Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks
Founded	1970
Home ice	General Motors Place
Based in	Vancouver
Colours	Blue, red, silver
League	National Hockey League
Head coach	Marc Crawford
General manager	David Nonis
Owners	John McCaw (Orca Bay Sports) & Francesco Aquilini (Aquilini Investment Group)

The Vancouver Canucks are a professional National Hockey League ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Founded: 1970

Arena: General Motors Place

Uniform colours: Royal blue, dark red, and white.

Logo design: A stylized "C", consisting of an orca breaking out of water.

Stanley Cup final appearances: 2 (0 won, 2 lost: 1981-1982 (lost), 1993-1994 (lost))

Contents

1 Franchise History 2 Logo and jersey history 3 Ownership 4 Players of Note 4.1 Hall of Famers 4.2 Team Captains 4.3 Current stars 4.4 Not to be forgotten 4.5 Retired Numbers 5 External links

Franchise History

In 1945 the Pacific Coast Hockey League established an ice hockey franchise in the city of Vancouver. Known as the Canucks, they immediately enjoyed success by winning the PCHL championship in only their second year of existence. In 1952, the PCHL merged with the Western Canada Senior Hockey League to form the professional Western Hockey League. With numerous star players coming through the ranks like Johnny Bower, Andy Bathgate, Tony Esposito, Bobby Orr and Phil Maloney, the Canucks won the Lester Patrick Cup in 1958, 1960, 1969 and 1970.

In 1965, when the NHL announced plans to expand to six additional markets (soon to be known as the Expansion Six), the WHL's Canucks owner and former Vancouver mayor Fred Hume announced that the city of Vancouver would apply. However, the presentation to the NHL's Board of Governors was sloppily prepared. Because of this, and the fact that the Vancouver ownership group was disliked by Chicago Blackhawks owner James Norris and Toronto Maple Leafs owner Stafford Smythe (who hated Vancouver in general because of a failed arena plan), the application did not succeed. Nevertheless, the Pacific Coliseum, which was to be the first home for a prospective Vancouver team, was built on the grounds of the Vancouver Exhibition.

In 1970, another Vancouver ownership group bought the minor-league Canucks and, after much negotiating, the Canucks joined the NHL for the price of $6 million. Interestingly, the Canucks were placed in the East Division to maintain parity between the two divisions (more interesting was the fact that the Blackhawks moved from the East Division to the West Division the same year).

The Canucks have been to the Stanley Cup finals twice in its franchise history. Its first trip was in 1982, when they were swept 4 games to none by the New York Islanders. In 1994, the Canucks made an improbable trip to the finals, entering that year's playoffs as the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Canucks played against the New York Rangers in the 1994 finals, and lost 4 games to 3 in what was one of the most exciting Stanley Cup finals in NHL history.

Expansion team established in May of 1970 after an unsuccessful bid in 1967.

First Captain: Orland Kurtenbach

First Game: October 9, 1970 vs. Los Angeles Kings

First Victory: October 11, 1970 5 - 3 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

First Goal Scored: Barry Wilkins vs. Los Angeles Kings

Logo and jersey history

The team has gone through several different logo and jersey changes over its history. One of their first jerseys is now worn on the occassional "throwback night"; a blue rectangle with a hockey stick in it. One of their controversial jersey worn consisted of a huge yellow, orange, and black striped "V" coming down from the shoulders which, depending on whom you ask, is usually considered to be either their best or (more commonly) worst jersey. The logo that existed before the current one was the word "Canucks" in a diagonal slant and is part of the blade of a skate. The current jersey is an orca, in the shape of a "C"

Ironically, the name "Canuck" has nothing to do with the current logo of the Canucks. Canuck is slang for a Canadian person in the way "Yankee" is for an American.

Ownership

Francesco Aquilini, head of the Aquilini Investment Group in Vancouver, purchased a 50% share in the franchise and General Motors Place sports arena on November 17, 2004. Aquilini purchased his share of the franchise and General Motors Place from American billionaire John McCaw, who still owns the remaining 50%. However, in January 2005, Aquilini's former business partners, Tom Gagliardi and Ryan Beedie, have filed a lawsuit against Aquilini and OrcaBay, the group that currently owns the Canucks. Gagliardi and Beedie claimed that Aquilini and OrcaBay had acted in bad faith and went behind their backs when Aquilini and OrcaBay brokered their deal, despite Aquilini having had to pull out of his partnership with Gagliardi and Beedie to purchase the team due to financial concerns.

Players of Note

Hall of Famers

• Andy Bathgate
• Johnny Bower
• Tony Esposito
• Allan Herbert Stanley
• Lorne "Gump" Worsley
• Frank Griffiths (Owner)
• Jake Milford (General Manager)
• Roger Neilson (Coach)
• Norman "Bud" Poile (General Manager)

Team Captains

• Orland Kurtenbach (1970 - 1974)
• Andre Boudrias (1975 - 1976)
• Chris Oddleifson (1976 - 1977)
• Don Lever (1977 - 1979)
• Kevin McCarthy (1979 - 1982)
• Stan Smyl (1982 - 1990)
• Dan Quinn (1990)
• Doug Lidster (1990)
• Trevor Linden (1990 - 1997)
• Mark Messier (1997 - 2000)
• Markus Näslund (2000 - present)

Current stars

• Markus Näslund
• Todd Bertuzzi
• Mattias Öhlund
• Ed Jovanovski
• Brendan Morrison
• Trevor Linden
• Daniel Sedin
• Henrik Sedin

Not to be forgotten

• Kirk McLean
• Richard Brodeur
• Pavel Bure
• Thomas Gradin
• Jyrki Lumme
• Harold Snepsts
• Tony Tanti
• Petri Skriko
• Dave Babych
• Martin Gelinas
• Alexander Mogilny
• Dave "Tiger" Williams

Retired Numbers

• 12 Stan Smyl
• 99 Wayne Gretzky (retired league-wide by the NHL)

(Note: Wayne Maki's number 11 was unofficially retired by the Canucks organization following his untimely death in May 1974. Although this is the case, it has been worn by one other Canucks player since then, Mark Messier.)

External links

• Vancouver Canucks official web site (http://www.canucks.com/)
• Vancouver Canucks Forum (http://www.casev.com/nhl/viewforum.php?f=22)

National Hockey League
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Trophies and Awards: Stanley Cup | Prince of Wales | Clarence S. Campbell | Presidents' Trophy | Art Ross | Bill Masterton | Calder | Conn Smythe | Hart | Norris | King Clancy | Lady Byng | Lester B. Pearson Award | Rocket Richard | Plus/Minus | Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award | Jennings | Vezina
Related Articles: AHL | ECHL | WHA | World Cup

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