Former Vancouver Canucks centre Ryan Kesler had a successful trip back to his old city, which included some fun and some business.
The now-retired player coached his son Ryker’s U14 Little Caesars Hockey Club team to first place at the U15 Pat Quinn Classic. The event was held in Burnaby and Delta, and the finals were played yesterday.
They took care of business as Kesler’s team beat Northern Alberta Xtreme u15 Prep 6-1 in the championship game to win the tournament.
The Keslers’ minor hockey team is one of the best in North America. They have a 29-1 record and are second in the U14 United States-wide rankings.
Kesler was spotted in town for the tournament last week as he was at the Canucks game against the Calgary Flames. He got a big cheer when he was shown on the Jumbotron and got the fans even more excited when he downed his beer.
The former pest was seen later that night at The Roxy on Granville Street, where he got on stage and showed off his vocal cords.
The 40-year-old is still clearly beloved by the fan base. He has expressed a desire in signing a one-day contract with the Canucks to retire as a member of the team.
Kesler’s foray into the coaching world follows in the footsteps of many of his former teammates. Both Sedin twins now have coaching roles with the Canucks, Alex Burrows held a position with the Montreal Canadiens, and Alex Edler expressed interest in potentially teaching the next generation.