Abbotsford Canucks hosting Teddy Bear Toss and anniversary this weekend

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The illustrious history of the Abbotsford Canucks Teddy Bear Toss will have another chapter written on Saturday (Dec. 6).

It marks the first-ever Teddy Bear Toss under the Rogers Forum name and the Canucks welcome the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the fifth edition of the event.

The inaugural Teddy Bear Toss game for the organization occurred on Dec. 4, 2021 and saw the Canucks take on the San Jose Barracuda.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic fans were not allowed to score following the game’s opening goal and instead tossed the bears in the first intermission. Abbotsford’s Will Lockwood scored the team’s first goal of the game, but San Jose led 3-2 after the first period and earned the 6-4 win.

The following year it was the Laval Rocket in town for the game on Dec. 3, 2022 and the bear bringer was forward Phil Di Giuseppe. Fans had to wait until the 12:34 mark of the first period to record the first official Teddy Bear Toss goal.

Offence was aplenty that year, as the Canucks won 7-5 and had three point nights from Di Giuseppe and Lane Pedersen. Abbotsford goalie Arturs Silovs collected the win in 2022.

Laval returned again for the Teddy Bear Toss game on Dec. 2, 2023 and it was captain Chase Wouters turn to light the lamp on the big day. Laval’s Nathan Legare opened the scoring just 1:07 into the game, but Wouters replied 16 seconds later.

The game was tied 3-3 after one and remained tied until Abbotsford’s Tristen Nielsen scored the winning goal at 13:14 of the third. Wouters had two goals in the win and goalie Nikita Tolopilo recorded the victory.

Last season saw the Manitoba Moose provide the opposition on Dec. 14, 2024 and Winnipeg product Jett Woo became the first defenceman to score the big goal. Woo put the Canucks up 1-0 at 9:38 of the first period and the Canucks went on to earn the 3-0 win. Tolopilo made 15 saves for the shutout victory.

Wouters is the only player with the opportunity to become a two-time Teddy Bear Toss goal scorer, as Woo is out with an injury and Di Giuseppe is no longer a member of the Canucks.

Saturday could see another player join the very exclusive Teddy Bear Toss goal scorers club, but the true winners are the local families that benefit from the event. The Canucks stated that a total of $10,000 will be donated to Toys for Tots, $15,000 to Canuck Place and $10,000 to Archway Food Bank.

The weekend of celebration continues with what the team is promoting as a Fifth Anniversary celebration at Rogers Forum on Sunday (Dec. 7). The Firebirds and Canucks face-off beginning at 4 p.m.

The team will be wearing special patches to commemorate the game and everyone through the doors will receive a special game poster. Fans also have a chance to win one of five framed anniversary photos. The entire roster will be available on the South Rise post-game for autographs and pictures.

For more on both games, visit abbotsford.canucks.com.