucks AND Utica Comets fans to share their stories. Whether you’ve been fan your whole life, or only a little while, whether you grew up in British Columbia or across the country or in the USA or across the globe, I would love to feature YOU and YOUR story as a part of this year’s series. We all have a different story as to how this game and the team captured us, but through it all we are all connected. Fan stories and experiences are some of my favourite hockey stories to share with you and since I’m asking for your stories, I will also share a part of my story.

If you’d like more details on how YOU can be featured in True Blue 2019, simply send me a message on twitter (@nucksaid) OR send me an e-mail to: nucksaid@gmail.com with the subject line: TRUE BLUE 2019.

AND in case you missed VOL.1 of True Blue 2019: VOLUME 1

Without further ado, here’s the 2nd edition of True Blue 2019: My story.

“It’s only fair that as I am asking all of you to share your story with me, that I also share mine with all of you.

Growing up, in our house, watching hockey aside from the odd game here or there or during the Olympics/Stanley Cup Final, but overall was not a common practice. It was always kind of on my periphery until something clicked around high school. It was a neighbour and long time family friend who initially sparked my love for the Canucks and taught me much of the terminology and rhythms of the game.

There was a game on, and a few players caught my eye; the trio of Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison & Todd Bertuzzi otherwise known as “The West Coast Express” as I would learn, who played together with a finesse and speed. In that same game there was a particular duo who also took me by surprise with their insane ability to read plays to one another with a seamless no look communication: Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Even in their early playing days, they had something special whenever they played together.

And suddenly I was watching every single game, learning all the stats not just of the Canucks but stats from around the league and simply learning all I could about the game itself. And then the lockout hit..but after THAT, those Sedins elevated their game to another level, the likes of Bieksa, Edler, Kesler and Burrows emerged, Luongo joined the team and there was NO going back.

I found that I really enjoyed talking about the game any time I met another kindred spirit who also loved the game. Just ask my family, I was driving them crazy with my hockey talk. And when they realized it wasn’t a passing fad, I was gifted a Luongo jersey for my birthday(the jersey count is currently at 9…soon to be 10). It was my absolute favourite game day attire for as long as he was on the team and still makes an appearance each season as I’ll always be #teamLU.

Watching the games were great BUT when I finally got to see my first LIVE game, it took my love of hockey up another level. It was pure magic from the pre-game warm-ups to the anthems, to puck drop to final buzzer.

There’s something truly spectacular about watching a game from start to finish with 18,000+ other fans. We all become one it that arena, and it’s unbelievable.

From the start, my love of the game of the game and the team has only grown exponentially. From merely watching the odd game to never missing a game to making it an annual tradition of attending a game on my birthday to becoming a partial season ticket holder, it’s been an unforgettable transition.

I’ve been incredibly blessed over the years from experiencing attending games to meeting some of my all-time favourite players, but I have to say that the connection I’ve made with fellow Canucks/hockey fans over the years has been one of the best parts. Whether it’s been through simply being a fan, or via this blog/social media, connecting with other fans over this game that connects all of us will always be something that I’ll hold dear. I know that hockey fans won’t always agree about certain things but that’s okay, in fact many times, it acts as a way for me to see the game or their team from a fresh perspective. I love seeing the different ways that each person’s team and the game itself draws them in.

For me, it was slow and then all at once, hockey became so much more than just a game to me and the Canucks have become more than just a team.

Here’s to the season just around the bend and seeing Pettersson & Co. thrive when the puck drops in October and seeing the Sedins have their jerseys retired in February!–S.E.L.”

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.