CanucksArmy will once again be raising money to benefit MindCheck.ca. Sit down, grab your late morning coffee, and chat with us as we go on a journey explaining what #CanucksMOTB is, and why we’re doing it.

So the season hasn’t exactly gone swimmingly for the Canucks. Whether by design or misadventure, the team has plummeted down the standings into a region that implies that they have a long ways to go before being competitive again. The season has been fun at times, but for the most part, it’s been frustrating.

But what if we could channel some of that negative energy into a positive cause? That’s where #CanucksMOTB comes in, with a sequel to the efforts we put forth for the season opener.

What Is MOTB?

True to its name, #CanucksMOTB is a “Money on the Board” initiative where all of the earnings go towards a good cause. While we aren’t the first to come up with it, those who have been most successful with the idea have come to our assistance to ensure that we make as much of an impact as possible.

The system is simple; readers pledge to make a donation based on a certain event; say, $10 for every Derek Dorsett takeaway, $1 for every % of CF that Jannik Hansen has over the course of the game, or $5 for every Nikita Tryamkin hit, as examples. The idea is to pledge for things you’d like to see, and if they happen, you’ll be all the happier to make an awesome and meaningful charitable donation.

FOLLOW @CANUCKSMOTB FOR UPDATES ON OUR PROGRESS!

Our Pledges

It’s a Flames/Canucks game, and there was a certain trade between these two teams that we all know is disliked amongst the CanucksArmy staff (and many of our readers). Certainly, we’re a little confused as to what exactly Markus Granlund does around here and are sad about losing Hunter Shinkaruk.

But you know what? We’d also like to be proven wrong, and see him become the next great.. something. So on Thursday, we’ll pledge $1 for every ten seconds that Markus Granlund is on the ice, trying to prove his former team (and those observing his current ones) wrong.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

I’ll also individually be making a pledge. Yesterday was my first time seeing the Canucks play at home, and I went in with tempered expectations: a loss and maybe a goal from Alex Burrows would have made me happy. Instead, the Canucks pulled off a vastly entertaining, if undeserved win, which was a pleasant surprise from a being there perspective. That said, the tank should probably keep rolling, so I’ll continue hoping for the same thing: I’m pledging $20 for a Canucks loss and $10 for every Burrows goal.

Your Pledges

Do you want in on the action? Of course you do! Everybody likes to see a good cause be successful, and we all have things that we’re secretly hoping will happen in this game.

Those who pledge a minimum of $15 will be entered in a draw for a “Vancouver vs Everybody” CanucksArmy t-shirt, like the one you see above! A big thanks to NationGear for putting a few aside for us to give you an opportunity to benefit in even more ways by helping others!

Who We’re Supporting

One again, CanucksArmy’s end of the bargain will be going to MindCheck.ca, a charity set up with the help of the Vancouver Canucks in memory of the late Rick Rypien. MindCheck is a charity that focuses itself on addressing mental health issues with an emphasis on youth in the community.

Advertisement - Continue Commenting Below

Be it social anxieties, depression, psychosis, body image issues or even substance abuse and addiction that may come as a result of trying to numb the struggles around an individual, MindCheck strives to be a resource in both creating awareness of these issues and in intervention. Addressing an individual’s struggles in their youth will often prevent them from heading into a major downward spiral in their adult years.

Speaking transparently, a resource like MindCheck would have been beyond valuable in my teenage years. I come from a family that’s genetically “set up for failure” in this regard; one side has long-standing struggles with anxiety while much of the other side battles with addiction. For the bulk of my teenage years, I went through my own battles, finding it impossible to even get out of bed and face the world on most days. I managed to stay away from illicit substances but often channeled that into stress eating, which compounded the issue.

Years later, I have a strong enough support group around me to keep things relatively at bay. I do still go through rough patches, with anxiety and depression finding their way in and out of my life, but at this point, I’ve got a good grasp of how to manage them. But I didn’t as a teenager, and without the right people to help me out of it towards the end, I’d have no chance at a normal life. With MindCheck, we have an opportunity to give those in dark places the support they need before it’s too late.

Alternatively, if you’d like to help underprivileged kids get the chance to see events that they couldn’t possibly afford, our frenemies at Flames Nation will be supporting Kids Up Front with their #FlamesMOTB.

Spread The Word

Can’t afford to make a pledge? Made a pledge but want your friends to be even pledgier? Help us get the word out, then! Tweet your pledge to @CanucksMOTB, and we’ll show the world how handsome and helpful you are. Send your friends, family, pets, and strangers on the street back to this page. Link to it on your favourite website, your social media page, or wherever else! At the end of the day, we’d like to help as many people as possible.

While the season hasn’t gone as well as many hoped it would when we kicked it off with our first MOTB, we feel that this would be a great way to effectively end it on a high note. Hopefully, you’ll join us in giving back to the community and supporting a noble cause!





