Vancouver, B.C. - The Vancouver Canucks Communications Department is proud to announce a new program called The Botchford Project, sponsored by The Athletic, honouring the legacy of the late Jason Botchford.

The Botchford Project awards a mentorship experience to 10 aspiring writers this hockey season. Each recipient will work under the guidance of a member of Vancouver's sports media, report on a Canucks game live from Rogers Arena and publish a paid article on Canucks.com/BotchfordProject.

"Jason was a very talented journalist who covered the Canucks for 14 years with passion and energy," said Chris Brumwell, VP Communications, Fan and Community Engagement. "He felt strongly about mentoring young writers and dedicated countless hours to the next generation of journalists who were trying to break into the industry. With the support of many of Vancouver's sports media, we want to celebrate the spirit of mentorship through The Botchford Project, just as Jason did with so many young writers throughout his career."

"Jason would have been so humbled by The Botchford Project initiative," said Kathryn Botchford. "For him, supporting young writers was critical to the future of journalism. He was so passionate about this industry and seeing it evolve through young, emerging writers. This initiative enables a community to pay it forward by continuing what he started. My family and I are incredibly honoured and so grateful to see Jason's legacy continue through The Botchford Project."

Candidate application forms and further details of The Botchford Project are available at Canucks.com/botchfordproject. Successful candidates must be at least 18 years of age, demonstrate a strong interest in sports journalism and ideally have a portfolio of published work. Priority will be placed on applicants currently enrolled in journalism programs. The deadline for all applications accepted this season is Thursday, October 31 at noon.

The Botchford Project is made possible from the support of Kathryn Botchford, Jeff Paterson, Thomas Drance, Ben Kuzma and Brian Wiebe.