Vancouver Canucks defensman Ethan Bear took part in ceremonial face-off between his former junior team Seattle Thunderbirds and Kamloops Blazers on Indigenous Day at Memorial Cup
Fresh off his gold medal win at the World Hockey Championship -- and with the championship medal around his neck -- Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear was front and centre at another prestigious hockey tournament on Wednesday.
Bear, a Cree-Canadian, took part in a special pre-game puck drop ahead of the Memorial Cup round robin finale between his former junior team the Seattle Thunderbirds and the host Kamloops Blazers.
Showing no signs of the upper body injury that kept him out of the semi-final and final at the Worlds, Bear took his spot on the centre ice carpet alongside Rosanne Casimir, the Chief of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc along with six-time Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes. The ceremonial face-off featured Seattle captain Lucas Ciona and Kamloops captain Logan Stankhoven.
As a member of the T-Birds, Bear took part in the 2017 Memorial Cup in Windsor, Ontario. His Thunderbirds went 0-3 in that tournament. The Birds are 2-1 at this year's event after a 6-1 win in Wednesday's game.