Canucks
Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
NHL – PACIFIC
Arena: Rogers
Coach: Bruce Boudreau
2022-2023 TEAM LEADERS
Vancouver Canucks
Team Summary
The Vancouver Canucks compete in the Pacific Division of the NHL’s Western Conference. As of the 2021-22 season, they have the lowest point percentage of any Canadian-based team and the third-lowest overall at .488 percent, just behind the New Jersey Devils and ahead of the Arizona Coyotes and Seattle Kraken.
However, they’ve managed some incredible seasons despite their franchise’s underwhelming overall record, and the Canucks have put some remarkable players on the ice.
Vancouver Canucks Standings
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Vancouver Canucks Betting Trends
Team History
The Canucks joined the NHL in 1970. They were one of two franchises to join the league that year, along with the Buffalo Sabres. However, their franchise roots date back to 1945, when the “Vancouver Canucks” were a minor league franchise competing in the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.
The team failed to make it to the postseason in each of their first four campaigns, and it wasn’t until the 1981-82 season that the Canucks won their first playoff series.
Vancouver has 11 division titles; four as members of the old Smythe Division and seven times in the Northwest Division, including five consecutive Northwest titles from 2008-13. Since the NHL realigned to their new division format in the 2013-14 season, the Canucks haven’t won the division and have only finished higher than third place one time.
Overall, the Vancouver Canucks have a 17-28 series record in the NHL playoffs. While they’ve advanced to three Stanley Cup Finals, the Canucks have yet to claim the title.
2022 Key Stats
The Canucks have two playoff series wins in the last decade, with both coming in the 2020 playoff bubble. As of writing, it looks like Vancouver will miss the playoffs for the sixth time in the past seven seasons.
Goaltender Thatcher Demko ranks in the Top 10 of goaltender wins and should finish the season in the Top 15 in save percentage. However, former Canucks goaltender Jacob Markström who signed with the Calgary Flames in free agency ahead of the 2021 season, is likely to win the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender in 2022.
Left winger J.T. Miller leads the team in points by a large margin, but with only one year remaining on his contract and with the team looking at a potential long-term rebuild, he could be traded at the 2022 deadline.
As of writing, the Canucks have the league’s worst penalty kill at 69.9%, with 46 power play goals against through 52 games. The power play ranks in the middle of the pack at 19.5%.
Championships Won by the Team (150+)
As mentioned above, the Canucks have 11 Division titles to their credit, but they’ve yet to win since moving to the Pacific Division. They’ve also been to the Stanley Cup Finals three times but have yet to be the league’s best.
The Canucks’ first Stanley Cup appearance came in 1981-82, where they were swept by the powerhouse New York Islanders. The win was New York’s third in a row, and the Islanders would go on to win four consecutive Cups.
Vancouver returned to the Finals in the 1993-94 season, but again, it was a loss for the Canucks as they fell to the New York Rangers in seven games. The Rangers took a 2-0 lead early on, and despite a valiant comeback effort, the Canucks lost 3-2, resulting in riots throughout the city that saw 200 people injured and $1.1 million CAD in damages.
A third trip to the Finals came in the 2010-11 season. Vancouver won the President’s Trophy as the top regular season team (with a 54-19-9 record) and was heavily favored against the Boston Bruins.
Though the Canucks had 2-0 and 3-2 series leads, Boston managed to force Game Seven in Vancouver. The Bruins shut out the Canucks 4-0 in Game Seven, and another riot followed; this time around, there were 140 injuries with more than $5 million CAD in damages.
Let’s hope Vancouver doesn’t lose another Game Seven of the Cup Final…
Important Team Events
The three Stanley Cup Finals are the most significant events in team history, though the 2011-12 President’s Trophy campaign that ended in the first round of the playoffs marked the end of the Canucks’ Cup contention window.
We would also be remiss to not mention the Todd Bertuzzi-Steve Moore incident. Late in the 2003-04 regular season, the Canucks and the Colorado Avalanche were battling for playoff position. Earlier in the season, Avalanche center Steve Moore hit Canucks forward Markus Näslund in the head while Näslund was reaching for a loose puck.
Vancouver remembered the hit during the rematch and made Moore a target in the fight-filled rematch five days later. Several Canucks players went to the media about the hit, and Brad May put a bounty on Moore, seeking revenge for the dangerous play.
With the Avalanche leading 8-2 in the third period, Bertuzzi began following Moore around the ice looking for a fight. Moore skated away, ignoring the Avs enforcer, but Bertuzzi grabbed Moore’s jersey from behind and punched him in the jaw. Bertuzzi then fell on top of Moore, along with players from both teams jumping after Moore and Bertuzzi.
Moore was left paralyzed from the neck down as a result of the play. Bertuzzi was suspended for the final 13 games of the regular season, along with seven playoff games. A lawsuit between Moore and Bertuzzi was settled outside of court in 2014.
Top Players
It’s hard to find any stat category in Canucks’ team history where twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin aren’t at the top of the list. The Swedish stars dominated throughout their careers, with Henrik finishing as Vancouver’s all-time leader in games played (1,330), assists (830), points (1070), and plus/minus (+165), and Daniel leading the way in goals (393), power play goals (198), and game-winning goals (86).
Also of note is Pavel Bure, who finished 24th on the NHL’s all-time points per game list with 779 points in 702 games.
Goaltender Roberto Luongo spent eight of his 20 NHL seasons in Vancouver, setting franchise records for wins (252) and shutouts (38).
Five former Canucks players have been inducted to the Hall of Fame: Pavel Bure, Igor Larionov, Mark Messier, Cam Neely, and Mats Sundin, though only Bure spent a majority of his career with Vancouver. Both the Sedins and Luongo should get a call to the Hall in the near future.
Top Coaches
Vancouver’s lousy overall franchise record can be partially attributed to their coaching. Only five of the 19 coaches to have completed their tenure with the Canucks have a winning record.
Harry Neale was the first Vancouver coach to reach 100 NHL wins. He left the team with a 106-144-55 record.
A few years later, Pat Quinn took over behind the bench and led the Canucks to a 138-108-28 regular season record, adding another three wins and three losses in a second stint. Quinn won the 1992 Jack Adams award as the NHL’s top head coach.
Alain Vigneault has the winningest record as Vancouver’s head coach. He went 313-170-57 as the bench boss from 2006-2013. Like Quinn, Vigneault also won the Jack Adams in 2007.
As of writing, Bruce Boudreau is Vancouver’s head coach. He came to the team with a 567-302-115 career record. He won the Jack Adams in 2008 while coaching the Washington Capitals.
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Vancouver Canucks Frequently Asked Questions
What year did the Vancouver Canucks enter the league?
The Vancouver Canucks joined the NHL in 1970.
The Sedin Twins, brothers Daniel and Henrik, were selected second and third overall in the 1999 NHL draft. The two combined to score more than 2,000 points in their NHL careers and hold many of the Canucks’ franchise records.
How many times have the Canucks won a Stanley Cup?
The Canucks have yet to win a Stanley Cup, losing three times in their franchise history.
How many Vancouver Canucks are in the Hall of Fame?
Five former Canucks players are in the Hall of Fame: Pavel Bure, Igor Larionov, Mark Messier, Cam Neely, and Mats Sundin. Daniel and Henrik Sedin should join that list soon, along with goaltender Roberto Luongo.
Who are the Canucks’ biggest rivals?
The Canucks biggest rival historically has been the Calgary Flames, though in recent years, the Chicago Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche have been on the list. The Seattle Kraken are also likely to become rivals, given their geographic proximity.
