Teddy Blueger Wins Big In Vegas, Now Betting On Himself With Canucks

Teddy Blueger's unrelenting work ethic and skillset served him well at every stop - Minnesota State, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and now the NHL. He developed his game in the AHL, taking a cerebral approach, figuring out what the NHL club needed and being the guy to deliver it. Over the last couple of months, Blueger won his first Stanley Cup and is reunited with a group who saw his potential 11 years ago.

With the Canucks young core, it will be the first time in Blueger's career that he falls on the veteran side of a roster. The 28-year-old is hoping to make the most of his opportunity in Vancouver, and at the same time use his five years of NHL experience to help his teammates succeed on the ice.

"I think a young core is great, and it's exciting for the future," Blueger said. "I'm looking forward to finding my role on the team, generating more offence than I have in the past, and helping the team grow, get better, and improve. Also getting to know the guys, build relationships, and be a part of that whole process hopefully for the team to take a step forward next year."

Learning the ropes with the Penguins and Golden Knights, he's found commonalities that made those teams successful. One noteworthy thing about Vegas' Cup run was that they were a close-knit group.

"Guys really battled for each other, and everyone got along so well," he said.

Even though he's one of the new faces in Vancouver, he knows it will be important for the team to unify early on and be committed to playing for one another.

He says winning the Cup was an unforgettable experience, and even though he was with the team for a short time, he found it an easy fit because of the culture. The team celebrated in Vegas after the championship and then packed up for a 24-hour jaunt to a ranch in Montana.

"It was a cool experience lifting it up for the first time," he said. "The most fun part for me was the times with the guys. We had a trip to Montana with significant others and those memories are the ones that stick out the most."

He's been firming up details on the logistics of his day with the Cup, set for August 11th in his hometown Riga, Latvia. It will be at his parent's house in the morning to share with family and friends, and afterwards he will bring it to a few different places throughout Riga for people to see up close and take pictures with it.

"I think the only other player that's won it from Latvia was Sandis Ozolinsh and from what I understand, it didn't make it back there when he won it in 1996 with Colorado, so this will be the first time it really gets brought back there," Blueger said, adding "I think it's important to share it with the community."

He was hoping he could take it to the rink he played in growing up, but it was torn down a few years ago, so he's been working on alternate venues.

In preparation to come to Vancouver, he and his wife have been packing up their place in Pittsburgh and are spending time in Minnesota - where he spends his offseasons - catching up with family and friends while he trains for the upcoming season.

In a new city it's always nice to have at least a few familiar faces to help the settle in. He's got built-in relationships with President Jim Rutherford and General Manager Patrik Allvin, and some of the coaching staff from their time in Pittsburgh.

"It helps a lot having that familiarity, I know how they operate and what they expect and what they're looking for from me," he said.

He's also skated with Brock Boeser in Minnesota, and crossed paths with Arturs Silovs on Latvia's Olympic Qualifying team for Beijing 2022.

For Blueger, coming to Vancouver for an away game usually meant a mad dash to Miku to get the salmon oshi. In just over a month, he'll be able to take a more leisurely stroll there, getting acquainted with the city, and his new teammates.