A week after Kevin Bieksa was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Anaheim Ducks, he was still sporting Canucks stickers on his hockey helmet at shinny.

Though the reason is simply because his new gear hasn't arrived yet, the stickers represent big change in Bieksa's life. After nearly 600 games in a Canucks uniform, it's time to move on.

He says the move hasn't fully sunk in. "When you're in one organization for 11 or 12 years, you develop so many relationships and get into a routine."

Drafted by the Canucks in the fifth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, the Grimsby native joined the organization at the end of the 2004 season, when he finished his senior year at Bowling Green University.

His time in Vancouver included six division championships, two Presidents' Trophies as the top team in the league, and a berth in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

"We had some really good years (in Vancouver). I came within one game of the Stanley Cup, and there's a lot of good memories in Vancouver."

"Now I'll put that in the memory bank and I'll open a new chapter as a Duck and give everything I have to this organization."

Bieksa had a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he ultimately decided his own destination. There were two factors that attracted him to Anaheim — the Ducks' recent success, and former Canucks teammate Ryan Kesler.

"When I asked (Kesler) about the city, the team, and how he liked it down there, he gave me an honest answer. All year, he was telling me how good it was and how happy he was."

Joining the Ducks represents a fresh start for Bieksa, and he said that he's embracing the change.

"It's nice to have a new team and a new challenge. I've been in the league for over 10 years, but now it feels like I'm a rookie. It's going to be exciting for me."

The Ducks made it to Game 7 of the Western Conference Final in 2015, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Chicago Blackhawks. Bieksa said his goal is to settle some unfinished business.

"The goal is always the same every season. You don't have to say it. Everyone says at the start of the year that they want to win the Stanley Cup, but it's a long, gruelling season."

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And what will happen with his Canucks helmet? That's already been decided.

"My helmet will go in my display case at home, and I'll move on and wear the black, white, and orange of the Ducks."