Top 10 Vancouver Canucks of All Time
Friday, November 20th, 2009http://www.livesports-tv.com –
Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns Live Streaming TV Link Here
Kansas City Chiefs vs Oakland Raiders Live
Time: 02:30 - 06:00
Date: 17th Nov
NFL
Enjoy This Live Game
Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live streaming, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live stream, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live video, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live nfl, watch Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live broadcast, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live online, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live sopcast, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live telecast, live Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns free, free Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live online, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live on pc, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live on tv, live nfl
Read »
With Trevor Linden set to announce his retirement today I figured it would be appropriate to count down the top 10 Vancouver Canucks of all time. The Canucks might not have the history of one of the Original Six clubs, but their nearly 40 years in the league have seen some great players don a Canuck uniform, and are still remembered fondly by old timers who've been watching the club since day one. Will Linden make this esteemed list of the top 10 greatest Canucks? Read on to find out.
10 - Roberto Luongo
Some fans might argue that this guy has not been with the club long enough to be considered one of the top 10 Vancouver Canucks of all time. They would have a point, but I don't think anyone would argue that this guy is the best ever to don the pads for the Canucks, and he has single-handedly been responsible for the bulk of the team's wins over the past 2 seasons. Give this guy a bit more scoring help, and he could very well bring the Canucks the Stanley Cup. In his first season he set a club record for wins in a single season and was a finalist for both the Vezina and Hart trophies.
9 - Todd Bertuzzi
Another choice that is sure to be controversial, yet despite the Steve Moore incident, and the dark cloud surrounding it that eventually saw Bertuzzi exit Vancouver, few people would argue that Big Bert was one of the most dominant, most entertaining players in the history of the franchise. His huge size, and his soft hands made him a consistent threat to score, and his chemistry with linemate Markus Naslund made the duo one of the deadliest in the league for several seasons.
8 - Harold Snepsts
Anyone who attended a Canucks game in the late 70s or early 80s probably chanted, “Haaarrrroooollllldddd!” at some point. Though not an offensive star, Snepsts was a tower of strength on the Canuck blue line, hitting first and asking questions later. He is still one of the Canucks most popular players of all time, and certainly one of the top 10 greatest Vancouver Canucks.
7 - Kirk McLean
Though the Canucks have been known throughout their history for having woeful goaltending, about once a decade they seem to get the right guy in between the pipes. Such was the case in the 90s, when Kirk McLean was tending the net for the club. Captain Kirk was one of the last true standup goalies to play the game, employing it with great success even though the bulk of his peers had switched to the more popular butterfly style. McLean racked up over 200 wins during his time with the club, and the pinnacle of his success came during the 1994 playoffs, where his stellar play led the team to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, where they narrowly missed glory in a heart-breaking 3-2 to the New York Rangers.
6 - Thomas Gradin
This smooth-skating Swede was a key component of one of the best lines in hockey in the early 1980s. Playing alongside Curt Fraser and captain Stan Smyl, Gradin provided the finesse to go along with the grit of his linemates. He was a consistent scorer, averaging more than a point a game between 1979 and 1984. His contributions were a key reason the Canucks made it to the 1982 Stanley Cup finals, and he deserves his spot on the list of the top 10 Vancouver Canucks of all time.
5 - Richard Brodeur
Speaking of the 1982 Stanley Cup finals, despite the efforts of Gradin and others, there is no way the Canucks would have made it anywhere near as they did that year if not for the stellar play of King Richard. His exploits during that playoff run were so legendary they even spawned a song. He spent 8 memorable seasons with the Canucks, and may never have recaptured the same glory, but his dominant performance that gave Canuck fans the first sniff of success they'd ever had is reason alone to consider him one of the greatest Canucks ever.
4 - Markus Naslund
Markus has been much maligned over the past couple of seasons for his failure to put up big numbers to match the big dollars he is being payed. However, despite his recent struggles, there can be little argument that this soft-spoken team captain is one of the most skilled players the franchise has ever boasted. He is the all time franchise leader in goals and points. He is the only Canuck besides Pavel Bure (Calder) to ever win a major NHL award, capturing the Lester Pearson trophy in 2003, as the players' pick as the league's best player.
3 - Stan Smyl
“Steamer” was surely the most popular player in the history of the franchise before Linden came along to give him some competition for that title. When compiling the list of the top 10 Canucks of all time, this tireless worker was the first player that jumped to mind. His number 12 is the only number the Canucks have retired in their history, and up until a few years ago, Smyl was the club's all time leader in most offensive categories, and wore the C as team captain for 8 seasons.
2 - Pavel Bure
It didn't take the Russian Rocket long to serve notice he was going to be Vancouver's very first superstar. He electrified fans in his very first game, making several exciting end to end rushes that showed his incredible speed and stick handling ability. Though he didn't score in that first game, it wasn't very long before the goals started to come in bunches, and that scoring prowess earned him the Calder trophy as the rookie of the year. The Russian Rocket really launched the next 2 seasons, however. He became the first Canuck in team history to record 50 goals in a single season in his sophomore year, actually hitting an even 60. His third year he duplicated the feat, pouring in 60 more during the regular season and adding another 16 in the playoffs, during the Canucks' incredible 1994 Stanley Cup final run. He is easily the most exciting player ever to wear a Canuck jersey, and many would have him at the number 1 spot on their list of the top 10 Vancouver Canucks of all time.
1 - Trevor Linden
Trevor Linden is the greatest Canuck ever. I'm not just saying that because he is retiring today. This former Canuck captain has been an inspirational leader for the team for the better part of 2 decades now. He is the consummate Canuck, and has done everything for the team, including keeping his silence when forced to watch from the press box. There is no classier player in the sport of hockey, and he has been a true role model for young players around the league. But this list is not a mere popularity contest. Linden has put up the numbers throughout his career to justify his selection to the top spot on this list. He is the Canucks' all time leader in games played, and until Naslund recently passed him, held the club records for goals, assists and points. He will leave a gaping void with his retirement, much like he did when the Canucks unwisely traded him back in 1998.


