Artist behind Canucks' Lunar New Year jerseys says design intended to promote community, 'positive change'
The Vancouver Canucks will soon be sporting a new look during warm-ups in honour of the Lunar New Year.
Trevor Lai made more than 80 sketches while designing the jersey, which features the Canucks' orca logo transforming into a tiger, to match the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese zodiac.
Lai said he worked hard to incorporate Vancouver's Chinese heritage into the design.
"On the shoulder patches, I put the Chinatown Millennium Gate, and that was really important, and to put the Chinese characters of the Vancouver Canucks team into the gate to say that we are one community," Lai said.
"I think that message is also really resonating. So, to see the fanbase of all ethnicities get so passionate about this design is really an honor and I really thank the team for letting me do it."
The lifelong Canucks fan said he wanted his design to honour the team's logo, while also symbolizing "positive change" for the new year.
"If you look at the fin of the design, obviously that was the biggest challenge for me," Lai said. "It's like, how do you put a fin on a tiger? You know, that doesn't really work in nature. And then I thought it was a perfect space to put the Chinese character for Tiger … It goes right in the fin, and it just happened to fit perfectly with the Chinese calligraphy. And I was really happy about that."
The Canucks will wear the jerseys during warm-ups as part of their Lunar New Year celebrations.
Proceeds from sales of merchandise bearing Lai's design will be donated to Elimin8Hate, which is the advocacy arm of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival and works to combat anti-Asian racism in Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE | Ceremony opens daylong memorial marking graves detection at site of Canada's largest residential school
A daylong memorial began Monday in Kamloops, B.C., at the site of what was once Canada's largest residential school on the one-year anniversary of the announcement of the detection of unmarked graves.

Thousands in Ont., Que. still without power after storm leaves at least nine dead
Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power after Saturday's powerful storm that left at least nine dead and caused extensive damage throughout southern Ontario and Quebec.
Monkeypox fears could stigmatize LGBTQ2+ community, expert says
A theory that the recent outbreak of monkeypox may be tied to sexual activity has put the gay community in an unfortunate position, having fought back against previous and continued stigma around HIV and AIDS, an LGBTQ2+ centre director says.
Russian sentenced to life in Ukraine's 1st war crimes trial
A Russian soldier who pleaded guilty to killing a civilian was sentenced by a Ukrainian court Monday to life in prison -- the maximum -- amid signs the Kremlin may hold trials of its own, particularly of the captured fighters who held out at Mariupol's steel plant.
First of three flights bringing Ukrainians to Canada to land in Winnipeg
The first of three charter flights bringing Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's invasion to Canada is to land in Manitoba this afternoon.
Walk out at trade meeting when Russia spoke 'not one-off,' says trade minister
The United States and four other nations that walked out of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group meeting in Bangkok over the weekend underlined their support Monday for host nation Thailand, saying their protest was aimed solely at Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine.
Military members urged to contact Habitat for Humanity amid housing crisis
An email encouraging members of the Canadian Armed Forces to consider contacting Habitat for Humanity if they can't find affordable housing is casting a spotlight on a growing challenge facing many military personnel and their families.
OPINION | Richard Berthelsen: What kind of King will Prince Charles be? Royal tour offers hints
The Canadian royal visit took place at a time when many are starting to view Prince Charles differently, given that his destiny to be King seems to loom closer, Richard Berthelsen writes in his exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
Wreckage found of plane that disappeared in Ontario with Alberta men onboard, police say
The wreckage of a small plane that disappeared last month in northern Ontario with two men aboard has been located in Lake Superior Provincial Park.