Aaron Volpatti
A hard-nosed winger who fought his way from the British Columbia junior leagues to the NHL, embodying grit and perseverance on every shift.
Born 1985 (age 41)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: May 30·Millennials
Biography
Aaron Volpatti's path to the NHL was not a story of draft-day fanfare, but of sheer will. Undrafted after his junior career, he walked on to the University of Vermont hockey team, where his punishing physical play and work ethic turned heads. He signed as a free agent with his hometown Vancouver Canucks, a dream realized through force of effort. His style was uncomplicated: forecheck with menace, deliver crushing hits, and defend teammates. A serious neck injury suffered in a fight during the 2011 season threatened his career, but he battled back to play again. After Vancouver, he brought his brand of toughness to the Washington Capitals. His career was cut shorter than most by injury, but it stands as a testament to the player who carves out a role not with flash, but with foundational, physical hockey.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Aaron was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aaron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Aaron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 108 regular-season games in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals.
- Scored his first NHL goal on his first shot, in his first game, for the Vancouver Canucks in 2011.
- Earned an NHL contract as an undrafted free agent after a standout career at the University of Vermont.
Did You Know?
He was a talented rugby player in high school and only focused fully on hockey in his late teens.
He overcame a serious neck injury from an on-ice fight that required surgery and threatened his career.
He grew up in Revelstoke, British Columbia, and played for his hometown WHL team, the Vancouver Giants.
“I wasn't the most skilled, so I made sure I was the hardest to play against.”
