Alumni O Canada! Former Big Red Player Runs Popular Hockey Bar in NYC Stories You May Like Meet the Voice of Big Red Men’s Ice Hockey (and Football!) Paws to Remember: When the Bear Mascot Had a Ladyfriend Fascinating Facts About Lynah Rink, Big Red Hockey’s Chilly Abode A passion project for Denis Ladouceur ’02, The Canuck is a haven for his countrymen—offering beer, poutine, and games on TV By Joe Wilensky Dozens of miniature Canadian flags, strung like streamers, arc across the ceiling. A wealth of hockey memorabilia lines the walls—from player portraits and team photos to signed jerseys. Multiple widescreen TVs are tuned to sports channels. And watching serenely from above the well-stocked bar is a giant moose head—nicknamed “Monty” in a nod to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. “He was an eBay purchase,” notes Denis Ladouceur ’02. “With the antlers, he barely made it in the door. But he’s a perfect fit.” As a Canadian-themed hockey bar, The Canuck is unique in NYC. Welcome to The Canuck, a Canadian sports bar on 9th Avenue between 22nd and 23rd streets in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. According to Ladouceur, the former Big Red player who opened it in late 2021, it’s the city’s only bar dedicated to all things Canada and ice hockey. Its beers range from the typical Labatt Blue, Molson Canadian, and Moosehead varieties to more specialized offerings, like a hazy IPA from the Ontario-based Collective Arts and, from Québec, a Belgian white Blanche De Chambly and the rare tripel ale La Fin du Monde. Specialty drinks include the Caesar—like a Bloody Mary, but with Clamato juice instead of tomato—and a maple old-fashioned. Canadian memorabilia fills shelves and decorates walls. (The bar offers two options for whiskey flights: “Eh” and “B.”) Other authentic Canadian menu items are the triple-decker club sandwich; a French dip (shaved rib-eye, caramelized onions, and provolone with horseradish sauce on a baguette); and Nanaimo bars, a no-bake dessert that incorporates a wafer-and-nut crumb base, custard icing, and chocolate ganache. And, of course, there’s poutine—that quintessentially Canadian combo of fries, cheese curds, and gravy. “You’ve got to get each one of those right,” Ladouceur points out. “You have to get the right type of potato—which we do; we hand-cut them, and then they’re brined. The peppercorn gravy is made in house. Québec cheese curds are a little hard to get your hands on, so we got Wisconsin cheese curds, which are just as good.” A native of Ashcroft, BC, Ladouceur majored in economics on the Hill, where he played forward for the Big Red men’s ice hockey team. “I loved, loved Lynah Rink,” he says, “every bit of it.” In 1999, he won the ECAC’s coveted Rookie of the Year Award. Demonstrating the proper stringiness of poutine cheese. But the plaque he has proudly mounted behind the bar is for his Greg Ratushny Award—presented annually by the Cornell Hockey Association “to a freshman player who best exhibits promise, camaraderie, and enthusiasm for the team and the University.” After graduation, Ladouceur played three years in the minor leagues, including a season with the UK’s London Racers. Cornell AthleticsOn the ice for the Big Red. It was in that city's Convent Garden that he and several teammates found a cozy Canadian sports bar, the Maple Leaf, that would serve as The Canuck’s eventual inspiration. “We would go there all the time,” he recalls. “As a Canadian in a foreign city, you want to go to a place that feels like home.” As a Canadian in a foreign city, you want to go to a place that feels like home. Ladouceur moved to NYC in 2005 to work in finance. Exploring the sports bars, he wondered: where was the city’s answer to the Maple Leaf? Stories You May Like Meet the Voice of Big Red Men’s Ice Hockey (and Football!) Paws to Remember: When the Bear Mascot Had a Ladyfriend “And to my chagrin,” he recalls, “there was nothing even close.” It took a decade and a half to find the opportunity to create it himself. Monty the moose watches over the crowd. Looking for a change of pace, he left his job as COO of a Wall Street firm just before the pandemic hit, and spent months doing research during the shutdown. He found a former Irish pub that seemed perfect: it already had bar infrastructure, and Madison Square Garden was nearby. Chelsea Piers—home to a rink frequented by recreational hockey teams and their fans—was even closer. Once opened, The Canuck quickly began to attract a devoted crowd—including many fellow countrymen who follow the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montréal Canadiens, but also fans of the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. Yes, they're all Canadian! Portraits of celebrities from north of the border are on display. As a 2022 story in the Athletic (now owned by the New York Times) observes, The Canuck’s combination of décor, food, and libations “makes any patron who walks through the doors feel like they’ve been transported north of the border.” One wall is covered with headshots of Canadian-born celebrities, from Justin Bieber and Célene Dion to much of the cast of “Schitt’s Creek.” License plates from every province form a giant collage, and shelves of knickknacks include souvenir hockey pucks and a DVD of the John Candy film Canadian Bacon. License plates present a plethora of provinces. The bar’s playlist includes Canadian artists from Neil Young and Alanis Morissette to Shania Twain and the rock band the Tragically Hip. Throughout the NHL season, The Canuck devotes most of its attention to hockey—but the rest of the year, Canadian trivia contests, karaoke, and hockey movie nights fill the schedule. Ladouceur has partnered with the Canadian Association of New York on several of events, and of course, Canada Day (July 1) is always a celebration. “We’re very open and friendly,” he says, “whether it’s welcoming our hockey crowd, or just bringing a little bit of light to Canadian culture.” We’re very open and friendly, whether it’s welcoming our hockey crowd, or just bringing a little bit of light to Canadian culture. Celebrity visitors have included current NHL player Sidney Crosby and Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Steve Yzerman; Dave Foley of the sketch comedy troupe the Kids in the Hall—“he’s a big Maple Leafs fan,” Ladouceur notes—and actors Elliot Page and Kiefer Sutherland. (Fun fact: Messier’s cousin, Ashley Messier ’25, is co-captain of the Big Red women’s team!) The Canuck has also become a hangout for a cadre of devoted Cornellians, especially before and after Big Red events like Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple, held at MSG in alternating years. A bathroom wall displays hockey player trading cards—including one of legendary Cornellian Ken Dryden ’69. And while Ladouceur has recently resumed working in finance—and is a new dad of a three-month-old—he continues to run the business. “It’s been great to give Canadians a home in the city,” he says, “but also to be a dedicated hockey bar, catering to the thousands of die-hard fans.” Top: Ladouceur behind the bar at The Canuck. All photos by Joe Wilensky / Cornell University, unless otherwise indicated. Published February 26, 2025 Comments maurie 26 Feb, 2025 fantastic place….made to feel like home…….a wonderful achievement Reply Larry Chenier 26 Feb, 2025 Denis your dad would be so proud of you🏒 Reply Barbara Deathe, Class of 1988 2 Mar, 2025 Will the Canuck show the Women’s Ice Hockey ECAC championships next Friday & Saturday? Reply Colm O'Mara, Class of 2007 9 Mar, 2025 Love, love, love the Canuck! I suggest a visit anytime you are in Manhattan for a great burger, poutine and if you are there at the right time a crowd who appreciates a good hockey game. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Campus & Beyond The Notable Lives Behind (Seven More) Big Red Buildings Alumni After Three Decades, Big Red Men’s Ice Hockey Passes the Torch Chime In Recalling the ’50s on the Hill, an Era of ‘Gracious Living’