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Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler, left, celebrates a goal against the Los Angeles kings with Mikael Samuelsson in December. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
March 24, 2010
Kesler fights for victory & gives us the shirt off his back
Posted by Rob Klovance
Next to British newspaper stories slamming the 2010 Winter Games as the "worst
Olympics ever", the local media backlash against "Canada-hater" Ryan
Kesler ranks among the most overblown stories of the recent Games.
Ryan Kesler loves to win and likes to talk, particularly when it throws his
opponents off their game. So when he starts to spout off with comments some
would argue make him an "ugly American", consider the context. And
if that's not enough, consider this.
The guy who supposedly hates Canada so much and thinks Roberto Luongo is such
a sieve just signed a six-year contract extension that will have him stay in
Vancouver, playing alongside Luongo and the Canucks, through the 2015-2016
NHL season.
"With Kes it's a mind game," Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa told
The Province a few days after Canada eked out a gold medal victory over the
U.S. "I wouldn't take too many things he says literally. I know he doesn't
hate Canadians, he loves where he plays, the city and the people."
Here at BC Hydro, we're pretty happy with that extended contract. It
means we can continue to include Kesler on our list of Team
Power Smart Leaders, and in this city, he has to be considered among
the biggest names on that list.
Given the season the centre is having, we also thought that April might be
a great time to make Kesler the focus of our monthly Team
Power Smart Contest. All this month, Team Power Smart members
new and old can get in on a draw for an autographed Kesler Canucks jersey by
taking part in a little online scavenger hunt and entering the correct answer
that results from that adventure.
The contest prize perfectly suits Kesler, who is literally giving us the shirt
off his back.
And then there's that little matter of bringing a Stanley Cup to Vancouver.
While some longtime Canucks fans might say they'd do anything to bring Lord
Stanley's mug to Vancouver, how many would risk grievous bodily harm by taunting,
battling and bleeding the way Kesler does in his quest for victory?
And how many could even debate that Kesler's emergence as one of the best
two-way players in the game hasn't played a huge role in getting the Canucks
within reach of a Stanley Cup?
To be honest, Kesler's not my favourite Canuck – that honour goes to
the overachieving, wildly entertaining Alex Burrows – but he's not close
behind. Never has a Canucks team been so much fun to watch, win or lose, in
part because of the combination of speed and grit that Kesler embodies.
The fact that Kesler is a Team Power Smart Leader, a guy who has taken
the time to learn a few things about electricity conservation and to spread
the word, is a bonus.
Rob Klovance is managing editor of bchydro.com.
