John Horgan took a selfie with 麻豆传媒映画Canucks great Stan Smyl on Thursday inside the premier鈥檚 office.
That it wasn鈥檛 the other way around showed the power of sporting heroes.
Horgan presented several gathered Canucks alumni with a framed proclamation, signed by聽the Queen, honouring the club鈥檚聽50th anniversary in the National Hockey League.
鈥淚鈥檝e been a Canucks fan from Day 1,鈥� said Horgan. 鈥淎bandoning the [Toronto] Maple Leafs wasn鈥檛 hard to do.鈥�
Two of the Canucks in attendance, 53-year-old former defenceman Jyrki Lumme and 36-year-old former forward Chris Higgins, played in the two biggest moments in team history.
Both ended bitterly in Game 7 losses in the Stanley Cup finals. For Lumme, it was in 1994 and for Higgins in 2011.
鈥淐oming close is not good enough,鈥� said Lumme. 鈥淲e just need the Stanley Cup here.鈥�
Those losses haven鈥檛 diminished the passion that fans from Duncan to Dawson Creek and Sooke to Salmo have for the club, however.
鈥淵ou see it in how excited people get when the Canucks alumni stage charity games in smaller communities around B.C.,鈥� said Lumme, a native of Finland.
鈥淚t makes us feel good.鈥�
Having the Canucks as the lone NHL team in the province makes for a different dynamic than in Alberta, where loyalties are divided between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.
鈥淲e really notice that when the Canucks alumni do their reach-out work 鈥� it鈥檚 not just Vancouver,鈥� said Higgins, who grew up in Smithtown, New York, with his choice of Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers and New York Islanders to root for.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the whole province of B.C. which follows the Canucks.鈥�
Higgins is now in player development with the Canucks and bullish on what many consider a young, rising team. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real buzz about the team again,鈥� he said.
The aim for the season is clear: 鈥淭he goal is to make the playoffs,鈥� said Smyl, who invited Horgan to be at the first home game of the playoffs.
The premier smiled and said he would like nothing more.
