Bernie’s Bits: All in the family
By Bernie Pascall
Teamwork fosters a vital trust, and while the Canucks Alumni members have fond memories of their playing careers ‘on-ice’, they use that as a catalyst to form an enduring bond in various communities throughout BC.
Alumni participants make an impact through their charitable hockey games, minor hockey development programs and overall goals of ‘giving back’. We are proud to feature a few of the Alumni family members and career memories.
Defenceman Adrian Aucoin was drafted by the Canucks in 1992 and played seven seasons with the NHL Canucks. He was a noted power play specialist scoring 18 of his 23 goals in the 1999-2000 season on the man advantage. Aucoin had an impressive NHL career, playing with seven teams in 1,108 games. He represented Canada at the 1994 Olympics and 2000 World Championships.
His primary focus now is on family. Adrian and Caroline, his wife of 28 years, have five children and make the Chicago area their home. The beautiful family photo features Adrian on the left. Their eldest daughter, Christina, 25, graduated from the University of Iowa and is studying towards her nursing doctorate. Cameron, 18, and Kaden, 16, standing beside their mom, are promising junior hockey players with Sarnia in the OHL.
21-year-old Alyssa is graduating with a double major from the University of Wisconsin in the School of Business, bolstered by commercial real estate and marketing degrees. Kyle, 23, graduated from Harvard with an economics degree and is finalizing his masters at Miami Ohio. He has been playing university hockey and plans on playing professional hockey after graduation.
Adrian and Caroline can be extremely proud of their family as it embodies love, togetherness and success. Thank you for sharing.
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Alex Oxenham, Vice President, Community Relations with Canucks Sports & Entertainment and Executive Director with Canucks for Kids Fund, is one proud aunt. The sons and daughter of her brother Reid Mitchell are prominent in sports.
Reid is a former member of the Canucks media relations staff and a longtime executive with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Douglas Mitchell, 18, is a centre with the Toronto Patriots of the OJHL. John Mitchell, 21, is a freshman at the University of Dubuque in the NCAA. He is taking a double major in Business and Sports Management. John also scouts USA prospects for the OHL Brantford Bulldogs. Daughter Molly Mitchell plays high school basketball for York North in the Toronto area. Mom Eileen is a Feng Shui practitioner in Toronto. ‘Aunt Alex’, besides cheering for her brother’s clan, is married and has a future Canuck prospect named Zach.
As we suggest, hockey and the Canucks Alumni combine to produce a proud group of special families.
