What’s tougher–playing in the NHL or hiking 2,830 stairs straight uphill? For the Vancouver Canucks’ prospects, it’s looking like the latter. On Thursday, the team shared a video from its development camp that showed its newest recruits tackling one of British Columbia’s most brutal challenges: the Grouse Grind.
The 2.5-kilometre climb up the face of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver incudes a staggering 853 meters of elevation gain and nearly 3,000 stairs. It’s earned the nickname “Mother Nature’s stairmaster” for a reason.
@canucks POV: You’re hiking the Grouse Grind at #Canucks Dev Camp. ⛰️ #NHL #Hike ♬ original sound – Canucks
The prospects–fresh off last weekend’s NHL draft–looked sharp in the opening stretch. But by the end? Not so much. The Canucks’ social media post showed players walking, drenched in sweat and gasping for air as they climbed to the top of the trail.
“Confirmed, the Grouse Grind is a grind,” the caption read.
The Sedin tradition
The training camp tradition was introduced by former Canucks icons Henrik and Daniel Sedin to show the new prospects just how fit you have to be to play in the NHL. Now 44, the twin brothers have become avid (and respectable) runners since concluding their hockey careers, and are still involved with the Canucks development department.
Each year, the Sedins take part in the off-ice endurance test themselves, but they give the prospects a 10-minute head start. Still, despite being 26 years younger, most of the players can’t hold them off. This year, only one prospect–Braden Cootes of Sherwood Park, Alta.–managed to (very narrowly) edge out a Sedin.
Daniel Sedin, especially, has taken his trail fitness to a new level. In 2023, according to DH Sports, he took part in the Multi-Grouse Grind Challenge, completing the climb 11 times in 10 hours, eight minutes and 18 seconds.
It’s nothing new for west coasters; the popular vertical climb has been a local staple since 1981, with seasonal leaderboards tracking the fastest ascents. The all-time records belong to Sebastian Salas (23:48) and Madison Sands (29:10).
@canucks Confirmed, the Grouse Grind is a grind. 😅 #Canucks #NHL #Hike ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono – moshimo sound design
How does trail running relate to hockey?
While trail running might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of hockey training, it makes a lot of sense. The vertical challenge helps to build aerobic capacity, leg strength and mental toughness–all essential for success on the ice. Plus, what better way to bond with your new prospective teammates than struggling up a mountain?
Connor Bedard runs speedy time on Vancouver’s Grouse Grind
Although the training camp activity might not have been the “break from the rink” the prospects expected, it will be an experience they remember for their entire careers.
