The Vancouver Warriors defeated the Philadelphia Wings 11–5 in their regular season finale. The Warriors clinched a playoff berth last week with a win against the Toronto Rock. But with the Rock defeating the Rochester Knighthawks Saturday, the Warriors finish the season 11–7 and as the four seed. They will host their first home playoff game in franchise history next Saturday against the Knighthawks.
A new era for the black and gold!
The Vancouver Warriors have officially broken their franchise record with 11 wins in the regular season. pic.twitter.com/D33g0jiFBq
Vancouver was 5–7 heading into the trade deadline. At the deadline, they sent shockwaves across the lacrosse world by acquiring superstar goaltender Christian Del Bianco from the Calgary Roughnecks. Since the trade, the Warriors head into the postseason having won six games in a row, the longest win streak in franchise history. As for Del Bianco, he has the best goals against average in the National Lacrosse League with 8.77 and the best save percentage at 82%.
Marcus Klarich was in a three-way tie with Adam Charalambides and Riley Loewen for the Warriors’ leading scorer Saturday night, with all three of them having five points. Klarich mentioned postgame where his team has grown the most over the course of the season. “Playing confident and trusting each other, we’re not overthinking things (and) we’re playing quick, we like to play quick now but we know when to slow it down.”
Klarich added on how important the defence and goaltending has been this season. “Our defence (and) goalie have been phenomenal… all year they’ve been phenomenal, but we have so much more confidence now, we’re moving the ball and trusting each other on offence, and defensively we have guys back there that are going to get the job done.”
The Warriors got out to a 10–3 lead at halftime and then shut the door in the second half. The big story out of Saturday night’s game was the fact that the Warriors will be hosting their first-ever playoff game. This has been a historic season for Vancouver—they finished the season with a franchise-best 11 wins and set a franchise record by allowing only four goals in a game, which they did twice this season. Head coach and general manager Curt Malawsky highlighted the significance of hosting a playoff game.
“It means a lot to me in the respect that it means a lot to the fans from Vancouver. That’s what it’s all about for us. When I came here, I wanted to grow the game and we have a really good team around us, our office staff is phenomenal and we’ve got all the support from the Aquilini group, I’ve said that time and time again, they take away the intangibles that we don’t have to worry about.”
Malawsky always emphasizes growing lacrosse in the Lower Mainland. Saturday was the first time the Warriors opened up the upper bowl to fans. Malawsky added on how special that was to the organization and him. “I’m just proud and appreciative of the fans that they came, (I’m) excited that they were here and got to enjoy the game and even more excited that they’re going to come next week. I think it’s great for the organization, I know there’s been tough sledding here and it’s not an easy market to get lacrosse going, especially when (we) weren’t winning.”
The Warriors are playing the best lacrosse the franchise has ever seen and will be heading into the playoffs with a ton of confidence. Rogers Arena is expected to be rockin’ next weekend with playoff lacrosse making its debut in Vancouver.
If you’re one of those people who loves to quickly label draft picks, then this article is for you. I’m going to be looking back at the first overall picks from the last five NHL drafts. All of these players are at different stages of their careers. Some have solidified themselves as stars in the league, while others are still trying to find their footing.
If you’re on the opposite end of the spectrum and don’t like to grade draft picks because you think for some players it’s too small of a sample size, I don’t disagree. But this is for fun. So let’s get after it.
2024 – Macklin Celebrini Grade: A
Celebrini has had a terrific rookie season so far in San Jose. Even though he missed 12 games, Celebrini never hit the rookie wall that most rookies do. At just 18 years old, he’s shown that he can take over games and play with some of the best players in the world. He is second in rookie scoring with 62 points, but first in points per game. He has some of the best hands in the league and is an elite passer.
But one thing about his game that I feel isn’t getting enough recognition is his shot. He can absolutely snipe. He has 24 goals and it shouldn’t come as a surprise. I’ve seen him pick corners like nothing, trust me, this kid is a goalie’s worst nightmare. Remember, he’s just getting started. I expect him to take an even bigger jump next season. He should make Team Canada’s Olympic team and continue to put up points. As the Sharks continue to improve, so will Celebrini and he’ll be one of the best players in the NHL.
2023 – Connor Bedard Grade: B+
Going into his draft year, Bedard was the most hyped-up prospect since Connor McDavid. He had two outstanding seasons in the WHL with the Regina Pats, winning WHL and CHL Player of the Year in 2023. Bedard scored in his first career NHL game, and that set the tone for the rest of the season. He finished his rookie season with 61 points in 68 games and won the Calder Trophy.
However, his production dipped slightly in his sophomore season. But I don’t think Bedard is completely at fault. There was a point this season where, statistically speaking, Bedard was playing with the worst linemates in the NHL. That’s on management—they need to put him in the best possible situation to succeed, and they haven’t done that. He has a lethal shot and will be a 50-goal scorer in this league. I have no doubt in my mind that Bedard will live up to all the hype and expectations around him. But after this season, I have to give him a B+. Trust me, when it’s all said and done, I expect that to change to an A.
2022 – Juraj Slafkovsky Grade: B
Slafkovsky’s first year and a half in the NHL was nothing to write home about. But we knew why the Montreal Canadiens invested the first overall pick in him. He has everything you want in a great hockey player. He brings physicality and toughness, he can skate really well, and he has a great shot. It was just a matter of time before he settled into being a full-time NHLer.
That’s what he did in the middle of his second season. Slafkovsky finished that year with 20 goals and 50 points. This year was a similar story, his production started to come in the second half of the season. But he’s playing on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, and Montreal is on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. Slafkovsky has been a key part of that and will only continue to get better.
2021 – Owen Power Grade: C+
Power might be the toughest draft pick here to grade, largely because he plays in Buffalo. The Sabres haven’t had much success, and a lot of their star players don’t produce. Power is a 35–40 point player, which isn’t bad for a defenceman. He wasn’t drafted for his offence, but instead for his steady defensive game. His defence has been up and down the last couple of years. He’s taken some strides, but I was hoping he would’ve made Team Canada at the Four Nations Face-Off.
He’s only 22 and still has tons of time to grow, but I’m hoping to see him take a leap next season.
2020 – Alexis Lafrenière Grade: C
CHL Rookie of the Year, QMJHL Player of the Year (twice), CHL Player of the Year (twice), World Junior Gold—these were the accolades Lafrenière had won before even being drafted. So yeah, you expected elite production in the NHL. But for some reason, that hasn’t been the case.
He struggled mightily in his first two seasons and has slowly started to get better. His career high in points is 57, and that came last season. This season, he only has 45 points with two games remaining. He has all the talent in the world and showed it in junior—but that hasn’t translated to the NHL. Not what you want in a first overall pick.
These were my grades for the last five first overall picks. Let me know what you would change in the comments below.
With the Canucks not making the playoffs, it’s time we shift our focus to the offseason. Usually, when teams miss the playoffs, there’s a lot that needs to get fixed. You could argue that’s the case with the Canucks, but I don’t think there’s a need for a complete overhaul. Don’t forget, this team has Quinn Hughes, who is the best defenceman in the league, and he’s only 25. Elias Pettersson is only 26. These are two elite pieces. Yeah, missing the playoffs this season sucks, but it could be so much worse. That being said, there still need to be a couple of things figured out.
The trade deadline was a colossal failure. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. The Canucks were in a weird spot at the deadline because, at the time, they were still playoff hopefuls. They shipped Carson Soucy to the New York Rangers for a third-round pick. But the big fish was Brock Boeser. He’s a UFA, and the team hasn’t agreed to a contract extension with him. Boeser is a proven goal scorer and playoff performer, so you would think the Canucks would trade him and get a solid return back for him. Right? … They didn’t. And in case you forgot, this is what general manager Patrick Allvin said about the offers he was receiving for Boeser:
“If I told you what I was offered for Brock Boeser, I think I would have to run out of here because you would not believe me.”
So according to Allvin, we weren’t getting anything good for a player who scored 40 goals last year. The worst part is, the Canucks still haven’t signed Boeser to an extension—and it isn’t looking like they will. Boeser was recently asked about his future in Vancouver and getting an extension done. His response was something no Canucks fan wanted to hear:
“Honestly, it’s unlikely at this point, It sucks, it’s unfortunate. I’m just trying to play good hockey, and then I’ll worry about everything after that. We all know it’s been a roller coaster of a year. There’s been a lot of different things.”
So after all that, it looks like we’re going to lose him for nothing. Awesome…
Here’s the thing—there are some big-time wingers the Canucks can acquire in free agency. Someone I think the Canucks should try to sign is Nikolaj Ehlers. Ehlers might be the perfect Boeser replacement and be a slight bit cheaper.
The Canucks still have another hole to fill, and that’s the second-line center. Pius Suter played incredibly well, but unfortunately, I think he may have priced himself out of Vancouver. Filip Chytil played well before he got injured, but I think he is better suited for the third line. Now hear me out, this might sound crazy. What about Trevor Zegras? But only if they buy low on him. Zegras was taken ninth overall in 2019 and hasn’t quite lived up to the hype. You know how flashy he is, and he has the skill. Next year will be the final year of his contract, and he is only making $5.75 million. I think the Canucks should at the very least kick tires on Zegras, and if the asking price isn’t that high, I would be happy trading for him.
Now the goaltending dilemma. I don’t think the Canucks want to have $9.5 million wrapped up in goaltending. Or do they? Thatcher Demko’s health is the ultimate question mark. In 2024, when he was healthy, he was the Vezina Trophy runner-up. But the thing is, he’s never healthy. Kevin Lankinen was solid this year, and the Canucks made a long-term commitment to him, inking him to a five-year deal. Demko is a UFA after next season. Do the Canucks run the duo of Demko and Lankinen for next season? Or do they move Demko in the offseason because his health is too big of a question mark? Honestly, I think it’s a total 50/50. If they get an offer they can’t refuse, I think they will move Demko at that point.
The Vancouver Canucks are officially eliminated from playoff contention. I know it sucks not having playoff hockey, especially after how fun and electric it was last year. If you didn’t have a chance to see a game, I hope you at least got to go to a watch party, because those had a similar atmosphere. That’s a huge reason why this season feels even more disappointing. After the incredible season they had last year, this team seemed destined to get back to the postseason and make a run for the Stanley Cup.
Even though they lost players like Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, the Canucks still had a pretty solid roster. They added Jake DeBrusk, Kiefer Sherwood, and Kevin Lankinen, and in their home opener, they jumped out to a 4–1 lead against the Calgary Flames. Unfortunately, that was the peak. The Canucks blew that lead and lost 6–5 in overtime on home ice, might I add. Vancouver had one of the best home records in the NHL last season, and it was a key part of their success. This season was the complete opposite, they were near the bottom. The Canucks could never find their groove or consistency in their game. They got extremely unlucky with injuries and couldn’t string wins together when they needed to.
Even though they aren’t going to the playoffs, this season wasn’t as bad as you may think.
However, you and everyone else in this city are tired of excuses, and that’s totally fair. The Canucks have missed the playoffs eight of the last ten seasons. This team hasn’t been a consistent playoff contender since the late 2000s and early 2010s. Those years were some of the best in Canucks history, and they only made it to the third round once when they reached the Final in 2011.
I truly believe this core with Pettersson and Hughes is good enough to make a deep playoff run and, with the right additions, even win the Cup. They can’t afford any more losing seasons. And if this continues, I can see serious changes being made. The thing with this year was that a bunch of things went wrong, but the weirder part is that not all of them had to do with hockey. Let me break down some of the things that went haywire for Vancouver in this chaotic season.
Let’s start with Elias Pettersson. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. Petey had 102 points in 2023 and 89 in 2024. But we all saw the dip in his production last March, right after he signed his 8-year, $92.5 million contract. He was dealing with a knee issue during the second half of last year, and it severely affected his playoff performance. The big question going into this season was his health. Which Petey were we going to see, the one from the beginning of last season, or the one from the playoffs?
The key for the Canucks is Pettersson figuring things out / healing over the summer. Can't have your $11.6M franchise centre contributing like this. pic.twitter.com/D8Ry9Wtq64
Well, our questions were answered, and it was neither, and not in a good way. Pettersson struggled more than he did in the playoffs. Outside of a short stretch in mid-November, he never got going, battled injuries, and had the worst season of his NHL career.
But Pettersson wasn’t just dealing with issues on the ice—he was dealing with drama off the ice, with his own teammate. When rumors started surfacing about issues between him and J.T. Miller, most people didn’t know what to believe. But then former players and even former coach Bruce Boudreau chimed in, and it started picking up serious traction. It got to the point where it felt like every day, players were being asked about the Pettersson-Miller relationship.
All of this drama festered in the locker room and clearly affected the team’s play on the ice. Miller took a personal leave from the team on November 17th, and based on everything that followed, it seemed like he wasn’t happy in Vancouver. The Canucks traded Miller to the New York Rangers on January 31st, ending the saga, but confirming there was a rift between him and Pettersson.
It wasn’t just Pettersson dealing with injuries either. Brock Boeser, Filip Hronek, Quinn Hughes, and Thatcher Demko all missed significant time. Demko was injured in Game 1 of last year’s playoffs and didn’t suit up for his first game this season until December 10th. But the biggest injury was easily Quinn Hughes. Hughes was playing at an MVP level before he went down. The problem was Vancouver’s struggling defense forced him to play close to 30 minutes a night, so inevitably, he got hurt, which hindered the Canucks even more.
Until Demko’s injury in the playoffs last year, the Canucks were a healthy team. This season was the complete opposite.
Now for the biggest thing: the overtime and shootout losses. 14 of them. That’s right—14. Cut those in half and we’re talking about which team the Canucks could be playing in the playoffs. But unfortunately, that’s not the case. Vancouver couldn’t get it done when the game went to the extra frame. It started in Game 1 of the season and became the story of the year. The Canucks had a ton of games where they tied it late, only to lose in OT. At the time, you could say, “At least we got a point.” But eventually, they added up, and you need the full two points. Overtime losses to Utah, the Blues, and the Flames stick out like a sore thumb when you look at the standings now.
As they say, that’s how the cookie crumbles. There’s nothing we can do about it now. The Canucks have three games left before they close out the season.
What are your thoughts on the Canucks’ season? Let me know in the comments below.
When you think about legendary NFL draft classes, the 2011 draft should be the first one that comes to mind. It had everything you could ever want,elite players up and down the board. We even got to see Pro Bowlers being drafted in the later rounds. It has a plethora of future Hall of Famers, regular season and Super Bowl MVPs, and five players with over 100 career sacks. You may think the 1983 draft might be better. I’ll be honest, it has a solid case, but let me break down this historic class for you.
The top six picks were Cam Newton, Von Miller, Marcell Dareus, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, and Julio Jones. Those six players combined for 10 First-Team All-Pro selections and 35 Pro Bowl selections. Yup, that’s right,35 Pro Bowl selections. It’s absolutely mind-boggling. And that’s only the first six players. I’m just getting started. Yeah, this class is that stacked.
The 1st-round picks in the 2011 Draft class were ELITE 🔥
Cam Newton was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in his prime and won MVP in 2015. Von Miller is one of the best pass rushers from the 2010s, he has 129.5 career sacks and beat Newton’s Panthers in Super Bowl 50, where he won Super Bowl MVP. Marcell Dareus was an elite defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills for several years. A.J. Green was one of the top wide receivers of the 2010s, he finished his career with over 10,000 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns. Patrick Peterson was one of the premier cornerbacks during the 2010s; he made eight Pro Bowls and was a three-time All-Pro, racking up 36 interceptions in his career. Julio Jones led the NFL in receiving yards twice and was just an absolute monster. He was a physical specimen and could just do it all. Julio finished his career with 13,703 receiving yards, good for 16th all-time.
If you think those players were good, this draft gets even better. The Dallas Cowboys took left tackle Tyron Smith ninth overall, and he was one of the best tackles in the league for over a decade. He is an eight-time Pro Bowler, even while battling injuries. Two picks later came J.J. Watt. Yup, JJ Watt was in this draft class. Watt may arguably be the best player out of the entire class. Before he was riddled with injuries, Watt was not only the best defensive player in the NFL, he may have been the best overall player in the NFL. He won Defensive Player of the Year three times in his first five seasons and was a First-Team All-Pro in four straight seasons. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment may not even be winning a certain award—Watt was the runner-up for MVP in 2014, and even to this day, many fans think he was robbed. He would have been just the third defensive player to ever win MVP.
Watt and Miller weren’t the only prominent pass rushers taken in the first round. Ryan Kerrigan, Cameron Jordan, and Robert Quinn also found NFL homes in 2011.
Every draft class has busts. You know this, it’s inevitable, but when a draft class is as stacked as this one, drafting a bust has to hurt a little more. Outside of Newton, the quarterbacks weren’t necessarily superstar caliber, maybe not even star caliber. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Andy Dalton in the second round, and the San Francisco 49ers also took Colin Kaepernick in the second round. Other than that, the QBs selected were rough. But when it comes to quarterbacks, teams get desperate. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Blaine Gabbert 10th overall. The Minnesota Vikings drafted Christian Ponder 12th. Yikes.
The thing that made this draft class so special was all the talent being taken in the later rounds. The first round is supposed to produce Pro Bowl-caliber players, that’s why they’re drafted so high. The same can’t usually be said for players taken in the fourth, fifth rounds, and beyond. But there’s a reason this draft will go down in history.
Julius Thomas was a key part of the Broncos’ record-setting season in 2013. He had 12 touchdowns in both 2013 and 2014 and was taken in the fourth round. Speaking of that 2013 season, the Seahawks dominated the Broncos 43–8 in the Super Bowl, in large part due to their legendary defense, the “Legion of Boom.” The face of that defense was Richard Sherman, who was taken in the fifth round. Sherman, in my opinion, was the best cornerback of the 2010s. He made five Pro Bowls and was named a First-Team All-Pro three times. You probably know Jason Kelce as the brother of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, but Kelce is also one of the best centers of all time—and he was taken in the sixth round.
"I believe he will go down as the greatest draft pick in Eagles history. Sixth round pick to the Hall Of Fame, with a Super Bowl parade speech sprinkled in there."
I could keep going on about the amazing talent drafted in 2011, but I think you get the point—the 2011 draft is the best ever.Do you think we’ll see a draft class top this? If so, do you think it’ll happen anytime soon? Let me know in the comments below.
The Vancouver Warriors moved closer to a playoff spot after a stellar performance by goaltender Christian Del Bianco, beating the Albany FireWolves 10-4. It was the Warriors’ fourth consecutive win and they are undefeated since acquiring Del Bianco at the trade deadline. Del Bianco was the story of the game, making multiple marvelous saves throughout the contest. The Warriors tied a franchise record, allowing only four goals, a record they set earlier this season in January against the Ottawa Black Bears. The Warriors’ penalty kill was perfect Friday night, going four-for-four.
Del Bianco was pleased with how his defence played when they were down a player. “It’s a hard league to be short a man. There are some pretty good offensive players, and we were just disciplined. We kept our shape, we didn’t overextend, and we gave up the shots that we wanted to give up. So, I think as we move on here and find a little more chemistry between me and those four first-liners especially, it’s going to get easier.”
The Warriors’ defence has been great since the beginning of the season and as of this writing, allowed the least amount of goals in the National Lacrosse League. But the addition of Del Bianco has been a game-changer. He won MVP in 2023, so how he’s been playing isn’t a surprise. The Warriors’ offence only scored four goals in the first half, but Del Bianco kept them in the game. Star forward Keegan Bal says the offence was set up for success because the defence kept the FireWolves in check.
“Our defence and Christian just stole a game for us. (It) makes it pretty easy on (the offence) when they (only) score four goals,” explained Bal.
Del Bianco is a world-class goalie, and he’s made an immediate impact. When the Warriors acquired him, they were 5-7, now they are 9-7 and on the cusp of making the playoffs for the second time in franchise history. Head coach and general manager Curt Malawsky has known Del Bianco since he was a teenager. He also coached him when he was with the Calgary Roughnecks, and they won a championship together in 2023. Malawsky was impressed by Del Bianco’s 37-save performance against the FireWolves.
“He was absolutely outstanding. He makes the (saves) when you really need them (and) he made (those saves) all game long. He’s just got that calming influence on the back end and he’s a great leader in the dressing room,” said Malawsky.
Malwasky knows he can count on Del Bianco’s habits in practice translating to his play during games. “He really makes our guys better in practice — they have to compete to score on him. He’s a very competitive guy, he’s not just a gameplay player. He practices like he wants to play in the game, and it makes everyone around him better (and) it makes the team better.”
The Warriors have taken their game to another level since the trade deadline, and they beat the first-place Buffalo Bandits last week. Malawsky says it’s important for his team to stay grounded after that win and stay focused on the task ahead.
“We talked about it (Thursday) in practice, that was a nice win. It’s a really tough thing to do, but don’t sit back on (the win). It’s a challenge, (tonight’s) game could have been a catch game, maybe a bit of an adrenaline dump, but our guys stayed with it. They just believe in each other, (and) they trust each other.”
Markus Klarich has had a breakout year for the Warriors. In Friday’s game, he took a hard hit into the boards, resulting in a five-minute power play. He returned to the game and scored in the second quarter. Klarich says confidence is high in the Warriors’ dressing room because of their current win streak.
“We’re even-keeled and aren’t going to get too high. We know where we are, we are comfortable where we are, and we are just going to keep building together.”
Vancouver’s next game is Friday vs. the Toronto Rock. The Warriors beat the Rock 13-8 on Mar. 14. This week is another must-win for Vancouver to keep its playoff push moving strong.
This is the second part of me ranking the top 10 Canucks of all time. If you haven’t read players 6-10, you can check it out HERE. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the five best Canucks of all time.
5. Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo is easily the best goalie in franchise history. He might have even been higher on my list if he had played in Vancouver a little longer. Luongo was already one of the top goalies in the league when he was traded to Vancouver. He made a huge impact his first year in Vancouver, finishing second in Vezina and Hart Trophy voting. Luongo finished top five in Vezina voting four times in his eight seasons in Vancouver. He is first in all major goaltending categories in Canuck history. Luongo was durable, playing at least 50 games in seven seasons. You might want to blame Luongo for losing the Cup in 2011, but the truth of the matter is that they wouldn’t have even made it that far if it wasn’t for him. Luongo was a huge reason that the Canucks were an elite team for so many years. He is in the Hall of Fame for a reason and is a top-five Canuck ever.
4. Markus Naslund
To think it only took Alek Stojanov to acquire one of the best players of the 2000s. But that’s the truth. Naslund struggled in Pittsburgh, and they dumped him to Vancouver. I guess it’s true what they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That couldn’t be more true for the Canucks. Naslund had six 30-plus goal years and three years scoring over forty. His best seasons in Vancouver were in 2002 and 2003, where he put up 90 points in 2002 and 104 in 2003. He finished second in the league in scoring and Hart Trophy voting as well. Naslund finished his career second in goals and third in points in franchise history. He was a true superstar and just missed being a top-three Canuck ever.
3. Pavel Bure
The Russian Rocket is the most electrifying and dynamic player the Canucks have ever had. From the moment he arrived, he made an impact, winning the Calder Trophy. But Bure’s impact goes beyond the stats. His speed and stick handling were so unique. I think every defenseman in the NHL saw Bure in their nightmares. Bure made casual Canucks fans into die-hard fans and brought so much light to this team, headlined by the Stanley Cup final run in 1994. Bure had back-to-back 60-goal seasons in Vancouver in 1993 and 1994 and is one of the best pure goal scorers of all time. If Bure had played out his whole career in Vancouver, he may have ended up in my number-one spot. Bure is one of only two Canucks to finish his time in Vancouver with over a point per game.
2. Daniel Sedin
You knew the Sedins were going to be in the top two; you just didn’t know the order. While they both had cases for the number one spot, I settled for Daniel to be second, just like his draft position. It’s hard to even look at the Sedins as two separate players. They were drafted together, they played on the same line together, and they went into the Hall of Fame together. The one thing I could separate them on was their point totals. Daniel is the goal scorer of the two, as he has a franchise-best 393 career goals. Daniel also won the Art Ross Trophy in 2011 as the NHL’s leading scorer with 104 points and the Lester B. Pearson Award (now the Ted Lindsay).
1.Henrik Sedin
The franchise leader in points and assists. Henrik won the Hart and Art Ross Trophy in 2010, which is why he is above his brother in my rankings. Henrik was one of the best playmakers of the 2010s, leading the league in assists from 2010-12. It was tough to rank the Sedins, but I ultimately put Henrik in the top spot because he is the leader in points and won an MVP. They were the face of the franchise and both played huge roles in the organization. They may both be the two most important Canucks ever.
This was a very fun list to make. Is there anything you think I should change? Let me know in the comments below.
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.
I know this Canucks season hasn’t been what we hoped it would be. The magic of last season seems like it was a decade ago. I don’t know about you, but for me, the worst part is that we haven’t had consistent playoff hockey here in years. The last time this team was a consistent contender was during the Sedin era. However, I still have faith that this group will figure it out. It may not be this year, but I believe we can get back to the playoffs very soon. Lately I’ve been feeling super nostalgic and have been watching videos of playoff runs from years past. Don’t you miss those years when the Sedin twins were dominating, or the years with the West Coast Express line? Imagine if the Canucks still had them with this current roster.
This got me thinking about what an all-time Canucks lineup would look like. So, I put one together. I made the roster with players who had their success predominantly with the Canucks. That’s why you won’t see Cam Neely, Mats Sundin, or Igor Larionov on this team. This was super hard to make and I changed it around a ton but I finally settled on a final roster. Without further ado, here is my all-time Canucks team.
Forwards
Line 1: Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin – Pavel Bure
Line 2: Markus Naslund – Brendan Morrison – Todd Bertuzzi
Line 3: Stan Smyl – Elias Pettersson – Trevor Linden
Line 4: Thomas Gradin – JT Miller – Tony Tanti
Honourable Mentions: Alexander Mogilny, Ryan Kesler, Cliff Ronning, Alex Burrows
Ok, the first line shouldn’t be debatable. They are the three best Canucks ever. The Twins are number one and two in scoring, they’re both Hall of Famers, and each has won an Art Ross trophy, Henrik even won the Hart Trophy. Pavel Bure is arguably the most skilled player the Canucks have ever had. He had three 50-plus goal seasons in Vancouver, including back-to-back 60-goal seasons in 1993 and 1994. Bure is hands down the best goal-scorer the Canucks have ever had and one of the best of all time. Doesn’t this make you wonder how good they would be if they actually played on a line together? Bure, one of the best goal scorers of all time, playing with one of the best passers the league has ever seen in Henrik Sedin. Imagine those slap passes to Bure, or those magical between-the-legs passes finding him in the slot. Even better, picture this, Bure streaking down the wing, breaking a defenders ankles, dishing it to Daniel, who passes it to Henrik, who gives it back to Bure for a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal. That’s every Canucks fan’s dream.
For the second line, you know I had to keep the West Coast Express line together. Naslund, Morrison, and Bertuzzi were the best line in all of hockey in the early 2000s. Naslund was the star. From 2001-2004, he had four seasons over a point per game, headlined by having 104 points in 2003, and finished top five in Hart Trophy voting for three straight years. Bertuzzi was one of the best power forwards in the league at the time, and Morrison complemented them perfectly. So you know I had to keep the three of them together.
Now the bottom six is where it got really hard. First off, I want you to completely forget this season.
Elias Pettersson belongs on this team. He is already ninth all-time in points and could jump to number six if he has a great season next year. He is one of only seven Canucks to have 100 points in a season, and before this year, he was over a point per game in his career. So before you type up a storm in the comments, Pettersson has the numbers and six great seasons backing him up.
Stan Smyl may not be the “sexiest” pick, but “Steamer” was one of the few great players the Canucks had in the ‘80s and was a huge part of the 1982 Cup run. From 1980-83, Smyl averaged 81 points and 34 goals in an 82 game season, and had eight straight years of scoring at least 20 goals.
Trevor Linden shouldn’t be debatable. He is Mr. Canuck and helped lead them to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in 1994, all while averaging 32 goals and 70 points a year from 1991-1994.
The fourth line could have gone to multiple guys.Thomas Gradin is the one player who should be here no matter what. He is sixth all-time in scoring, had three 30-plus-goal seasons, and three straight years of being over a point per game.
If you were a Canucks fan who grew up in the 2010s, you might not agree with these last two spots and wished they would have gone to Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler instead. But hear me out. JT Miller takes the center spot because he is 11th in scoring and was over a point per game as a Canuck. The only other player to do that was Pavel Bure. Throw in the fact that he had three straight years of over 30 goals and the seventh-highest scoring season as a Canuck with 103 points last season.
As much as I wanted to put the Dragon Slayer Alex Burrows on here, I couldn’t justify leaving Tony Tanti off the team. Tanti had three 40 plus-goal seasons and two 39 goal seasons from 1984-1988. Burrows’ best goal-scoring year was 35 goals in 2010, and that was the only time he scored above 30. You probably have fond memories of Burrows, as do I, but he just missed the cut.
Kesler scored 41 goals in 2011, but his second-highest was only 25, so he just missed. Alexander Mogilny had 55 goals and 107 points in 1996, but injuries limited him in the seasons after that. Cliff Ronning was another solid player who just missed, but he wasn’t a Canuck long enough to make my all-time team.
Defense
Pair 1: Quinn Hughes – Mattias Ohlund
Pair 2: Alex Edler – Jyrki Lumme
Pair 3: Ed Jovanovski – Kevin Bieksa
Honourable Mentions: Harold Snepts, Dave Babych, Dan Hamhuis
Quinn Hughes is already the best defenceman in franchise history. If you think otherwise, either you haven’t watched hockey since 2011 or you’re just jealous of him. He needs no explanation for being on this team, his Norris Trophy speaks for itself.
Mattias Ohlund was one of the most underrated defencemen in the early 2000s. He finished 10th in Norris Trophy voting in 2002 and is third all-time in points and second in goals for a defenceman in franchise history.
Before Quinn Hughes came along, Alex Edler was the standard for Canucks defencemen. He is the leader in points and goals for defencemen in franchise history… for now. He was so consistent for many years in Vancouver. Jyrki Lumme is fourth in points and third in goals for a Canuck defenceman and was one of their first offensive defencemen.
The Canucks got Ed Jovanovski in the package for Pavel Bure, and that was for a reason. When you trade a franchise icon in his prime, you would hope to get an elite player or two in return. That’s what Jovanovski was. “Jovocop” finished in the top six in Norris Trophy voting in back-to-back seasons in 2002 and 2003 for Vancouver.
Kevin Bieksa takes the last spot for me. He is seventh in points and ninth in goals for defencemen and had Norris votes in 2007 and 2012. If I had to add a seventh defenceman, it would have been Dan Hamhuis. He received Norris votes in his first three years in Vancouver and finished 10th in 2012. He was arguably the best defenceman on the 2011 team, and that’s saying a lot considering how good that blue line was.
Goalies
Roberto Luongo
Kirk McLean
Honourable Mentions: Richard Brodeur, Thatcher Demko
The goalies were the easiest part of making the team. Roberto Luongo is the best goalie in franchise history. He gave the Canucks a chance to win every game for eight seasons. He was the backbone of the 2011 Stanley Cup team, the leader in every major goaltending category in franchise history, and is a Hall of Famer. Kirk McLean was a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist and, before Luongo, was the leader in wins and shutouts.
I’m sure you disagree with half of my picks, sound off in the comments and let me know what you think I should change.
In case you didn’t know, the NFL draft is just a few weeks away, with the first round taking place on April 24th. The draft is often considered the most important part of the offseason, especially for teams with a high pick. Why? Having a great draft can turn a team from a rebuilder to a contender instantly, while a bad draft can keep teams stuck in mediocrity. We saw just last year the Washington Commanders make it to the NFC Championship game after finishing with the second-worst record the year before. So many draft classes have changed franchises around, and in this article, I’m going to highlight them. I’m going to be ranking the top draft classes since 2000.
Key Players: Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Bruce Irvin
This draft class put the exclamation point on the Seahawks’ rebuild. The Seahawks drafted two future Hall of Famers, and neither of them was a first-round pick. How many teams can you name who’ve done that? Bobby Wagner is one of the best linebackers of all time; he’s an 11-time All-Pro, with six of those being first-team All-Pro. You know about the Legion of Boom, Seattle’s legendary secondary from 2012-2016, but without Wagner, the defense wouldn’t have become what it is today. During his time in Seattle, Wagner led the NFL in tackles three separate times. Anytime you can draft your franchise quarterback in the third round, your draft is already a success. Well, Russell Wilson over-delivered, taking Seattle to two Super Bowls, winning one, and being a top-five quarterback for the better part of a decade during his time in Seattle. The Seahawks also drafted Bruce Irvin, Jeremy Lane, and J.R. Sweezy, who all were starters and played vital roles in Seattle’s back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013 and 2014. This draft class will not only go down as one of the best of the 2000s but as one of the best of all time.
Key Players: Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk
After three straight seasons of missing the playoffs, it seemed like the Saints were going to waste Drew Brees’s final prime seasons. Boy, did the Saints change that in the 2017 draft. They drafted multiple elite players, including three who’ve made at least three Pro Bowls, Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore, and Trey Hendrickson. They also drafted a three-time All-Pro in Ryan Ramczyk. Six of the seven players the Saints drafted made an immediate impact, highlighted by Kamara and Lattimore, who respectively won Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year. This draft set up the Saints for four straight 10-plus-win seasons, including a trip to the 2018 NFC Championship game. (We aren’t going to talk about the missed pass interference call.) It’s safe to say that this draft by the Saints is up there with some of the best ever. It may have taken the number one spot if it resulted in a Super Bowl.
Key Players: Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Orlando Brown
The Baltimore Ravens hadn’t made the playoffs in three seasons prior to 2018. They hadn’t won their division in six years and needed a change. The Ravens had the last pick of the first round in the draft, and they made a franchise-altering pick, they drafted Lamar Jackson, and oh, did it ever pay off. Two MVPs and three All-Pro selections later, it’s looking to be one of the best draft picks in franchise history, and that’s not all. In the third round, the Ravens drafted right tackle Orlando Brown, who made two Pro Bowls during his time in Baltimore, and three picks later, they drafted Mark Andrews, who is one of the best tight ends in the NFL and broke the record for most receiving touchdowns in Ravens history.
Key Players: Larry Fitzgerald, Darnell Dockett, Karlos Dansby
Anytime you draft one of the best players of all time at their position, it automatically makes it a great draft class. But when you draft other players who’ve made a key impact on your team’s Super Bowl run, it makes it one of the best of all time. Larry Fitzgerald’s resume speaks for itself. Over 17,000 receiving yards, 121 touchdowns, and over 1,400 catches, second only to Jerry Rice. But Fitzgerald wasn’t the only splash the Cardinals made in this draft. They also took defensive standouts Karlos Dansby in the second round and Darnell Dockett in the third round. Both players made multiple Pro Bowls and played key parts in the Cardinals making a Super Bowl appearance in 2008.
Key Players: Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Golden Tate
Yup, the Seahawks have two draft classes on my list, and they’ve earned them. In this draft, they took both Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, who combined for 11 Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro selections in the 2010s. They were easily the top safety duo in the NFL during their time together and were two of the biggest reasons the Seahawks had one of the best defenses of all time. Seattle also took left tackle Russell Okung, who started 72 games for the team and made a Pro Bowl, as well as Golden Tate in the second round, who was an electrifying receiver and one of Russell Wilson’s top targets during Seattle’s Super Bowl run in 2013.
