Age: 31
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 209 lbs
Birthday: December 13, 1982
Born: Smithers, British Columbia
Position: Defence
Shoots: Left
Acquired: Signed by Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2010 as an unrestricted free agent
The 2013-2014 National Hockey League season is quickly coming to a close and with that comes the fight for one of the sixteen playoff spots up for grabs.
While the gold medals won by both the Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia may have Canadian hockey fans on a high, fans of the Vancouver Canucks now have to face the reality that their team can’t yet be considered champions. With the last stretch of the season still to be completed, the Canucks have found themselves in a perilous position where any points they earn are imperative if they hope to have a shot at the elusive Stanley Cup.
It may have been the sunny, blue skies on a warm winter day, the chance to start fresh after a two-week Olympic break or the excitement of the Heritage Classic just a few days away but, regardless of the reason, positivity seemed to carry the Canucks around the ice and fill the locker room after a recent game-day skate.
DARPAN had the chance to speak with Dan Hamhuis, one of the Canucks celebrated defencemen, who spoke candidly about where the team stands, how they plan to reach their goals and what it feels like to be an Olympian.
A native of British Columbia, Hamhuis grew up as a fan of both the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers. At the age of 15, Hamhuis took his talents to Prince George, BC where he excelled playing for the Prince George Cougars. He made his NHL debut in 2003 as a member of the Nashville Predators, impressing as a reliable and consistent addition to their blue line recording team high ice times. When trades and free agency saw him floated around the league, he didn’t hesitate to turn down offers from other clubs so he could become a member of his hometown team.
While the extended break from the NHL is often under scrutiny for interrupting the season, the Canuck blueliner wasn’t complaining about the effect it has on his team. “Our game wasn’t where we wanted it to be coming into the break,” Hamhuis told us. “We didn’t put ourselves into a good position and this break was huge for our team – just mentally to take a break from the game and physically to get guys healthy. We were struggling in both areas coming into the break.” And with challenges come changes. “We’ve watched a lot of tape and done some work on the ice to get things back in order and start fresh. It was great to get that first win – and against a really good team,” he says, recalling the Canucks 1-0 win over the St. Louis Blues. “Hopefully, that will be the start of a good run here.”
Hamhuis’ ability to line up against the opposition’s top forwards has allowed him to make a name for himself in the league as a shutdown defencemen. It also garnered the attention of the Canadian national team, earning him a spot on the 2014 Olympic squad. “We had a lot of fun there,” he says, as he seems to loosen up a little, perhaps because the pressure to perform has passed. “Aside from winning the gold medal, it was a wonderful experience. Just being a part of the whole Canadian Olympic team and meeting other athletes, it really makes you proud to be Canadian when you’re there watching all your fellow Canadians.”
While the experience was unforgettable, he can’t help but smile as he recalls the end result. “The hockey was a great experience on its own. We had such a great group of guys and to get the job done was really fun.”
The Olympic gold in Sochi was not Hamhuis’ first as a representative of his country. At the World Championships, he was a member of the Canadian men’s national team that won gold in 2007, along with two silver medals in subsequent years. Hamhuis also donned the maple leaf before his NHL career began, playing for the Canadian national junior teams in 2001 and 2002, winning bronze and silver medals respectively.
While he doesn’t put himself in the category of champions, it’s clear he is one and has the attitude to go along with it. Being a team player, it’s hard for him to speak to his own personal goals for the rest of the Canucks’ season but, after much contemplation, he reflects on what he hopes to accomplish.
“Drawing on the experiences I had at the Olympics, being surrounded by champions in the dressing room, guys that had won before, I’m trying to take some of that culture into our room,” he says. “To try to not only be fully committed in my own game to making the playoffs, but also trying to help my teammates as much as I can, too – create a winning environment.”
Despite his international success combined with the tough position his team is in, Hamhuis wasn’t afraid to get honest with us. Speaking about the spirit in the locker room, he didn’t hide the challenges that the team has had to work through. “It’s been up and down for us this year,” he said. “We’ve had some bad stretches, we’ve had some good stretches.”
Most of the bad stretches Hamhuis speaks to have revolved around injuries that have stunted the team’s potential. However, with the majority of the injured list on the mend, Hamhuis and his teammates are confident that winning is a part of their immediate future. “Coming back from the break, the morale is pretty good,” notes Hamhuis. “I think it was refreshing for everybody.”
With spirits high and champions in their midst, the Canucks, with the help of Olympians like Hamhuis, appear more determined than ever to turn their winning attitude into a winning season.
Photo Credit: Jeff Vinnick / Vancouver Canucks
