Vancouver Canucks Research Paper

When most hockey fans hear about the Vancouver Canucks, losing is one of the first things to come to mind. Even though the team hasn’t won a Stanley Cup during their existence, this idea of losing is false. By looking at the Canucks early years, their greatest players, and their numerous trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, a clearer picture is formed. Exploring these areas show that the Canucks were, and are, a competitive and talented team. During their early years in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks played very poorly. In 1970, they were added the league. Vancouver’s first home arena was Pacific Coliseum, where the Canucks played their first game against the Los Angeles Kings. Unsurprisingly, they lost this game 3-1. A few nights later, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Vancouver

Players like Roberto Luongo and Pavel Bure have been a couple of the greats to put on the Canucks jersey. Pavel Bure, known as the “Russian Rocket” (Hockey Scouting Report) was a Russian winger known to have supersonic speed along with good balance and agility. Although not defensive, Bure contributed on the scoreboard, notching back to back 60 goal seasons with Vancouver. Disappointingly, Bure was traded away in 1999. Despite the trade, a new star would be arriving in a few years: Roberto Luongo. Luongo was an instant hit with the fans, and his play on the ice was the same. At 6’3” and 205lbs, Luongo really filled out the net. His play was agile and quick. His glove hand was known to be one of the best in the league. In 2010 Luongo was chosen to play for Canada in Vancouver, where he won gold. He came close to a Stanley cup too, leading the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011.Surprisingly, Vancouver decided to trade Luongo in 2014, which marked the end of a great career playing for the Canucks. Even though both Bure and Luongo ended up being traded away, their legacy still remains in