We’re back for another round of CanucksArmy’s top 20 Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings.
Today, we cover the undrafted local with eight NHL games under his belt. Why ninth, you ask? If you missed our Honourable Mentions installment, we covered the rules of our rankings list.
Arshdeep Bains
Team: Abbotsford Canucks | Age: 23 | Position: Left Wing | Height: 6’0 | Weight: 184 lbs | Shoots: Left
Arshdeep Bains’ 2023-24 season included a career-high in points, his first AHL All-Star appearance, and his NHL debut for his hometown team.
Coming off his up-and-down professional rookie year (2022-23), which involved various healthy scratches and expected growing pains, the Surrey native burst onto the scene in his sophomore year. Quite literally, by the way.
He opened the year with a four-point effort, scoring a goal and adding three assists against the Laval Rocket. That led to a blistering 16 points in 10 games, skyrocketing him to the top of the AHL leaderboard early on.
While the incredible production eventually settled, the consistency remained. On a nightly basis, Bains was one of the offensive drivers for his team in Abbotsford, consistently providing a boost to any linemates his now-former bench boss Jeremy Colliton paired him with.
If a player struggled to find offence, Bains was typically the catalyst to light the fire and kickstart production.
By February, Bains sat seventh in AHL points with 39 in 42 games, earning his first appearance in a professional All-Star game. He celebrated with an MVP performance, scoring two goals and adding three assists in a three-game miniseries event.
His season couldn’t get much better, could it?
Before he could even return to Abbotsford for his next league match, he was on his way to Colorado to make his much-anticipated NHL debut. In a nine-game audition, separated by two call-ups, he experienced various ebbs and flows in his performance and failed to register any points to finish with a minus-5 rating.
Despite the lack of points, he met his time in the NHL with his typical work ethic, generating a few hits and blocking some shots. While it may not have been a picture-perfect stint, he did not look out of place. He has the skill, work ethic, and brains; now, it’s just a matter of putting it all together this summer.
“At times, I’m maybe a bit behind the play. But that’s just the learning curve. When you first come to this league, it’s a tough jump. For me, at all levels, it takes me a little bit of time to learn about the speed and how it works. Hopefully, I’ll hit the ground running here.” Bains told the media following his NHL debut.
At 23, he’s no spring chicken as far as prospects go. Yet, there’s still time for him to adjust to the speed and size of the NHL and solidify a role in Vancouver’s lineup.
And no matter what you may think of his game, he did manage to impress the one guy that matters: Rick Tocchet.
“I’m a big fan. I like him a lot. I think there’s another level,” Tocchet told Postmedia earlier in the year. “I know guys enjoy playing with him. I’ve had a couple of players come up to me individually and say ‘Hey, don’t be afraid to throw him on my line.’ I think that’s the ultimate compliment for that kid. A lot of players want to play with him. But he’s also doing the little things that I love. He’s really good on the forecheck, he can handle the puck, and he’s not scared. He gets inside.”
When all was said and done, Bains finished second on the Abbotsford Canucks, firing just under a point-per-game clip with 55 points across 59 games. He also finished second with 28 primary assists and led the team with 32 points at 5v5.
At the top of his game, the 23-year-old brings strong vision and the ability to make plays at a high rate. While his creativity can sometimes get him into trouble, it also allows him to provide crafty behind-the-back passes that catch defenders and netminders off guard. He works hard on the forecheck and doesn’t shy away from throwing his body around from time to time.
To make it at the NHL level, he’ll need to add size and, hopefully, some speed to withstand the competition.
Ceiling: Bains is on the cusp of making the NHL. Not only that, but he still carries weight as a prospect with upside. Given his combination of vision, and work ethic, Bains has the potential to become a two-way contributor in the NHL. If he can continue to develop his physical attributes and adjust to the speed of the game, he could find a permanent spot in the top nine of an NHL lineup.
Floor: At the very least, he has proven he can be a productive AHL forward. His ability to drive play and contribute offensively at the AHL level has done all the talking for him thus far.
ETA: Assuming he doesn’t make the team out of camp this fall, we expect him to be one of the first call-ups throughout the year should Vancouver require reinforcements. From here on out, it’s going to be up to him to dictate his timeline, as he’s on the cusp of being ready today.
