Gearing up for the Canucks 2010-2011 Season

Tickets for the upcoming 2010-2011 Vancouver Canucks seasons go on sale today. This is the Canucks 40th anniversary season and with changes in the lineup and a new name for their home rink, things have definitely been shaken up a bit. Whether that’s for the better or not is yet to be seen but according to those I’ve chatted with so far, everyone’s looking forward to seeing what this season will hold.

1968 program cover designed by George McLachlan

Let’s take a quick stroll down memory lane to see how the team as we know it has spent the last 40 years.

1970
After a few years of proposals, Canucks are brought into the NHL alongside the Buffalo Sabres that year. Orland Kurtenbach would be the first-ever captain.

The first NHL game for the Canucks was against the LA Kings on October 9, 1970. The Canucks’ anniversary season this year will have the same match up, on the same day.

1974-75
The Canucks win the Smythe Division Championship.

1982
During a Stanley Cup playoff game Canucks coach Roger Neilson raises a white towel as a sign of surrender due to officiating. This would forever be known at “Towel Power” to Canucks fans and replicated each playoff season after that.

1990-1993
Canucks caption Stan Smyl retires.
Trevor Linden, Doug Lidster and Dan Quinn share a rotating captaincy.
Trevor Linden named sole captain of the team at age 21.
Canucks sign Pavel Bure, our very own “Russian Rocket”.

1994
Canucks make it to the Stanley Cup finals once again but lose in game 7 versus the New York Rangers.

1995
The team moves into GM Place.

1997
Mark Messier becomes a Canuck.

I remember the day very clearly. My friend (who was a huge Canucks fan) walked into the room, held up the Province sports section announcing that we traded Trevor Linden to the Islanders for Todd Bertuzzi. She stood there in silence then eventually let out a very loud and emotional, “Noooo!”

Early 2000s
Marty McSorley of the Bruins gets the NHL’s longest suspension ever for slashing Donald Brashear in the head with his stick.

The “West Coast Express” is our hottest line consisting of Brendan Morrison, Todd Bertuzzi, and captain Markus Naslund.

Canucks have goalie trouble as new faces rotate in front of our net (for what seemed to be) every few months.

2004

Todd Bertuzzi knocks Steve Moore to the ice (a few games after Moore hit Naslund) and is suspended for the remainder of the season.

There was a lockout that prevented a 2004-2005 season.

2008
Promising young Canuck, Luc Bourdon, dies in a tragic accident. The Luc Bourdon Memorial Fund was established.

Trevor Linden had retired and his number is raised to the rafters at GM Place, alongside Smyl’s #12.

On a personal note, my face was on the side of a bus (along with friends and other bloggers) promoting the Canucks Fan Zone.

2009
Canucks host their first official Tweetup for fans.

2010
GM Place is renamed Rogers Arena.

The Canucks will start off the season without Willie Mitchell or Kyle Wellwood, but with the addition of Torres, Hamhuis and Ballard.

Vancouver has come a long way with hockey, from the Patrick brothers shaping the league rules as we know them to the Millionaires winning the cup in 1915.

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Tickets for regular season games are now available for purchase online. For season previews and commentary, check out these three Canucks blogs, which are some of my favourites: Canucks Hockey Blog, Nucks Misconduct, Canucks Corner.