On Easter Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks mascot Fin the Whale — in rabbit ears — and former player Kirk McLean came to town.
The visit was for the last of six local NHL/NHLPA First Shift program sessions.
The program is designed to ensure a positive experience for new-to-hockey families, Rod Brathwaite, the Canucks’ manager of minor hockey and alumni, told The Squamish Chief.
"We want families to experience the game at its best — to understand why so many Canadians feel an inherent love for the sport and to stimulate a desire for continued participation," he said.
"We want to take away any intimidation as it relates to equipment requirements and/or rules of the game, remove potential safety concerns, and most importantly, provide an experience that is memorable and fun."
Troy and Elizabeth Lynn, along with other minor hockey coaches from the Squamish Minor Hockey Association, ran the program out of the Brennan Park Rec Centre, Brathwaite said.
Sessions began on March 5th, with youth aged six to 10 who had never signed up for hockey before.
The April 9 ice time was the last of the season.
In addition to McLean, former players Dave Babych and Jyrki Lumme attended earlier sessions over the past few months, according to Brathwaite.
Find out more about the program on its website.
