If you haven’t read my article on my all-time Canucks lineup, check it out HERE. I decided to kick things up a notch by ranking the 10 best Canucks of all time. I want to keep it based on the same criteria as my all-time team, focusing on players who had the majority of their success with the Canucks. However, I will value longevity a little more because I want to highlight players who were “True Canucks” and embodied what it meant to play for this franchise. Don’t get me wrong, though; this list will still feature only elite players. I have a feeling you’ve already started making your own list in your head, so let’s stop the introduction and jump right into it.

10. Todd Bertuzzi

When you think about Todd Bertuzzi’s time in Vancouver, you probably think about that infamous hit on Steve Moore in 2004. It’s a shame that’s how his time in Vancouver will be remembered. During the 2000s, Bertuzzi was one of the best power forwards in the NHL. He brought physicality to the West Coast Express line, along with goal-scoring prowess. From 2000 to 2006, Bertuzzi averaged 30 goals a season, headlined by his 2003 campaign. He scored 46 goals, which was good for third in the NHL, and had 96 points, finishing fifth in the league. He also finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting. Bertuzzi finished his career 10th all-time in Canucks scoring.

9. Stan Smyl

Stan Smyl spent his entire 13-year career in Vancouver. “Steamer” is most known for playing a huge role during Vancouver’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1982. Like I mentioned in my previous article, he had eight straight years of scoring at least 20 goals and three years of scoring over 30. Smyl also has 673 points, which is the 5th most in franchise history. Smyl is a franchise icon and one of Vancouver’s first star players. He’s more than deserving of being in the top 10.

8. Elias Pettersson

Say what you want, but Elias Pettersson is already a top 10 Canuck of all time. Like I said in my other article, take this season completely out of your mind. Before this season, Pettersson was averaging over a point per game in his career. He’s the second Canuck ever to win the Calder Trophy, and his 102 points in 2023 are the eighth-best in franchise history. When “Petey” is at his best, he is one of the most electrifying players in the NHL, and we’ve seen him perform at an elite level multiple times. He’s already ninth in Canucks scoring, and I think when his career is done, he has a chance at taking the top spot.

7. Trevor Linden

Everyone in Vancouver knows and loves Trevor Linden. Not just from his play on the ice, but also from his Club 16 fitness center. But this article is just about his play on the ice. The Canucks drafted Linden second overall in 1988, and he started producing right away, scoring at least 30 goals in six of his first seven seasons. He never put up flashy numbers,his career high in points was 80 in 1996.But Linden was a leader and a player who made everyone around him better. He finished his career as the Canucks’ fourth all-time leading scorer.

6. Quinn Hughes

You can say this is recency bias, you can say I don’t know what I’m talking about. I ask you this, have you watched the Canucks this year or the last three years? Can you name a Canuck who impacts the team more than Quinn Hughes does? I’m not just talking about players on this team; I’m talking about all-time. I’m going to say no. I think Quinn Hughes is the most impactful player the Canucks have ever had. Quinn’s a pretty quiet guy, and he lets his play do the talking. He will go down as the best draft pick in franchise history because there’s no way he should have fallen to seventh overall. From his very first game, we knew Hughes was different. The Canucks have never had a defenceman as dominant as he is. He’s gotten better each year, and in 2022, his game took another step. Hughes established himself as one of the best defencemen in the NHL and proved it by leading all defensemen in scoring in 2024, becoming the first defenceman in franchise history to win the Norris Trophy. Hughes was having an MVP-caliber year this season before he got hurt. We know how valuable Hughes is, and he has the numbers to back it up. He is about to pass Alex Edler in scoring for a defenseman in half the games. Even though Hughes has only been in the league for seven years, he is already a top 10 Canuck of all time.