Curtis Douglas may not have known anyone on the Vancouver Canucks personally when he first joined the team after being claimed off waivers, but that didn't mean he wasn't familiar with them. In fact, it was Douglas and the Tucson Roadrunners that provided 2025 Calder Cup winners Linus Karlsson , Max Sasson , Victor Mancini , and Nikita Tolopilo with their first obstacle during the opening round of the Abbotsford Canucks' championship run.
"It's all business on the ice, and then when we get off, it's a different story," Douglas told The Hockey News. "They're great guys, and we had a little bit of smirks coming into the room and seeing each other the first time, but it's more just funny. We know it's nothing personal. It's just what we had to do [...] [for] both of our teams to try and get a win. There's no bad blood there."
Douglas played for the Roadrunners for three seasons, with last season being the lone time he'd faced Abbotsford in post-season play. The last time the Oakville, Ontario local played for a Canadian team was as part of the Toronto Marlies back in 2022–23. While the forward is familiar with the responsibility that often comes with playing in a Canadian market, he was also quick to note how great the potential is in a team playing for a market such as Vancouver 's.
"It's a hockey city. We're in Canada, so there's going to be a lot more scrutiny. There's going to be a lot more media involvement," he explained. "I think it's really awesome seeing the passion that the fans have and we're hoping to keep building and just keep getting better for them, and hopefully we'll fit into those shoes."
Douglas was the lone addition to Vancouver's roster during the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, though, as mentioned, he ended up with the Canucks via waiver claim. The forward briefly detailed what the experience was like heading from the Lightning to Vancouver.
"It's just the way that the league works. They're a good team and they needed roster spots or whatever the situation was, so that means that they need to send a guy down. That happened to be me, but it was cool to see that Vancouver wanted me here. Speaking of staff and everyone here, they're all awesome, and so they've been great in helping me get settled and acclimated. The guys have been awesome, so I couldn't be more grateful for that."
As Douglas noted, the forward's time in Tampa Bay was something he can now apply to his experience with the Canucks. The clear divide between a competitive team like the Lightning and a team on the cusp of change like the Canucks was evident on Thursday, when Tampa Bay won by 6–2 over a Vancouver team that looked in over its head. He'll be using that time spent with the Lightning as something to draw inspiration from as his team prepares to enter a rebuild.
"It was pretty special to get into Tampa and be with that group and learn from those guys, and then getting here, a bit of a change with the group being a lot younger and in the position we're in here — I mean, it's been awesome. I'm just trying to get better every day and just focus daily."
Mar 12, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks center Curtis Douglas (42) during warm up at Rogers Arena against the Nashville Predators. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images
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