Chris Levesque
Encyclopedia
Chris Levesque is a retired ice hockey
goaltender
for the University of British Columbia
(UBC) Thunderbirds
from 2001 to 2005. On December 9, 2003, under bizarre circumstances, he was called up to serve for one game as a backup goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He came very close to playing when starting goaltender Johan Hedberg
collided with a player from the Pittsburgh Penguins
. However, Hedberg recovered, and Levesque ultimately did not play in the game. Levesque has since worked as a sous chef in Vancouver.
. That morning, their starting goalie Dan Cloutier
injured his groin. The Canucks planned to start Johan Hedberg
in Cloutier's place, but they still needed a backup. Under normal circumstances, they would have recalled Alex Auld
from their American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate Manitoba Moose
. However, the Moose were on the East Coast, several time zones away, and Auld could not arrive in Vancouver on time. Under NHL rules, the Canucks needed to find an undrafted player who had never played in the NHL.
Milan Drajicevic, the coach of the UBC Thunderbirds, happened to be at the practice when Cloutier was injured, and he suggested the Canucks use Levesque, UBC's second backup. Because of amateur call-up rules, the Canucks could not recruit the T-Birds' top two goaltenders, Kevin Swanson and Robert Filc. At the time Levesque was in one of the many UBC libraries studying for a geography exam he had the next morning. His friends and teammates scoured the campus, and when they found him, he assumed he was the victim of a prank. He was not convinced otherwise until he received a phone call from Jon Wall, Manager of Scouting and Player Information for the Canucks. Once he realized the situation was real, he quickly received a one-time exemption from Canadian Interuniversity Sport
rules to play in the NHL, and drove to General Motors Place
to take a spot on the bench.
When Cloutier failed to take the warm-up skate, Levesque officially took the position of backup goaltender for the game. There was an extremely low chance that Levesque would have to play. However, a late first-period collision between Hedberg and Konstantin Koltsov
nearly forced Levesque to play. Luckily, Hedberg was not hurt. Levesque finished the game as a backup; the closest he came to any game action was taking warm-up shots before the game. The Canucks won 4-3 in overtime, and Levesque was not paid for his performance, although he kept his #40 jersey. He did not expect to return to play for the Canucks, but described his experience as "surreal" and "a great time," particularly highlighting being scored on by Todd Bertuzzi
during practice.
interviewed Levesque to reflect on his life since his experience with the Canucks. For a few days after the game, he enjoyed brief celebrity. He said that he treasured the experience, and refuses to watch the only video tape he owns of the game, for fear of his VCR destroying it. Levesque never got to play in a major-junior hockey league, and when he finally earned the starting position at UBC, he suffered two concussions. He later tried out for the ECHL
's Augusta Lynx
, but was cut.
Levesque currently works as a sous chef for Joey's, a restaurant in Vancouver. The management took advantage of his fame when they opened a location on Broadway
, recruiting workers by asking "Hey, who knows Chris Levesque, the guy who played for the Canucks?" According to Levesque, the tactic was actually effective in hiring a few employees. He hopes to have his own location someday, which he says is now his "ultimate dream", along with having a family with his wife Tanya.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
for the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
(UBC) Thunderbirds
UBC Thunderbirds
The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands just outside the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They are one of the most successful teams in the CIS, though a few of their teams are members of the U.S...
from 2001 to 2005. On December 9, 2003, under bizarre circumstances, he was called up to serve for one game as a backup goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He came very close to playing when starting goaltender Johan Hedberg
Johan Hedberg
Johan "Moose" Hedberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
collided with a player from the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. However, Hedberg recovered, and Levesque ultimately did not play in the game. Levesque has since worked as a sous chef in Vancouver.
Call-up to Vancouver
On December 9, 2003, the Canucks were hosts to the Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. That morning, their starting goalie Dan Cloutier
Dan Cloutier
Dan Cloutier is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. In his 10-year National Hockey League career, Cloutier played with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings, spending the majority of his career in Vancouver...
injured his groin. The Canucks planned to start Johan Hedberg
Johan Hedberg
Johan "Moose" Hedberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
in Cloutier's place, but they still needed a backup. Under normal circumstances, they would have recalled Alex Auld
Alex Auld
Alexander Auld is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . Auld has also played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars of the NHL...
from their American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) affiliate Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St...
. However, the Moose were on the East Coast, several time zones away, and Auld could not arrive in Vancouver on time. Under NHL rules, the Canucks needed to find an undrafted player who had never played in the NHL.
Milan Drajicevic, the coach of the UBC Thunderbirds, happened to be at the practice when Cloutier was injured, and he suggested the Canucks use Levesque, UBC's second backup. Because of amateur call-up rules, the Canucks could not recruit the T-Birds' top two goaltenders, Kevin Swanson and Robert Filc. At the time Levesque was in one of the many UBC libraries studying for a geography exam he had the next morning. His friends and teammates scoured the campus, and when they found him, he assumed he was the victim of a prank. He was not convinced otherwise until he received a phone call from Jon Wall, Manager of Scouting and Player Information for the Canucks. Once he realized the situation was real, he quickly received a one-time exemption from Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
rules to play in the NHL, and drove to General Motors Place
General Motors Place
Rogers Arena Rogers Arena Rogers Arena (nicknamed "The Phone Booth" and "The Cable Box" and also "The Garage" (when it was called GM Place) is an indoor sports arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
to take a spot on the bench.
When Cloutier failed to take the warm-up skate, Levesque officially took the position of backup goaltender for the game. There was an extremely low chance that Levesque would have to play. However, a late first-period collision between Hedberg and Konstantin Koltsov
Konstantin Koltsov
Konstantin Yevgeniyevich Koltsov is a professional ice hockey player who currently plays for Salavat Yulaev Ufa.-Playing career:...
nearly forced Levesque to play. Luckily, Hedberg was not hurt. Levesque finished the game as a backup; the closest he came to any game action was taking warm-up shots before the game. The Canucks won 4-3 in overtime, and Levesque was not paid for his performance, although he kept his #40 jersey. He did not expect to return to play for the Canucks, but described his experience as "surreal" and "a great time," particularly highlighting being scored on by Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
during practice.
Life after the game
In May 2008, The ProvinceThe Province
The Province is a daily, tabloid format newspaper published in British Columbia by Postmedia. It has been a daily newspaper since 1898.According to a recent NADbank survey, The Provinces average weekday readership was 520,100, making it British Columbia's most read newspaper...
interviewed Levesque to reflect on his life since his experience with the Canucks. For a few days after the game, he enjoyed brief celebrity. He said that he treasured the experience, and refuses to watch the only video tape he owns of the game, for fear of his VCR destroying it. Levesque never got to play in a major-junior hockey league, and when he finally earned the starting position at UBC, he suffered two concussions. He later tried out for the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
's Augusta Lynx
Augusta Lynx
The Augusta Lynx were a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Augusta, Georgia. The Lynx played their home games at the James Brown Arena...
, but was cut.
Levesque currently works as a sous chef for Joey's, a restaurant in Vancouver. The management took advantage of his fame when they opened a location on Broadway
Broadway (Vancouver)
Broadway is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Vancouver's numbered avenue grid system, it runs in place of a 9th Avenue, between 8th and 10th. The street has four lanes for most of its course...
, recruiting workers by asking "Hey, who knows Chris Levesque, the guy who played for the Canucks?" According to Levesque, the tactic was actually effective in hiring a few employees. He hopes to have his own location someday, which he says is now his "ultimate dream", along with having a family with his wife Tanya.
Career statistics
All statistics are from the regular season.| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... A |
SA | SO Shutout In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.... |
GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
SV% Save percentage Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | University of British Columbia | CIS Canadian Interuniversity Sport Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association... |
12 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 571 | 36 | 359 | 1 | 3.78 | 0.900 |
| 2002–03 | University of British Columbia | CIS | 13 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 547 | 45 | 319 | 0 | 4.94 | 0.859 |
| 2003–04 | University of British Columbia | CIS | 14 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 599 | 43 | 358 | 0 | 4.31 | 0.880 |
| 2004–05 | University of British Columbia | CIS | 8 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 351 | 30 | 190 | 0 | 5.13 | 0.842 |
| CIS Totals | 47 | 5 | 24 | 5 | 2068 | 154 | 1226 | 1 | 4.47 | 0.874 | ||