<table align="center" border="0" width="80%"><tbody><tr><td><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2008/10/darcy_blog.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(66, 66, 66);" align="left" border="0" hspace="4" vspace="1">I'm excited about the first game of the year on Thursday because it'll be my first one as a Canuck and I just can't wait to get back to really playing hockey again. Even in preseason, the fans were really getting into it, especially that last game, I can't even imagine what regular season will be like and I can't wait. I'm all about trying to make an impact and trying to help this team take it to the next level and with this team, I believe we have a chance for sure. At the same time, though, it will be very emotional with everything that's going on here but the organization has put together something very classy for the tribute to Luc Bourdon. Obviously I wasn't here to play with him but I've heard a lot of good things about him and when something like that happens, it makes you realize that life's something that you can't take for granted. <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2008/09/Sept2308_Canucks-Oilers01_t.jpg" align="right" hspace="4" vspace="2">After opening night we're on the road for two weeks, which is pretty crazy and on top of that, we've only got three regular season home games in all of October. But you know what, I think starting on a long road trip is an advantage for us. Looking at the makeup of our team, there are a lot of new faces, me included and there's no better way to get to know the players you're playing with than to be on the road with them pretty much 24 hours a day. And as much as it is tough because of the travel aspect, I think the amenities we have here are first class so I'm excited to get on this road trip. We're pretty much traveling all across North America so it'll be tiring but it'll help the team gel together. I think the toughest part of the travel is probably just being away from my wife right now, especially with her being pregnant and everything. She's so supportive of my career and that's a big reason why I married her. It's not as easy a lifestyle as most people think it would be being married to an athlete but it's important that you have somebody who's supportive and understands your schedule. Obviously things can be tough when you're gone a long time but she's great and has always been amazing that way. <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2008/10/cell_t.jpg" align="left" hspace="4" vspace="2">We did a four and a half year long distance relationship so two weeks is nothing but I hate being away and missing part so the pregnancy because something new is always happening everyday. Luckily, with technology, I've got my cell phone, web cam, hopefully I'm not going to miss much at all. Our whole family is very excited and we've already received some baby outfits but, of course, in neutral colours. We find out the gender of the baby tomorrow so it'll be another exciting thing to add to tomorrow. My wife's a little worried to find out that we're having a boy – but only because she's worried he might turn out like me when I was little. I was always going at 100 miles an hour and bouncing off the walls and stuff like that. And if that's the case, then the house would be a disaster all the time. She'll probably need to get some advice from my mom and find out how she handled me growing up. Maybe we'll try hockey, to get some of his energy out before he gets home – it worked for me, mostly. But either way, a boy or a girl would be great – I mean a boy like me wouldn't be so bad.</td></tr></tbody></table>