2008 Vancouver Canucks

Even as we say “Congratulations” to the Chicago Blackhawks, who beat the Canucks 4 games to 2 to advance to the Conference Finals in the 2009 NHL Playoffs, we want to say a big “Thank you” to the Vancouver Canucks, winners of the Northwest Division, for the excellent season they had!

Though the Vancouver Canucks finished a mere 10 points behind Northwest Division winners the Minnesota Wild, they ended the 2007-08 season at the bottom of the division. Determined to turn things around for the 2008-09 season, quite a few off-season changes were made. General Manager and Senior Vice President Dave Nonis was fired and replaced with Mike Gillis, a retired NHL player for the Colorado Rockies and the Boston Bruins. Many Canucks from last season won’t be returning this season: promising young prospect Luc Bourdon was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident, Markus Naslund left for the New York Rangers, Brendan Morrison joined the Anaheim Ducks and veteran Trevor Linden retired. Though the losses were a blow to the team, they’ve wasted no time in filling the roster back up. The necessity for a high-scoring wing was filled by the acquisition of Pavol Demitra from the Minnesota Wild, and the offense was further strengthened when Steve Bernier came over from the Buffalo Sabres. They still have arguably the best goalie in the world, Roberto Luongo, and just having him means they’ll be contenders for a playoff berth at the very least. Tickets to General Motors Place never last long, so don’t wait, get your Vancouver Canucks tickets today and watch the team dominate the 2008-09 season!

Vancouver joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1970. The club struggled in its first four seasons, placing no better than sixth in its division from 1970-71 to 1973-74. In the 1974-75 season, however, head coach Phil Maloney guided the Canucks to a division title. Outstanding players included goalie Gary Smith, left wing Andre Boudrias, defenseman Harold Snepsts, and right wings Bobby Schmautz and Dennis Ververgaert. The Canucks lost in the first round of the 1975 playoffs, and they again fell in the first round in 1976, 1979, 1980, and 1981.

Under head coach Roger Neilson, Vancouver advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time in 1982, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals despite posting a losing record during the regular season. Center Thomas Gradin led the team in scoring for the second consecutive year. In the postseason the Canucks defeated the Calgary Flames, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Chicago Blackhawks to reach the finals. There they lost to the heavily favored New York Islanders, 4 games to 0.

From 1982 to 1991 Vancouver reached the playoffs five times, again losing in the first round each year. Star players of this period included right wing Stan Smyl, center Patrik Sundstrom, right wing Tony Tanti, and center Trevor Linden. After 13 seasons in Vancouver, including eight years as team captain, Smyl retired in 1991 as the Canucks' career leader in points, goals, assists, and games.

In both the 1991-92 and the 1992-93 seasons, head coach Pat Quinn piloted the Canucks to division crowns, but both years the team was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. In the 1991-92 season Quinn received the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, right wing Pavel Bure earned the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year, and goalie Kirk McLean ranked first in the league in shutouts.

In 1994 Quinn guided the Canucks to the franchise's second Stanley Cup Finals, where the team lost to the New York Rangers 4 games to 3. Following the season, Bure became the first Canuck to be named to the NHL All-Star First Team. After failing to make the playoffs in 1997, the franchise bolstered its roster by signing former New York Ranger center Mark Messier as a free agent. The Canucks, however, failed to qualify for the playoffs again in 1998. Playing hockey since 1946 in the Pacific Coast Hockey League, the Western Canada Senior Hockey League, and the Western Hockey League, the Canucks became an NHL team in 1970 for the sum of $6 million.

Previous players include: Andy Bathgate, Johnny Bower, Tony Esposito, Allan Herbert Stanley, Gump Worsley, Wayne Maki, Stan Smyl, Don Cherry and Phil Maloney. The Canucks play their home games at the General Motors Place, which is also home to special events as well as concerts.