Canucks’ All Time Poll

[Mr. Canucklehead]

With the NHLPA Poll coming out and (shocker) not a single Canuck being mentioned, I thought it would be good if we did an all time poll. If there’s a category you feel should be added, speak up.

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Honourable Mentions: Markus Naslund, Daniel Sedin, Alex Mogilny, Tony Tanti

Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Honourable Mentions: Andre Boudrias, Patrik Sundstrom, Cliff Ronning, Thomas Gradin

Most Complete Player: Trevor Linden
Honourable Mentions: Ryan Kesler, Stan Smyl, Sami Salo, Matthias Ohlund

Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Honourable Mentions: Greg Adams, Henrik Sedin, Geoff Courtnall, Thomas Gradin

Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler
Honourable Mentions: Manny Malhotra, Trevor Linden, Igor Larionov, Alex Burrows

Best Offensive Defenseman: Sami Salo
Honourable Mentions: Christian Ehrhoff, Jyrki Lumme, Paul Reinhart, Jeff Brown

Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Honourable Mentions: Harold Snepsts, Dennis Kearns, Dave Babych, Chris Tanev

Best Heavyweight Fighter: Gino Odjick
Honourable Mentions: Donald Brashear, Orland Kurtenbach, Ron Delorme, Craig Coxe

Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Honourable Mentions: Scott Walker, Gary Lupul, Brad May, Tiger Williams

Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo
Honourable Mentions: Kirk McLean, Richard Brodeur, Jacob Markstrom, Gary Smith

Best Coach: Alain Vigneault
Honourable Mentions: Pat Quinn, Marc Crawford, Phil Maloney, Roger Neilson

Best General Manager: Pat Quinn
Honourable Mentions: Mike Gillis, Brian Burke, Jake Milford

Click to read more...

 

[ChilliBilly]

With the NHLPA Poll coming out and (shocker) not a single Canuck being mentioned, I thought it would be good if we did an all time poll. If there’s a category you feel should be added, speak up.

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Honourable Mentions: Markus Naslund, Daniel Sedin, Alex Mogilny, Tony Tanti

Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Honourable Mentions: Andre Boudrias, Patrik Sundstrom, Cliff Ronning, Thomas Gradin

Most Complete Player: Trevor Linden
Honourable Mentions: Ryan Kesler, Stan Smyl, Sami Salo, Matthias Ohlund

Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Honourable Mentions: Greg Adams, Henrik Sedin, Geoff Courtnall, Thomas Gradin

Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler
Honourable Mentions: Manny Malhotra, Trevor Linden, Igor Larionov, Alex Burrows

Best Offensive Defenseman: Sami Salo
Honourable Mentions: Christian Ehrhoff, Jyrki Lumme, Paul Reinhart, Jeff Brown

Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Honourable Mentions: Harold Snepsts, Dennis Kearns, Dave Babych, Chris Tanev

Best Heavyweight Fighter: Gino Odjick
Honourable Mentions: Donald Brashear, Orland Kurtenbach, Ron Delorme, Craig Coxe

Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Honourable Mentions: Scott Walker, Gary Lupul, Brad May, Tiger Williams

Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo
Honourable Mentions: Kirk McLean, Richard Brodeur, Jacob Markstrom, Gary Smith

Best Coach: Alain Vigneault
Honourable Mentions: Pat Quinn, Marc Crawford, Phil Maloney, Roger Neilson

Best General Manager: Pat Quinn
Honourable Mentions: Mike Gillis, Brian Burke, Jake Milford

Pretty fair list, would include Willie Mitchell and remove Kearns from best Defensive D men. Hughes and EP are pretty close to already being on the list, if not topping their spots.

 

[DanrikCarter]

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Most Complete Player: Ryan Kesler
Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler
Best Offensive Defenseman: Quinn Hughes
Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Best Heavyweight Fighter: Donald Brashear
Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo
Best Coach: Roger Neilson
Best General Manager: Pat Quinn

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Pretty fair list, would include Willie Mitchell and remove Kearns from best Defensive D men. Hughes and EP are pretty close to already being on the list, if not topping their spots.

Yeah, I debated putting Petey or Hughes in, but decided against it based on the small sample size. I think they will both leave their marks before too long, though.

 

[racerjoe]

Snip and paste

Happy with your list but I would make the following changes...

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Honourable Mentions: Markus Naslund, Daniel Sedin, , Tony Tanti

Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Honourable Mentions: Alex Mogilny - I don't think it matters this is easily Hank, but Moginly was a great passer, Andre Boudrias, Patrik Sundstrom, Cliff Ronning, Thomas Gradin

Most Complete Player: Trevor Linden
Honourable Mentions: Ryan Kesler, Stan Smyl, Sami Salo, Matthias Ohlund

Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Honourable Mentions: Greg Adams, Henrik Sedin, Geoff Courtnall, Thomas Gradin - Really just a few horse race, I might add Bmo up here I remember him being pretty good.

Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler
Honourable Mentions: Manny Malhotra, Trevor Linden, Igor Larionov, Alex Burrows

Best Offensive Defenseman: Sami Salo
Honourable Mentions: Christian Ehrhoff, Jyrki Lumme, Paul Reinhart, Jeff Brown

Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Honourable Mentions: Harold Snepsts, Dennis Kearns, Dave Babych, Chris Tanev - I would add Salo

Best Heavyweight Fighter: Gino Odjick
Honourable Mentions: Donald Brashear, Orland Kurtenbach, Ron Delorme, Craig Coxe

Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Honourable Mentions: Scott Walker, Gary Lupul, Brad May, Tiger Williams

Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo
Honourable Mentions: Kirk McLean, Richard Brodeur, Jacob Markstrom, Gary Smith

Best Coach: Alain Vigneault
Honourable Mentions: Pat Quinn, Marc Crawford, Phil Maloney, Roger Neilson

Best General Manager: Pat Quinn
Honourable Mentions: Mike Gillis, Brian Burke, Jake Milford - I would switch Gillis and Quinn, but those too with a bullet at 1 and 2.

 

[member 290103]

I’d say at their peaks Kesler was a more complete player than Linden. I’d also put Bure in there as a clutch goal scorer.

 

[member 290103]

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Most Complete Player: Ryan Kesler
Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler
Best Offensive Defenseman: Quinn Hughes
Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Best Heavyweight Fighter: Donald Brashear
Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo
Best Coach: Roger Neilson
Best General Manager: Pat Quinn

Roger Neilson? I mean didn’t he have basically one playoff run and that’s it in Vancouver?

 

[ChilliBilly]

Roger Neilson? I mean didn’t he have basically one playoff run and that’s it in Vancouver?

His throwing the towel was probably the best coaching move in the history of the canucks.

 

[member 290103]

His throwing the towel was probably the best coaching move in the history of the canucks.

maybe but to proclaim him the best Canuck coach of all time because of it? No way.

 

[The Vasili Jerry]

I dunno about anyone else, but I would put Dan Hamhuis into the HM for best defensive defenseman. I didn't watch the Canucks before 2008 though so I don't have the luxury of knowing how good the other players were before then.

 

[ChilliBilly]

maybe but to proclaim him the best Canuck coach of all time because of it? No way.

not suggesting he be moved up; liked him on the list ...

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

i don't have a lot of quibbles but here they are:

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Honourable Mentions: Markus Naslund, Daniel Sedin, Alex Mogilny, Tony Tanti

Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Honourable Mentions: daniel sedin, Andre Boudrias, Patrik Sundstrom, Cliff Ronning, Thomas Gradin, quinn hughes

Most Complete Player: Trevor Linden
Honourable Mentions: Ryan Kesler, Stan Smyl, Sami Salo, Matthias Ohlund, alex burrows

Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Honourable Mentions: Greg Adams, Henrik Sedin, Geoff Courtnall, greg adams, trevor linden, Thomas Gradin, pavel bure... was gradin clutch? i left him there but actually i don't know

Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler
Honourable Mentions: alex burrows, Manny Malhotra, Trevor Linden, Igor Larionov, Alex Burrows, artem chubarov... but there's got to be some early guys that could crack this after kes, burrows, and manny

Best Offensive Defenseman: Sami Salo quinn hughes
Honourable Mentions: Christian Ehrhoff, Jyrki Lumme, Paul Reinhart, Jeff Brown... i'd keep ehrhoff and brown on this list because of their contributions to cup runs even though they weren't here long, but i don't know that tallon and guevremont don't belong just as much as reinhart... maybe just give the fifth spot to kearns?

Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Honourable Mentions: Harold Snepsts, Dennis Kearns, Dave Babych, dan hamhuis, gerald diduck, and one of Chris Tanev, sami salo, or willie mitchell

Best Heavyweight Fighter: Gino Odjick
Honourable Mentions: Donald Brashear, Orland Kurtenbach, Ron Delorme, Craig Coxe

Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Honourable Mentions: curt fraser, Scott Walker, Gary Lupul, Brad May, Tiger Williams

Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo
Honourable Mentions: Kirk McLean, Richard Brodeur, Jacob Markstrom, Gary Smith

and i would add, most talented: mogilny
HMs: bure, petey, naslund, sedins

 

[ziploc]

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Most Complete Player: Trevor Linden
Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Most Exciting Player: Bure/EP
Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler/Malhotra
Best Offensive Defenseman: Quinn Hughes
Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Best Overall Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Best Heavyweight Fighter: Gino Odjick
Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo
Best Coach: AV
Best General Manager: Pat Quinn

 

[Hit the post]

Roger Neilson? I mean didn’t he have basically one playoff run and that’s it in Vancouver?

Look at the team he had (for context).

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

I feel like Cory Schneider deserves an HM. He was a top 10 goalie while he was here. In my opinion he was a top 5 goalie in New Jersey before he declined because of injuries.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Peca should really be in the mix for best defensive forward

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Peca should really be in the mix for best defensive forward

As a Canuck? I don’t think so. He played all of 37 games for us, and he was used as an energy player / checker. His biggest moment as a Canuck was absolutely destroying Teemu Selanne with a hit so hard that Selanne was concussed, and Peca broke his own cheek.

After leaving the Canucks, absolutely, he blossomed into one of the leagues premiere defensive forwards.

 

[Hit the post]

As a Canuck? I don’t think so. He played all of 37 games for us, and he was used as an energy player / checker. His biggest moment as a Canuck was absolutely destroying Teemu Selanne with a hit so hard that Selanne was concussed, and Peca broke his own cheek.

After leaving the Canucks, absolutely, he blossomed into one of the leagues premiere defensive forwards.

So did former Canuck pick & Selke winner Dirk Graham. (ok, I had to look that one up ).

 

[LuckyDay]

Pat Quinn is far and away the best Coach this team ever had. Letting go of McCammon was a hard thing but one of the best things that happened to this franchise as Quinn had to step in. His Boomer positive attitude was infectious and he was one of those guys players believed in. Part of the reason for the collapse after '94 is him stepping away from coaching duties.
Putting Rick Ley in charge for example, was one of the many reasons he wasn't as great a general manager. In fact McCammon's track record was better and IMO they should have swapped positions. In many cases Pat was just plain lucky, taking advantage of "Professor" Ron Caron's stupid decisions foisting aging plumbers on him for real talent - those were mostly Caron's ideas.

Alain Vigneault was a good coach and his track record proves it with the teams he's at. However, his first season his plan was to circle the wagons around Luongo and that was it. When new management came in he was going to get fired if he didn't change that style. And then he was formulaic - score the first goal, turtle (rope a dope) in the second period, mix up the lines in the third and finish them off full charge after the opposition is worn out pressing in the second. That worked as long as he had the depth to mix lines. But he wasn't the genious Quinn was.

Quinn was still our best manager, even after making a lot of dunderhead decisions, because we've never had anyone better. I would put Burke as second even though he liked to give away the farm. Quinn also recognized this team had culture and legacy and promoted it - something no one in positions of power understood before him, and even today barely understand.

--

Also McIlhargey should be honourable mention for heavyweights.

 

[Eesh]

Can we add a Best Power Forward Category !?

Also, Kevin Bieksa should be right at the top mentions of Best pound for pound fighter!!

Also, hard to believe Bertuzzi didn't crack the top mentions of any of those lists for 3 or 4 years he was one of the dominant players in the NHL physically and on the score sheet.

 

[Horse McHindu]

I'll say one thing:

Brashear was by far our best heavyweight fighter. Period. Don't get me wrong - Odjick was more lovable and was far more inclined to stick up for his teammates while knowing his role (Brash had a tendency to sometimes see himself as being more than a goon and would sometimes pass up fights), but Brashear was way tougher than Gino.

 

[PavelBure10]

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure

Best Passer: Henrik Sedin

Most Skilled: Alex Mogilny

Most Complete Player: Trevor Linden

Best Clutch Scorer: Greg Adams

Best Power Forward: Todd Bertuzzi

Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler

Best Offensive Defenseman: Paul Reinhart

Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund

Best Heavyweight Fighter: Donald Brashear

Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien

Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo

Best Coach: Alain Vigneault

Best General Manager: Pat Quinn

 

[vanuck]

I feel like Cory Schneider deserves an HM. He was a top 10 goalie while he was here. In my opinion he was a top 5 goalie in New Jersey before he declined because of injuries.

Yeah, he wasn't here that long but I thought he was at least as good as Luongo... if not better. Guy was every bit as elite a goalie.

 

[LuckyDay]

I'd also like to point out that Roger Nielson was also superior to Alain Vigneault. He was an acknowledged genius and innovator pioneering all sorts of coaching innovations such as the use of video tape (Captain Video) and inventing "The Trap". He dubbed it, "the left wing lock".
There's a reason there's a statue of him outside the stadium.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Best Goal Scorer: Pavel Bure
Best Passer: Henrik Sedin
Most Complete Player: Trevor Linden
Most Talented: Alex Mogilny
Best Power Forward: Todd Bertuzzi
Best Clutch Scorer: Alex Burrows
Best Defensive Forward: Ryan Kesler
Best Offensive Defenseman: Quinn Hughes
Best Defensive Defenseman: Matthias Ohlund
Best Heavyweight Fighter: Donald Brashear
Best Pound for Pound Fighter: Rick Rypien
Honourable Mentions: Myself (I am the same height and weight as RR and so I would also be the best pound for pound fighter if I was an NHL player).
Best Goaltender: Jacob Markstrom
Best Coach: Pat Quinn
Best General Manager: Brian Burke (Benning being a close 2nd).