Every single time an Abbotsford Canucks player leaves or returns to the dressing room it will be looming.
It's a reminder of the possibilities that can be created if the mission is accomplished inside the Abbotsford Centre and provides significant evidence of how frequently players in this building get noticed.
The Highway 1 Wall in all its glory. Thanks to the for letting me check it out. Story coming soon
鈥� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
The Highway 1 Wall, which was recently unveiled to the public, highlights some of the success stories from the Abbotsford Canucks organization.
Players and staff members who have received the call to travel the 66 kilometres west and compete with the NHL's Vancouver Canucks are commemorated and celebrated with a photo acknowledging their efforts.
The wall is located just outside the Abbotsford Canucks dressing room in the bowels of the AC and is the final thing players glance at before entering the tunnel to hit the ice.
More motivation to keep up the hard work. 馃槫
鈥� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
"The Highway 1 Wall is a celebration of the community, of the players, of the organization and I think the manifest in the middle of that wall speaks to how proud we are as an organization to have our developing players and staff there in a place like Abbotsford," stated Abbotsford Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson. "I think that bleeds into the environment there that we've created for everybody."
Johnson added that the wall is an opportunity for the team to recognize and honour success stories.
"I've always wanted the players to be able to celebrate that when a player has come into Abbotsford and has done the work, used the resources and has bought into the foundational pieces that we've been preaching," he said. "To come down the highway and be a part of the Vancouver Canucks is something that we felt was important that we and others have something that they're looking at."
He said the Canucks always look to promote from within and he hopes the wall can be seen as a motivating factor for players and staff.
The road to success starts in Abbotsford.
鈥� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Introducing the Highway 1 Wall, which celebrates Abbotsford Canucks players and staff who have earned at least one game on Vancouver ice.
A nod to the 66km of Highway 1 that connects Abbotsford and Vancouver, it鈥檚 a daily reminder that鈥�
The players currently on the wall consist of: Michael DiPietro, Guillaume Brisebois, Justin Bailey, Nils Hoglander, Jack Rathbone, Will Lockwood, Vasily Podkolzin, Madison Bowey, Noah Juulsen, Sheldon Dries, Spencer Martin, Sheldon Rempal, Nic Petan, Nils Aman, Colin Dellia, Lane Pederson, Phil Di Giuseppe, Arturs Silovs, Christian Wolanin, Aatu Raty, Akito Hirose, Cole McWard, Linus Karlsson, Arshdeep Bains, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Max Sasson.
It's believed that Elias Pettersson (defenceman) will soon be added to the wall.
Staff members on the wall include: Trent Cull (head coach), Roman Kaszcjiz (head athletic therapist), Jaroslav "Yogi" Svejkovsky (assistant coach), Marko Torenius (goaltending coach), Ian Beckenstein (video coach) and Chris Trivieri (assistant athletic therapist).
