He had always hoped for the chance to play hockey with the Vancouver
Canucks and on July 1, 2010, Dan Hamhuis’ dream came true. The
small-town, British Columbia native is now plying his trade for the
Canucks and enjoying the spotlight of being a “homegrown” talent.
Although
it’s home to under 6,000 residents, Hamhuis’ hometown of Smithers,
British Columbia, has produced some notable big-league players.
Brothers
Joe Watson and Jimmy Watson won the Stanley Cup as defencemen with the
Philadelphia Flyers in 1973-74 and 1974-75. Ron Flockhart competed in
the NHL from 1980-1991 and Alan Kerr played for the New York Islanders,
Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets in the 1980s and 1990s.
Dan
is carrying on that rich NHL tradition for the people of Smithers. Here
are 5 things you need to know about Dan Hamhuis, the 12th overall selection of the Nashville Predators in 2001:
THANKS, COACH DAD:
“My dad coached me my first five years or so of hockey. Even when I
made it to the NHL, he’d still point out things, give me advice, that
type of thing. After a game, earlier on in my NHL career, he’d tell me
things I needed to work on, things I did well. Sometimes, you don’t want
to hear it, but I know he’s looking out for me. I think every player
wants to find ways to improve their game.”
LIVING THE DREAM:
“I suppose it was always in the back of my mind about wanting to play
for Vancouver. Growing up, you hope that if you do make it to the NHL,
that you could play for your hometown team. And when it does happen,
it’s just a great feeling. Obviously, your family and friends are just
as excited. Growing up in such a small town, hockey was always fun. The
local rink was always busy and there were plenty of people that took
advantage of the chance to play hockey. Even though that seems like such
a long time ago, you still carry those memories with you.”
A HAPPY CAMPER:
“I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors and camping. I took two of my
girls, who are four and two, and we went out for a camping trip. You
really never know how they will react to it, but the next morning, the
youngest woke up and said to me, ‘Dad, I love camping!’ I was hoping
they’d like it and they did. It’s once of those things you can keep
doing as a family for years to come.”
A PRINCE OF A FELLOW:
“I’m actually on my way to a golf tournament for my former Western
Hockey League club in Prince George. They’ve been talking about doing
one for a long time and it’s finally happening. It’s nice to be part of
something that is the very first one. It’ll also be nice to see some old
friends and catch up with them, while raising some money for a good
cause. Update: Hamhuis’ foursome won the event with a score of -16.”
DRIVE AND DESIRE:
“I’ve definitely been doing a lot of driving this summer, to see
friends and family, but it’s always a beautiful drive in B.C. You’re
always reminded just how great it is out here, going through small towns
and seeing how amazing it is. I’ve always enjoyed it out here. You’re
spoiled in a lot of ways, especially how many places you can go and do
hundreds of things.”
While it wasn’t a memorable 2011-12
campaign for the Canucks, Hamhuis, who has skated in 629 regular season
NHL games, had one of his best years. He appeared in all 82 games,
while recording 33 points, his second highest big-league total.
What
matters most to the man who won gold with Team Canada at the 2007 World
Championships, however, is bringing a championship to the city of
Vancouver.
“We have great support and it would be nice
to deliver a Stanley Cup to our fans,” said Hamhuis, who has 52 games of
NHL playoff experience. “Even in the off-season, you can’t help but
think of what it would be like to be part of it. It’s the dream of every
hockey player.
