Author Archives: Dean Herman

The Burnaby Olympian you’ve never heard of

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If you’re in high school or college sports in Burnaby, you never know if you might be playing or training next to a future Olympian.  

There’s been a handful of Olympians that have come out of the Vancouver region, with the most recognized being Christine Sinclair of soccer fame. 

But what about the other ones? What does it take to rise through the ranks from a place like Burnaby, and end up on the national stage? 

If you’re looking for a classic sports story, the early hype, the inevitable rise, all eyes on them kind of moment, well, Justina Di Stasio just isn’t that. There’s not usually that much excitement about a rubber matt covered in sweat stains. I mean you can probably smell it as I’m describing it.  

Raised in Burnaby, Di Stasio didn’t burst onto the scene as Canada’s next big thing. There was no viral moment, no instant stardom. It was built through years of grinding in gyms, competing in under the radar competitions, and figuring things out as she went. 

Di Stasio’s slow rise really begins at Simon Fraser University. Where she quietly became a consistent national contender. However, she still wasnt reconized, or taken seriously. Despite her efforts and accomplishments, there was still no buzz about her. 

That all changed at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships, Di Stasio didn’t just compete. She shocked the whole audience. 

She won gold. 

Boom. 

(Wrestling Canada Lutte – Facebook)

And there she was. Top of the podium, covered in sweat and overwhelmed with emotions. She flew that Canada flag high off her shoulders that day. What makes this so odd, is that there was no long buildup. No almost there moment. Just a sudden, undeniable breakthrough.  

But a moment like that doesn’t mean its smooth sailing from there. When Di Stasio tried to qualify for the 2024 Olympics it didn’t go as planned. She needed to drop in weight class, and delt with two serious injuries. It looked like her time in the spotlight might be over. 

But its all about resilience. Di Stasio eventually punched her ticket to the 2024 Summer Olympics, turning what could’ve been a wrestling one-hit wonder into something more. 

And that’s what makes her story stand out. 

The Canucks prospect no one knows about

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Allow me to introduce you to the Canucks prospect that doesnt get enough love. 

Kirill Kudryavtsev. 

Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way. Kudryavtsev is a Russian born draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks, who plays defense.  

Heres where things start to get interesting. Kudryavtsev was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. The odds of a player from the last round of the draft making the NHL is about 5%.  

Now, most normal people have a life, and would not care or have the time to obsess over Kudryavtsev’s stats in the OHL or the AHL. But I guess that was my position to fill.  

Leagues in Russia like the KHL and the MHL do not care for developing players, especially if their teams believe they will one day ditch them for North America. Another Canucks prospect that fell victim to this was Vasili Podkolzin, and it was happening to Kudryavtsev. Sensing his time would not come in his homeland, he made the switch to Canada to play on the Soo Greyhounds. And with 39 points in 68 games, Kudryavtsev was on the map.  

With such limited playing time in North America, it took until the seventh round for a team to take a chance on him. But after two more seasons in junior, his stock rose fast.  

Without even finishing his first full year with the Canucks AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, Kudryavtsev got into a couple of games at the end of the year. Now fans were starting to notice him, and there was a serious push from them during the preseason for Kudryavtsev to make the team out of camp.  

Alas, it didn’t happen. But another late season call up had him get 2 assists in 4 games. Next season, a spot on the regular defense corps is seemingly Kudryavtsev’s to lose. 

Don’t get it twisted, Canucks fans shouldn’t be penciling him in as a future star, think along the lines of Elias Pettersson (the defenseman)  it’s his consistently positive under-the-radar development that makes him so easy to root for.  

So why should you care?  

Well, the Canucks are going to be bad again next season. So, if you plan to subject yourself to watching that filth on the ice next season, you’re going to need to know a couple positives storylines to keep you going.  

Kudryavtsev’s progression is definitely going to be one of those. 

What it feels like to touch the Stanley Cup

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Conner McDavid is the best hockey player ever. 

Slow down, I didn’t say he was the greatest of all time. But he is the best hockey player ever to play the game. I mean come on, his nickname in hockey media is literally McJesus. If you dropped him the 80’s he would have more points than Wayne Gretzky. Fight me on it. 

However, McDavid has somewhat of a reputation of always coming up short. Whether it’s warranted or not, losing in the OHL finals, back-to-back Stanley Cup final loses, and a silver medal at the Olympics will do that to you. 

Now, what if I were to tell you I’ve touched Lord Stanleys coveted mug more times than Conner McDavid. 

Would you believe me? 

Remember willie Mitchell? He played on the Canucks for a while. He had Jonathan Toews wondering what room he was in with a thunderous hit once. Known for being a good defensive defenseman, maybe there should be an award for that kind of position. Put a pin in that for later.  

Anyway, staying on target, he won two Stanley Cups with the LA Kings in 2012 and 2014.  

After his first win he brought the Cup back to his hometown of Port McNeil on Vancouver Island. I say town, it’s really just like a dirt road with houses. But Mitchell did the whole shebang, he flew in on a helicopter and walked in with the Cup hoisted above his head.  

After the planned celebration and ceremony, you had the opportunity to get a group photo with it. Being the small kid I was at the time, you better believe I parked myself right underneath that 35-pound trophy.  

The event staff made it very clear you’re not supposed to touch it. But can you blame me? When you touch the Stanly Cup, you can feel it. And I don’t just mean all those beautifully imperfect engravings and rings. I mean you can feel the history surging through your veins and into your entire body. You get the shivers almost. And it’s not just about the aura, that silver bowl has touched the hands of many hockey legends, and just for a brief second, you get to share it with every single one of them. It’s something extremely special that you will never forget.  

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Photo: Willie Mitchell next to the Stanley Cup (Megan Herman)

It’s definitely different winning it as a player, the seconds turning into years of training and grinding coming to a climax after going through a 2-month war of attrition against 4 other teams. That’s an electric feeling and a high that I have yet to find.  

To this point, to the surprise of no one, I have yet to find another opportunity to touch the Stanley Cup and likely never will. My experience was even better than taking a photo with it from a distance at the Hockey Hall of Fame.  

But I know one thing for sure.  

If the best hockey player in history never gets to hold it high, it would be a massive disappointment for him to put all that effort in, to never have the same feeling I got.  

Does Vancouver support its artisans?

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 Do artisans in Vancouver get enough support?

Coming from a guy who grew up in a small town, I’ve seen a lot of artisan festivals and markets. And I got the full picture of the scene when I ran my summer cruiser weekend radio show. One thing that stood out to me, how grateful the smaller market organizers were when I would give them just a minute cut in on the air. It gave them one of the best ways to get the word out in the community. And that’s how I discovered how important artisan’s markets can be to uniting a community. 

Now, things are a little different here, in Vancouver, but the core message remains the same. Its important to support your local vendors as much as it is to support local businesses. In a city like Vancouver, where everything can feel too polished, performative, and expensive, the artisan scene brings things back down to earth and allows you to slow down and experience the moment. 

Take Granville Island for example, their website list events taking place over the next two months. Which is packed full of community and culture, chief among them being the Public Market. Between the produce stands and bakeries, you’ll find local artisans selling handmade jewelry, prints, candles, wood art, clothing, and more. With my personal weakness being any stand that has tasty looking baked goods or pastries. And when you get to meet the artisans and craftspeople behind each product, it makes the experience much more personal.  

There’s also more of an appeal for a younger crowd, and it’s not just that the products make an easy Instagram post. There’s an appeal to buy local and finding unique pieces that feel personal, that connect with you and your vibe. 

And you can walk away with a story from the piece. In the summer I had bought an amethyst lamp for my partner, she loved pretty things and the soft purple glow it had. Not to mention the base was made out of a tree from Stanley Park, where one of our first dates took place. It’s about knowing where to look, and taking the time to look. 

Organizations like the BC Arts Council help support artists across the province, but the most important part to them is the regular people showing up to markets and events that keep the scene, and their business, alive. Every purchase, no matter how small, boosts not only their business, but their creativity and drive to do more.  

If you’re still on the fence about the whole thing, take a chance. Wander through a market, you might leave with something you didn’t know you needed, and a story you didn’t expect.  

The most painful sports team…

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The Vancouver Canucks finished last in the league. 

 A fitting place for possibly the most pathetic franchise in the league now that the Buffalo Sabers have made the playoffs for the first time in15 years.  

This team needs to be nuked. They have absolutely nothing going for them. The players have been at each other’s throats for years with words like, dysfunctional, country club, and mean girls used to describe the locker room by both coaches and media. 

The team ran with Adam Foote as a head coach. Now Adam Foote can be a good, defensive minded assistant coach, but a head coach, in the NHL? He’s in way over his head. 

They did this in an attempt to appease franchise cornerstone and team captain Quinn Hughes even though team president, Jim Rutherford said in a press conference only a couple weeks ago that he was leaving no matter what. Oh my god, you need to stop letting that man in front of a microphone, it only makes things worse.  

First, it was dragging Bruce Boudreau through the mud, then it was talking about how Elias Pettersson and JT miller could not co-exist anymore. Are we not all adults being paid millions of dollars per year here?  

Even their medical department is terrible. Whether it was botching Tanner Pearsons wrist so badly that the NHL needed to investigate it, not doing proper diligence and recovery with your franchise goaltender, or being the final resting place for the careers of Micheal Ferland, Tucker Poolman, Brandon Sutter, and Travis Dermott, why have you neglected to change anything? 

Alright, now for the elephant in the room. The owner, Francesco Aquilini. All signs point to him being rather meddlesome in hockey operations, but it goes deeper than that. Between the family lawsuits, underpaying 171 migrant workers on his berry farm in Pitt Meadows, and countless other scandals, it all but guarantees the city of Vancouver will celebrate their version of a Stanley Cup when the chains of this man are removed from the beloved team. 

You are a pain to watch, have no culture, no teamwork, no stars, no dignity, no professionalism, and no sympathy from anyone. It’s nothing but a laughingstock for 31 other NHL fanbases. I genuinely would not care if this team was moved tomorrow. 

I hereby appoint you, the dumpster fire dynasty. Thank you for playing 

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this neon soaked night market is where you need to be

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There are a lot of ways to spend a weekend in Metro Vancouver. However, not many can hit all your senses at once quite like the Richmond Night Market. 

The market is back after its winter hiatus, opening for the season on April 24th and will run on the weekends and holidays until late September. 

If you’ve never been, and don’t worry, I haven’t yet either. The simplest way to explain it is part cultural experience, part light show, and all organized chaos. 

But let’s be honest, the atmosphere alone would be worth it, but the main draw is the food. But it would be a disservice to refer to it as just any street food.  

Here, you can find anything from skewers, bubble tea, and fusion snacks from all around the globe served in everything from noodle cups to mango leaves and beyond.  

 The play here is, you’re not just grabbing dinner, you’re sampling. A bit of this, a bit of that. Next thing you know, you’ve constructed your own personal smorgasbord of tasty treats all while soaked in the vibrant colours of the neon lights that are iconic to the market, and maybe a little too Instagram friendly. My advice? Go with a group of friends to get the full experience. Trying to tackle this one-of-a-kind market solo is a rookie mistake.  

(CTV Vancouver – X)

I am not from Vancouver, so I was unaware of this market until recently, and you better believe that upon learning of it, I immediately sent some manic texts to a couple people for possibles hangouts or even a date idea. 

However, even though you should go expecting a good time, you might want to pack your patient pants. It gets busy, like really really busy. Expect lines, crowds, and a little bit of waiting, especially on a nice weekend. So, it’s best not to show up already in hanger monster mode. 

The Richmond Night Market is one of the best examples of Metro Vancouver’s cultural mix actually coming together right in front of your eyes. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. It’s packed. And yet somehow, that’s exactly why it works and what makes it totally awesome. 

The Richmond Night Market isn’t just another thing to do on the weekend and then forget about. It’s the kind of experience that you post some crazy neon washed out photos of yourself with some crazy food and end up talking about for weeks afterward. 

The next face of the NHL is from North Van

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What if I were to tell you that, no hyperbole, the next face of the NHL is a kid from North Vancouver? 

Picture this. 

You’re a hardcore Canucks, not really familiar with the league outside of your team. 

In February, you sit down at some god forsaken time to catch the men’s Olympic hockey in Mulan. Youre excited but still trying to shake off that early morning “ughhhhh”.  

You know the big names, Crosby, Mcdavid, etc. But someone new catches your eye. You point frantically at your TV as you lean in to get a better look at what turns out to be an actual child on Olympic ice.  #17 in red, Macklin Celebrini. 

(NHL – Twitter)

Let’s start with the facts. Macklin Celebrini is a 19-year-old phenom from North Vancouver in the NHL. 

 Finishing his sophomore year with 115 points, nearly double of the second place in the team on points, (Will Smith with 59) and had one of the best seasons a teenager has had in the NHL, with only Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby having more points in a season. Resulting in him being named a finalist for the Ted Lindsy Award, given to the best player in the league as voted on by the players. 

Outside the NHL, Celebrini further raised the roof at the Olympics in Italy. Finishing with 10 points in 5 games and did not look out of place with NHL legends and future Hockey Hall of Fame inductees on his flanks. 

Not to mention, its a slam dunk that hes going to be the next captain of the sharks and the greatest player their franchise has ever seen. Celebrini has already blown the best seasons of Sharks legends Joe Thorton and Patrick Marleau out of the water. 

Keep in mind, this guy can’t even legally drink in the US yet. To say the sky is the limit for him would be an understatement.  

So… What does this mean to the people of Vancouver? For fans in the Lower Mainland, there’s something special that he’s one of ours. In a hockey market that lives and breathes the sport, seeing a local kid potentially become the next global star hits differently. It shows dream filled kids and hockey families alike that all those early morning practices and late-night trips home after games could mean something more one day.  

Imagine how many young kids from Vancouver will see Celebrini as their inspiration, or role model.  

For fans of the NHL, we might be looking at more than just a great player. We might be watching the early chapters of a career that defines the next generation of hockey. 

Not bad for a kid from North Van. 

Vancouver’s living breathing art gallery

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Perched at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park, at Vancouvers highest point, the Bloedel Conservatory feels permanent, like it’s always been part of the city’s identity.  

Screenshot (1)

(Dean Herman)

Opened in 1969, The domed lush paradise is home to over 500 different species of tropical plants, a large group of exotic koi fish, and dozens of birds. This includes standout like the green winged and black and gold macaws, the Sulphur-crested cockatoo, and the talking African Grey parrot.  

When you break it down, Bloedel Conservatory isn’t just a tropical escape.
It’s basically a living, breathing art gallery. Rows of perfectly placed landscaped garden beds lead to a waterfall spilling into a fantastical koi pond

 

However, in 2009, due to construction on the Canada Skytrain line, the gardens became difficult to get to, causing the attendance, and therefore, the revenue to drop. 

The final nail in the coffin was that the conservatory needed upgrades and repairs to the roof. With the city fresh off hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, there was no budget to allocate the funds to do so.  

The Vancouver Park Board was left with no choice but to vote to close the conservatory. 

The public backlash was strong and immediate. At the forefront of it was a group calling themselves the friends of the Bloedel, raising funds in hope of keeping the place alive. 

The group brought in over $80,000 in funds. This, alongside a new budget proposal, was enough for the Park Board to reverse its decision. 

Andrew Fleming, the superintendent of garden operations at the Bloedel, said in an interview with me that, “It would have been sort of a scar- sort of a black mark on the park board” when asked about what it would have meant to the city if the place had shut closed for good. Andrew stated he was finishing his internship at the conservatory at the time the shutdown was imminent, giving insight that the place could have been turned into a concert venue, or skate park. 

The Bloedel was later partnered with the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association (VBGA) to avoid a potential closure from happening again. 

Today, the place is thriving better than ever and even went through a short closure in 2024 to improve walkways. Over the years, the Bloedel has even found some stardom in film, appearing in TV shows such as Supergirl, Fringe, and Supernatural, where it was used as Heaven’s garden. That’s got to be a glowing endorsement.  

The Bloedel conservatory is a unique piece of structural architecture and has become a landmark for the city in Vancouver, not only in the literal sense but also the cultural one.  

Burnaby’s national soccer legend

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How did Canadian women’s soccer get put on the map? 

This is the story of Burnaby local, and national legend, Christine Sinclair. She didn’t just play the game, she changed it forever. 

Long before she broke records, Sinclair was just a kid playing soccer in Burnaby. No hype, no foretold prophecy, just a player who kept showing up and getting better. 

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In a world before social media, her rise was steady, quiet, and built on consistency and drive. 

By the time she joined the Canada women’s national soccer team, heads turned and necks broke, all eyes were on Christine. She wasn’t just a good player, she was someone who was going to define an era of women’s soccer. 

Let’s make one thing clear, Sinclair didn’t just break records, she shattered them like a glass roof. 

She became the all-time leading goal scorer in international soccer. Hold on, think about that, not just in women’s soccer, it was of all time. Christine passed legends like Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm, with 190 goals in 323 games. That’s no longer just a Canadian achievement, that’s a worldwide legend. 

And what tied it all together was Sinclair demeaner. She was well known for her quiet and humble personality, not even any over-the-top celebrations, just a calm jog back to midfield, ready to do it again. 

That’s what made Sinclair such great leader, and longtime captain of the Canadian national team. Her whole brand was being a leader and a role model.  

Finally, at the peak of her legacy, the 202o Tokyo Olympics. After years of grinding and close calls, the Canadian team finally broke through, winning gold. And of course, right at the center of the team, was captain Canada herself, Sinclair. Not just as a player, but as the emotional heartbeat and core of the team. 

So, what legacy will Christine Sinclair leave behind once her athlete career is over? Well, funny enough, the most important part of her career isn’t just what happened on the field, it’s the waves of impact she created.  

Sinclair set the standard of what was to be expected out of every team she played on. Inspired countless young girls who finally had someone to look up to at the highest level, a complete role model in every sense of the word. 

And for people who grew up in Burnaby, the Lower Mainland, or even Canada, you get to say she’s one of yours.  

For you, it’s not about the national moments or the legacy created, its about the local fields, rainy day practices, and the same communities you drive past and live in every day. 

From Burnaby to Olympic gold, Christine Sinclair didn’t just play the game. She changed it forever. 

Why Canada has no more Elite Goalies

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This February at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano, Italy, the men’s hockey team shockingly lost in the gold medal game to the USA, their first gold in 46 years.  

Despite it being a tight game and going to overtime, one flaw on Canada’s team was visible since the roster was released, no elite goalie. The last times there were NHL players at the Olympics, the team was backstopped by names such as Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Roberto Luongo, and Carey Price.  

So why isn’t there any more goalies being produced by Canada? 

Well, the thing is, its not just goalies, its the whole program. 

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(Pexels)

Growing up in Canada, there’s a good chance your childhood included the scrape of skates, early-morning practices, and maybe even the Mighty Ducks films. Hockey wasn’t just a sport, it was the sport, it was the culture and lifeblood that ran through the veins of the nation. 

However, in the last few decades, fewer kids are lacing up the skates, and a question keeps popping up. How did a hockey development system as good as Canada’s fall off? 

Firstly, hockey has become wildly expensive, basically becoming a luxury sport that has seen a 35% drop in registration over the last 14 years. Signing a kid up for organized hockey today can cost thousands per year, and it’s always higher for goalies. Once you factor in equipment, registration fees, travel, and more, in can leave families in over their heads. 

In places like the Lower Mainland, the cost of living is already sky high, putting a sport like hockey out of reach for even middle-class parents. Alternative sports like soccer or basketball are more assessable and cheaper to enroll in. 

It’s not that kids don’t want to play, it’s that fewer have the opportunity. 

Not to mention, hockey is intensely competitive and highly skilled now. It’s no longer about big lumbering guys drinking cases of beer after the game, if your not in shape 24 months of the year, you fall behind, fast. 

Finally, its not just about families or living conditions. Hockey Canada has been an inept organization for years. With the tip of the iceberg being the 2018 world juniors sexual assault scandal, but hockey’s potential culture problem is for another day. 

So… is there real trouble for Canadian hockey?  

Not exactly. Canada is still producing elite talent. The NHL is still full of Canadian stars, it’s just the juggernaut it once was. Countries like Sweden, Finland, and the United States have caught up to Canada in developing their hockey programs. 

Maybe the better question isn’t “what happened to Canadian kids’ hockey programs?” It’s what kind of hockey culture do we want going forward?