Vancouver, BC - The Vancouver Canucks, joined by 11 other National Hockey League teams, will host Hockey Talks, to bring awareness and encourage a conversation about mental health. The Canucks will dedicate the January 16th game night vs the Edmonton Oilers as their sixth annual Hockey Talks night; Several NHL clubs will host Hockey Talks nights from Jan. 16 to Mar. 17.

The schedule for Hockey Talks dates by NHL participating clubs:

Date Home Team Visiting Team

Jan. 16 Vancouver Canucks Edmonton Oilers

Jan. 20 New York Islanders Anaheim Ducks

Jan. 20 Edmonton Oilers Carolina Hurricanes

Jan. 23 Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals

Jan. 23 Montreal Canadiens Arizona Coyotes

Jan. 31 Winnipeg Jets Columbus Blue Jackets

Feb. 3 Carolina Hurricanes Calgary Flames

Feb. 5 New Jersey Devils Los Angeles Kings

Feb. 7 Ottawa Senators Anaheim Ducks

Feb. 7 Arizona Coyotes Columbus Blue Jackets

Feb. 7 Calgary Flames San Jose Sharks

Mar. 17 Colorado Avalanche New Jersey Devils

CANUCKS SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH INITATIVES

The Canucks will host Wes Rypien and Corey Hirsch as part of a ceremonial puck drop, representing the start of and evolution of the #HockeyTalks movement in support of mental health.

On January 16th, The BC Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions will be on hand in the concourse to provide educational information and Pledge cards that can be held up by fans during the ceremonial puck drop. Pledge cards will be available at the Gate 8 entrance, Section 102 and Section 112.

Kirk McLean will be at Section 102 with the BC Ministry of Mental Health & Addictions pregame 6:15-6:50 to hand out pledge cards.

The Canucks, in partnership with Foundrybc.ca

For those in BC wanting to learn more about mental health, they are encouraged to check out foundrybc.ca

GET TALKING

Fans can add their voice to the conversation through social media by using the hashtag #HockeyTalks. Collectively, fans will have the chance to share personal messages and messages of support to create an atmosphere of open dialogue, unification and awareness about mental health and see the results as part of an online mosaic feature on Canucks.com/hockeytalksmosaic.

Video: Canucks Support Mental Health Awareness

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACTS

In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental health or addiction problem. *1

70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence. *2

Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada. *3,*4,*5

A growing body of international evidence demonstrates that promotion, prevention, and early intervention initiatives show positive returns on investment in this health sector. *4,*6

SOURCES