Rising B.C. hockey star Arshdeep Bains called up to Canucks roster

Family and fans of rising Surrey, B.C., hockey star Arshdeep Bains expressed excitement Saturday as the 23-year-old forward was added to the Vancouver Canucks roster for its game against the Winnipeg Jets.

Although he did not end up getting ice time Saturday, it was Bains' latest milestone on a lifelong journey in the sport, two years after he became the first South Asian hockey player to lead the Western Hockey League in both points and assists.

The Canucks called him up after forward Dakota Joshua suffered an injury against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

For the past two years, Bains has played for the Abbotsford Canucks, a lower-league farm team for Vancouver's NHL team.

Family and hockey experts say the call-up will likely be huge for Metro Vancouver's growing South Asian population, particularly as interest in hockey grows.

Nilesh Patel co-directed a documentary about young South Asian NHL hopefuls, called Mareya Shot, Keetha Goal: Make the Shot. He said this weekend's call-up was a major step toward Bains' hockey dreams.

"This is another step ... that will take work to become, eventually, a permanent part of this roster," Patel explained.

Surrey is B.C.'s second largest city by population and is located just southeast of Vancouver.

Those who know Bains described the young forward as dedicated, determined and driven.

"It's a very, very big day," said his father, Kuldip Bains. "It's a very, very big moment for our whole family, and for our whole community, being a Punjabi boy in Vancouver."

His father told CBC News that as a child, his son was seldom seen without a hockey stick in his hand, or wearing the jersey of his favourite team, the Vancouver Canucks.

"Right from his first skate, he loved being on the ice,"