Luc Bourdon and the Start of the Canucks Season

With the way last season ended, many had lost faith in the Canucks and with so many changes over the summer no one really knew what to expect when the puck dropped for 2008-2009.

There are those who wanted to sell off their season tickets as soon as they got them, and those who have been plotting the parade route downtown after the Canucks achieved the best pre-season record. As DaveO always says, there’s room on the Canucks fan bus for all. For better or for worse, this is our city’s (and our province’s) team.

There was no better example of how our region rallies for our team, and its players, than the touching tribute the Canucks organization put together for our boy, Luc Bourdon, who lost his life earlier this summer. Having also lost someone special this August, also to a motorcycle accident, it was an even more emotional evening for me – and I’m sure for many, many others.

It was only fitting that the current Canuck that was closest to our young defencemen, Alex Burrows, scored two goals in our 6-0 opening night victory against Calgary.

Luc’s legacy for young hockey players everywhere has also been commemorated at GM Place with the Wall of Dreams.

We’ll take the wins and the losses (preferably more in the “W” column though) but we’re always behind our team. The puck drops tonight at 7:00pm PST and I’m hoping that even if Calgary steps up, our city will not be quick to drop our promising team this season – I’m certain the best is only to come.

Side note: If you spot any of The Crazy Canucks posters around town, on a bus or at a Skytrain station, add your photo to the Flickr group to be in the running for a prize pack including tickets to the Open Practice. The latest photo to be added is one of me at Metrotown.

Update: We won in OT against Calgary, 5-4 and Daniel Sedin has now been named on of the NHL’s “Three Stars of the Week”.