"I used to look up to [Jujhar Khair] a lot and still do. I know there's players before him, but for me, it was him—and it's not a big community in the NHL, but it's growing." – Arshdeep Bains

To play for the club he cheered for as a kid and to make that drive through the Lower Mainland feels meaningful to the 25-year-old. “I was born and raised here. I watched [Sidney] Crosby play in Rogers Arena with my dad as a fan,” he says. “There’s a lot of special things about playing in B.C. … When I’m in the American [Hockey] League, I drive down the highway to Abbotsford. And if I get called up, I’m in Van, driving the other way up the highway.”

The late-night and early-morning drives are familiar territory. “When I was in junior, we played in Alberta in the Central Division and you bused everywhere. For the whole league, everyone buses,” Bains says.“You could bus all the way from Victoria or Winnipeg on opposite sides, and we had to find a way to sleep through the night.”

Bains finds himself fond of those long drives with his teammates. “We’d have guys sleeping across two seats, guys lying on the floor and trying to find ways to get comfortable,” he says. “Those are the stories you never forget. In the moment it was hard, and as soon as it was done, I would think, ‘Man, I missed that. I missed doing all those things and being together on those trips.’ You learn to get comfortable and find your sleep.”

Bains’ hockey resume is impressive. The undrafted rookie was signed in 2022, after becoming the Western Hockey League (WHL)’s top scorer in the 2021–2022 season. He finished with an impressive 43 goals and 69 assists that year and won the WHL Bob Clarke Trophy—hardware granted to the likes of Connor Bedard and Joe Sakic.

“I just want to prove it to my family—my dad and everyone that committed to me—that there was no failing or giving up. That’s what motivates me every day. I want to be the best I can be for the people that believe in me.” – Arshdeep Bain

However, he has always had to fight for every roster spot. His motivation to keep showing up goes to the heart of who he is as a person. “I think it’s just the way I was raised,” he says. “I just want to prove it to my family—my dad and everyone that committed to me— that there was no failing or giving up. That’s what motivates me every day. I want to be the best I can be for the people that believe in me.”

Not only is Bains the first player of South Asian descent to win the Bob Clarke Trophy, he’s also among the few players of similar heritage to appear in the NHL. The winger carries a deep sense of responsibility for that and wants to be a role model for players that will follow. “I see it almost every day, how it reflects on the kids that come and watch or send me messages. It pushes me the right way, makes me want to be better and keep trying to play for them.”

That came into focus in his 2024–2025 season with Abbotsford, when Bains got to play and connect with Jujhar Khaira, the third player of Punjabi Indian descent to appear in the NHL. “I used to look up to him a lot and I still do,” says Bains. To Bains, Khaira was the first player to do it—and he loved picking his brain about his journey. “I know there’s players before him, but for me, it was him—and it’s not a big community that’s in the NHL, but it’s growing.”

The B.C. community is a tight-knit one and he volunteers as much as possible. In the past, he has served as a player ambassador for Hockey Gives Blood, an organization dedicated to engaging the hockey community in saving lives. And he has regularly promoted hockey within the South Asian community in Metro Vancouver through community engagement events.

His hard work has paid dividends. He’s been an OpenRoad Auto ambassador since the fall of 2025, alongside several Vancouver Canucks players, Vancouver Goldeneyes players, a member of the Canadian women’s soccer team and a local mountain biker. His ambassadorship includes appearing in social media videos and photos, as well as helping OpenRoad with their foundation. “I see the stuff they do,” he says. “It’s awesome and being a part of that team feels like another hockey team I’m on.”

His work with OpenRoad opened the door to a Land Rover partnership, too. The Langley dealership hooked him up with a Land Rover Defender for the duration of the hockey season. He gets compliments on his wheels all the time, even from folks on the street, and the drive between points A and B has been easier because of it. “I’ve been [living out of] a suitcase a little bit, going up playing in Vancouver, being in Abbotsford,” he shares. “They do a great job of making sure that my job comes first.”

Through it all, he’s enjoying the big moments with his on-ice team and appreciating the journey.

One of those great moments came on the night of October 26, 2024. In the thick of the second period, in his hometown against his childhood hero Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bains collected a rebound in his home zone, rapidly skated up the middle with his linemate Daniel Sprong, jumped on a rebounded shot, and pocketed his first goal as an NHLer.

The goal came on a night with a packed house at Rogers Arena. The song “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds was played to celebrate, and the feverish, joyful home crowd cheered with him.

“It's a feeling you can't begin to describe,” Bains says. “It’s pretty special."

“A lot of people and players don’t get to play for their hometown team, and especially not right out of juniors. I don’t take that for granted.” – Arshdeep Bains