Author Archives: Niko Liapis

Vancouver’s Hidden Gem: Braeden Cootes and His Quest for an NHL Spot

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Canucks preseason is here which means NHL hockey is almost back! Even with the loss to the Kraken on Sunday, the Canucks got to see some very promising play from their younger players, specifically their 15th overall pick Braeden Cootes. Who is Braeden Cootes and why should you be excited to have him in Vancouver? Lets get into it!

Braeden’s Journey Pre NHL

In his youth Braeden played Hockey for a local team in Sherwood Park Alberta before moving to B.C. when he was 14 to play for Abbotsfords Yale hockey academy for one year. After his time in Abbotsford the Sherwood Park native had spent the next 3 years playing in the WHL for the Seattle Thunderbirds. During his 3 seasons for the hockey club he thrived, and even captained the team and was youngest captain in the WHL last season. Not to mention he also captained the Canadian U18 team to a gold medal in 2024. Being so young yet holding such a big responsibility definitely played a part as to why he was ranked No.15  in the first round of this years draft.

What He Can Bring to The Canucks

Cootes is a natural leader and has a quiet confidence that later down the line the Canucks may really benefit from. Not only is he a great 2 way player but he also has the ability to take the game into his own hands and create plays and score goals. He has gotten the Brayden Point comparison quite a bit and tries his best to copy the game style of the Tampa Bay centre. Although he was unfortunately an Edmonton Oilers fan growing up and even described being upset when they lost in the finals again this year, he said he has now moved on and is fully committed to the Canucks organization and prioritizes winning before all else.

How Soon Can He Break Into The Team?

The way the current Vancouver roster is looking, all the young players are gonna be having to fight tooth and nail for a place in the lineup. The Canucks have some amazing young talent coming up from Abbotsford Canucks all wanting their shot to play for first team. I think we will see Cootes playing with the Canucks quite a bit this season and if he continues to play how he has started pre season, we could see him playing in the team full time in less than 2 years.

How do you feel about Braeden Cootes in his first pre season game?

Is Canada Finally Considered A Footballing Nation?

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We are less than a year away from Vancouver being one of the host cites for the biggest sporting event on the planet, the World Cup. How will this tournament impact our city, the people, and Canadian soccer? Lets get into the breakdown!

What Will Vancouver Look Like?

Not only is this just another sporting event, the World Cup is when all the countries in the world unite and bond over the love of their countries and the game, quite a beautiful thing. If you were old enough to remember how Vancouver was in 2010 during the winter olympics it will be somewhat reminiscent of that, except times that by 10. That is how big this event is. The city will be as lively as ever, streets will be filled with people from all over the world and with an abundance of different cultures being on full display. The games that will take place here will not only be for those who get to attend the event in person, but also for those watching in the bars, restaurants, at home, or even sneaking it on your computer at work. Even if you don’t particularly love watching soccer, there is nothing quite like supporting your country on a global stage.

How Does It Affect Vancouverites?

Although soccer has become a lot more popular in Canada, the main sport is still hockey. Hockey has been Canada’s pride and joy since the sport was invented. One thing Hockey doesn’t not have that soccer does, is the global influence. Vancouverites will get to see first hand the effect soccer has on people around the world, the adrenaline it brings and the bonding it creates. Just think of how much happier and lively the city is when the Canucks are doing well, even if you don’t like hockey there is a certain type of buzz around the city that you just cant really explain. Soccer is not just a sport, it brings a sense of belonging, unity, and something all Canadians can agree on, We will all be cheering for Canada!

What Does This Mean For Soccer In Canada?

The 2026 World Cup Will bring so many new eyes to the sport, especially in Canada. 10 years ago Canada was not considered even remotely as a footballing nation, and today they are ranked 26th in the world. Insane to think about. We have come such a long way in such a short amount of time and now they will finally get to show how good they truly are at home and in front of the world. Although I don’t think they are quite at the point where they can make it very very far just yet, I do have high hopes for them to be able to make it out of their group and to qualify to the knockout stages. And that is definitely something to be proud of.

How far do you think the Canadians will go?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vancouver UFC Fight Night De Ridder vs Allen; Who Will Be Victorious

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On October 18th the UFC returns to Vancouver for an epic showdown between Renier De Ridder and Brendan Allen. Allen is stepping up to face De Ridder on short notice after Alex “Fluffy” Hernandez had to pull out due to injury. Who will win this fight and what does it mean for the title picture of the Middleweight division? Lets get into it!

Renier De Ridder

De Ridder has bursted onto the scenes of the UFC winning 4 out of 4 fights and winning 3 of them by finish. All these fights have been within 8 months and he will have his 5th fight against Brendan Allen next month as he pushes closer to a title shot. The grappler was a “One Championship” 2 division champion prior to joining the UFC and was very dominant during his time with the promotion. Now ranked No.4 in the middleweight division after a win over Robert Whittaker in July, he has proven he is one of the very best in the division and is a couple fights away from fighting from the belt.

Brendan Allen

Brendan Allen quite literally has nothing to lose in this fight. He’s the No.11 ranked guy in the middleweight division and he took the fight with just over a months notice. That being said, I think this match up is a lot closer than some may think. Allen is a fantastic jiu jitsu practitioner, who has a great standup game. He might not be the best at one certain practice, but he is pretty good in each aspect of mixed martial arts, which makes him a tough opponent to fight against. They both matchup very evenly in their, grappling, striking, and overall ability to mix everything up. So who will win this fight and what will be the method of victory?

My Prediction

if I personally had to make a bet as to who I think is going to win this fight, i’d have to put my money on De Ridder. I believe he is ridding on another level of confidence with the win streak he has been on and is so focused on becoming a champion in the UFC that this will just be another hurdle in his way to get that title shot. How will he win? His constant pressure and walking forward style will eventually make Allen give up. The constant knees to the body will drain the gas tank of Allen like we saw happen to Bo Nickal, and De Ridder will win by a unanimous decision.

Do you agree with my prediction or do I have it all wrong?

Can The Whitecaps Win The MLS Cup?

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The Whitecaps have been on an absolute tear recently. Signed superstar Thomas Muller, second in the western conference and have officially clinched a spot in the 2025 MLS playoffs. Will this be the year they can finally have there name written on the trophy or will it be another year of disappointment for Vancouverite’s? Lets get into it!

Regular Season

The Whitecaps currently host a record of 16-6-7, and are tied for the 3rd highest goal tally this season with 56, and have the lowest goals against total in the entire league, only allowing 31. the Caps has been on another level this season and have their mind set on winning the MLS Cup. Especially after completing the signing of Thomas Muller they have signalled to the rest of the league that they mean business.

Muller has had an immediate impact scoring 4 goals and 1 assist in 3 games, scoring 3 of those goals in one game where the Whitecaps defeated the eastern conference leading Philadelphia Union 7-0. The largest margin of victory in Whitecaps history. The Whitecaps were really good before, but Muller has brought them to the point where we really have to consider them as one of the cup favourites at this point.

Things To Look For In The Playoffs

The Whitecaps have not always had the best of luck in the playoffs, never being able to make it past the second round since their re birth into the league in 2011. after so many years of upset and disappointment, will this finally be the they can go all the way? There is not doubt they have the right pieces to do so and this has all been done with out one of there star players Ryan Gauld. Who was one of the best players for the caps last season and was in the race for the 2024 MVP award. Though he has been out with injury the majority of the season, he is back training full time and is set to make his full return this month.

If the Caps can play the way they’ve played in the regular season in the playoffs, they look practically unbeatable and they definitely have a great opportunity to bring the cup back to Vancouver. But if they perform in the post season as they have in the past, it wont be looking too good for them.

Do you think this Whitecaps team has the potential to win the cup this year? Let me know what you think down below!

 

 

 

 

 

Are The Canucks Ready to Bounce Back This Season?

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After a very disappointing end for the Canucks last season, my classic line was “well there’s always next year”. Well guess what, its next year. And how do I feel about the Canucks going into the 2025/26 season? Lets get into it.

 

 Offseason Moves

I will never forget being on a flight to Montreal and my friend poking me showing me a post from the Canucks welcoming Evander Kane. I personally didn’t know how to feel about it in the moment, and still don’t know how I should feel. On one hand I can see the value he can bring to a team, he’s strong, fast, and can score goals which is exactly the kind of player the Canucks need. On the other hand he has been know to be a bit of a difficult teammate to play alongside, and after last seasons soap opera, a toxic personality in the dressing room is the last thing the Canucks need.

Good news being we re signed a lot of key players, such as Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko, and Conor Garland. Although Demko struggled with injury for most of last season, he has been a pinnacle part of the teams success in recent years, and when he is healthy he is amongst the most elite goaltenders in the league. Conor Garland was one of the stand out players for the Canucks last year and ended the season with 52 points, a career high for him. Brock Boeser, who after last season seemed to be almost guaranteed to be traded, miraculously re signed with Vancouver.

2025/26 Season Prediction

The Canucks have a big season ahead of them, especially one man in particular being Elias Pettersson. Last season was definitely his most difficult year in the NHL. From speculations of him and J.T. Miller having a beef, to injury problem’s, and not being able to find his form, i’m sure he is ready to start this new season and prove to everyone again the type of player he can be. For how they are gonna do this season? I don’t think they will be the best team in the NHL by any means but I do believe they will make they playoffs and have a much better season than last year. Defensively they have had massive improvements, and when you have good defence it allows the offence to have more freedom in the way they play.

Do you think the Canucks will make the playoffs this year? Let me know what you Think!