Top 40 Canucks - Round 2 Discussion/Vote

[Captain Bowie]

/\ scratch that, not against Bertuzzi's 02/03 year.

 

[MS]

Are we counting playoffs?

Also there's no way that any of Bertuzzi's seasons eclipse Kesler's 2010/11 (age 27). Of all seasons that Canuck players have had in history, I would only put Naslund's 02/03, Henrik's 09/10, Bure's 93/94, and Luongo's 06/07 ahead.

In the 2nd half of Bertuzzi's 01-02 season, he was the best hockey player on the planet for 4 months, and had the single most dominant stretch of play I've ever seen from a Canuck, including Bure.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

In the 2nd half of Bertuzzi's 01-02 season, he was the best hockey player on the planet for 4 months, and had the single most dominant stretch of play I've ever seen from a Canuck, including Bure.

agreed, 97%. 3% holds out for the sedins in the second half of 2010, but obviously that performance was not exactly "single."

but to be precise about this, that stretch where no player on the planet was as good as bertuzzi, lasted from sometime in early january to near the end of the 2nd period of game 3 of the playoffs. so 35-40 games.

imo, 2002 was bertuzzi helping naslund to new heights. but in 2003, it was back to naslund driving. not to say that '03 bert wasn't great, but MS is right: january to april 21st, 2002 bert was something else altogether, the likes of which we'll probably never see again. it evaporated into the ether of GM place sometime before the 2nd intermission that night.

 

[Alan Jackson]

In the 2nd half of Bertuzzi's 01-02 season, he was the best hockey player on the planet for 4 months, and had the single most dominant stretch of play I've ever seen from a Canuck, including Bure.

Yep. He was like an angry, nasty Mario Lemieux. It was incredible to watch.

At times, it was almost like he could score at will.

He carved out a decent enough career, but for a year and a half, he played like a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.

 

[Captain Bowie]

Reminder:

The deadline to submit your vote is Sudnay, February 1st at 6:00pm PST. The voting window opens tomorrow.

 

[kmad]

Submitted my list. Got convinced to move Bertuzzi up a few slots. Still have Kesler firmly in 9th overall.

 

[Barney Gumble]

Yep. He was like an angry, nasty Mario Lemieux. It was incredible to watch.

At times, it was almost like he could score at will.

He carved out a decent enough career, but for a year and a half, he played like a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.

Not sure if the time period was right, but didn't he seem to go off that peak when the officiating started to "punish" him for his push-off move in front of the net? Bert never seemed to adapt when the refs started to call it different (at least for him).

 

[MS]

agreed, 97%. 3% holds out for the sedins in the second half of 2010, but obviously that performance was not exactly "single."

but to be precise about this, that stretch where no player on the planet was as good as bertuzzi, lasted from sometime in early january to near the end of the 2nd period of game 3 of the playoffs. so 35-40 games.

imo, 2002 was bertuzzi helping naslund to new heights. but in 2003, it was back to naslund driving. not to say that '03 bert wasn't great, but MS is right: january to april 21st, 2002 bert was something else altogether, the likes of which we'll probably never see again. it evaporated into the ether of GM place sometime before the 2nd intermission that night.

Agreed.

The last 39 games of the 01-02 season, he scored 60 points. That's a 125-point full-season pace at the height of the dead puck era. Pretty much only Jagr could touch that at that time, and with nowhere near the physical play.

He was a beast for that stretch. There was a roadtrip in March where he just singlehandedly dismantled the opposition every single game.

02-03, he was still exceptionally good (for the first 65-70 games) but it was more static and PP-oriented, and more Naslund-influenced. For those 40 games in the spring of '02, it was all rush/transition oriented and he was just absolutely freaking dominant. He never skated quite like that again.

Then Nashville started complaining about his 'push move', he was called for a couple penalties, and just seemed to completely fall apart mentally.

 

[Alan Jackson]

Not sure if the time period was right, but didn't he seem to go off that peak when the officiating started to "punish" him for his push-off move in front of the net? Bert never seemed to adapt when the refs started to call it different (at least for him).

That's exactly right, IIRC. The crackdown on that push-off really hurt him. Was never the same player.

EDIT: MS' post right above sets it out perfectly.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

okay, my top five in this round has been my top five since the original list, with only the order changing (and still up for debate).

the next five are pretty set in stone too, except that i'm still not totally sure what to do about boudrias. he's in my top ten right now, but if he falls out of it, i don't know who i'd put in his place.

since nobody talked about him, here's what i can find:

boudrias was the first of the canucks' many centers with less than optimal size (whether that's height or build) to wear #7, to be succeeded by barry pederson, dan quinn, my favourite #7 cliff ronning, brendan morrison, us, and now linden vey.

top ten in assists twice (5th, 8th), led the canucks in scoring four out of the franchise's first five seasons, and finished a single point behind schmautz in the other. formed a decent scoring line with lever and ververgaert in '74 and '75. offensive production slipped in 1976 (at 32 years old) but reportedly was still useful in a defensive/forechecking role, then jumped to the WHA to play for the nordiques for two seasons before he retired.

seems to be high in intangibles, grit, and defensive ability; probably was an alex burrows-type player (but at center and probably without the selke-level defensive ability), miscast as the top offensive threat on terrible teams. from what i'm reading, i suspect we all would have loved him.

The talented winger took on a great deal of offensive responsibility with the expansion Vancouver Canucks in 1970-71. Boudrias topped the 60-point mark in each of his first five years with the club before taking on a more defensive role and serving as the club's captain in 1975-76. He then added offensive savvy and leadership on the WHA's Quebec Nordiques before retiring in 1978.

a crafty play making center best known for playing with Don Lever and Dennis Vervegaert, Andre Boudrias was a tremendously important offensive cog in the Canucks early days in the 1970s. Boudrias would lead the Canucks in scoring 4 times and later would captain the team.

his ATD bio:

With the 854th pick in ATD2011, The Regina Pats are pleased to select:

Andre Boudrias, LW/C

- 5'8", 165 lbs
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1970)
- Avco Cup (1978)
- Avco Cup Finalist (1977)
- Top-22 in Assists 4 Times (5th, 8th, 20th, 22nd)
- Top-26 in Points 4 Times (19th, 20th, 22nd, 26th)
- Career Adjusted +58

Left-winger Andre Boudrias was only 5'8" but used his speed and accurate passing skills to elude checks and keep the opposition off balance. He played nearly 700 career games with five different teams in a solid career.

The Montreal native starred with the Junior Canadiens and led the OHA in scoring in 1962 and 1964. He spent the majority of his first four pro seasons in the minors since the Canadiens were so deep at forward. Expansion gave Boudrias a chance to shine after he was acquired by the Minnesota North Stars. He scored 53 points in 1967-68 then provided solid defensive play for the Stars, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues over the next two seasons.

The talented winger took on a great deal of offensive responsibility with the expansion Vancouver Canucks in 1970-71. Boudrias topped the 60-point mark in each of his first five years with the club before taking on a more defensive role and serving as the club's captain in 1975-76. He then added offensive savvy and leadership on the WHA's Quebec Nordiques before retiring in 1978.

Like so many Montrealers growing up, little Andre Boudrias had a dream of playing for the Habs. And, like so many, his dream was clouded by the deep pool of talent available to the team in those days... as a result, he was traded to Minnesota and then Vancouver, where he defined his career as a scorer and leader…

They affectionately labelled him "Super Pest", but Andre Boudrias provided the Canucks with much more than stellar forehecking during his half-dozen years with the fledgling club. Boudrias was the first consistent offensive star for the Canucks, managing five straight seasons of 60 points or better and continually supplying his linemates with quality scoring chances.

The slick centreman was best known for his whirlwind style of play in the opponents' zone, where he moved around like a buzz saw, breaking up plays and turning them into offensive forays for Vancouver. He also managed to work his way effectively under the skin of those he played against. "I guess I got that nickname because I was tenacious checking for the puck," Boudrias says more than 30 years later. "The forechecking part of the game was more important to me. And I always wanted to give a little more on the ice to make sure the paying customers had fun."

The fans appreciated his effort in those early days. A diminutive man by today's hockey standards, Boudrias was one of the most popular canucks. "The fans were in love with me, for some reason," he says. His linemates liked him, too. Whoever skated with Boudias seemed to light it up. ******* ******** scored a career high 34 goals playing with Boudrias in 1970-71, Bobby Schmautz had 38 as his linemate in 1972-73 and Don Lever matched that total in 1974-75.

"Boud was a pest. He was a little ****-disturber," Schmautz recalls, fondly. "All the guys would run after him. I don't know how many times I had to fight that Hextall because he'd drive Hextall crazy, and I'd jump in, and Hextall and I used to go just about every time we played. He'd get on guys' nerves, I guess. I really don't know why, but they'd seem to go after him. When I played with him, I didn't think that was right so I'd step in."

Although he started on the fourth line, Boudrias was eventually teamed with ******** and **** ****** and he finished the year as the team's leading scorer... Boudrias was durable, skilled at finding his linemates at the right time, and a decent skater. He was also an outstanding penalty killer. In fact, he even scored a goal against Chicago's Tony Esposito when the Canucks were two men short.

The pinnacle of his career came in 19740-75, when he piled up 62 assists and 78 points. That winter his linemates were Don Lever and ****** ***********, and they both enjoyed banner seasons. "Boudy was just a really smart player, you know," Lever says. "He didn't have a lot of speed, but he could really pass the puck. He could see the ice, he had good vision." "Boudrias was good in the corners," adds ***********, who would never find another center with whom he worked so well. "He was just a little pest. It was hard to take the puck off him, and he allowed you time to get in position for a good scoring chance."

After a stint as team captain in 1975-76, he opted to leave Vancouver when the WHA's Winnipeg Jets came calling. The move was a good one, as he won the Avco cup with Quebec in 1978.

Boudrias scored a beautiful goal in the third period when we were two men short. He skated right through Hull and Mikita to do it, but would you believe that was our only shot on goal in the period?

Boudrias is short and broad, a deliberate eel-like skater, a bit of an introvert... ******** was the more momentarily spectacular, Boudrias the more consistent.

Primarily, Boudrias was assigned checking duties. When he was checking Phil Esposito in the slot, Boudrias often looked like a small logger trying to topple a douglas fir with an axe. But Boudrias checked so dilligently that Coliseum fans nicknamed him Super Pest... He is a fine passer, who seldom wastes the puck, he doesn't intimidate and he likely would have scored 30 goals each season had it not been for an unfortunate proclivity for shooting high when eyeball to eyeball with opposing goalies... He carries himself like a veteran on the ice and off...

Boudrias wiggled his way into the hearts of vancouver fans like a tongue-wagging puppy in that first season. They liked the way he mixed it with players a neck and head taller.

There is a fine story about the defensive hanuting that the Pest hung on Boston's scoring leader, Esposito. As the story goes, the Bruins remained in town for a couple of days after a game against the Canucks. Some went fisihing in Howe Sound. It is said that, after trolling around without success for two hours, Esposito stared sourly down to the water and said, "I know what's wrong. That little b*st*rd Boudrias is down there, checking my bait."

It is well-known that Jacques Plante stoned the Russians with the Junior Canadiens for a 2-1 win, but did you know who made the play that won the game?

The conclusion to this anxious drama came with only 20 seconds remaining on the clock. Andre Boudrias checked a Russian defenseman inside his own blueline, jarring the puck loose and onto the stick of **** ******, who quickly laid the puck on the stick of **** ******, who backhanded it into the back of the Russian net. The final score was 2-1.

Boudrias kept the Canucks respectable last year. He is a tireless skater, and an expert puck ragger and penalty killer.

Likes to buzz after the puck and is one of the best forecheckers in the business... Not a muscle man, but give him a pair of decent-sized linemates, and he'll score...

Has a buzz-saw style that led to his being nicknamed "Super Pest"... shortly after that, local radio station came out with "The Super Pest Song" and it became a regular part of warmup music... lack of size has never prevented him from being a good scorer... good forechecker and opportunist around the net.

Small but elusive center who has tricky moves, a deceptive shot and good checking ability... An opportunist who turns numerous rebounds, steals, and loose pucks into goals at scrambles around the crease

An effective checker despite his size... Says Phil Esposito: "They always put Super Pest on me and I hate him. He hangs all over me and just plain gets in the way."

Superb checker for his size, drives Phil Esposito to distraction.

Durable for his size: Prior to last season, missed two games in five years.

Signed by Quebec as sound insurance, and wisely so... a good team man, as the Nordiques discovered... centered the #1 line for 9 playoff games when Chris Bordeleau was injured.

 

[Alan Jackson]

Submitted my list.

I think the next round of voting is where things might get interesting. I think everybody probably has a similar top 10 or 15 just in different order, but after that, I'd imagine there might be a few unique names to consider and debate.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

have my list ready, but am still holding off for some last minute discussion on boudrias (or anyone else, for that matter). gonna wait until the end of the wild game, then send if it's still crickets.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

voted. had a clear top 5 and a clear 6-10 in this round, but totally unsure of the order of either. if you asked me tomorrow, maybe even in two hours, the order might be different.

took a peek at my original list after submitting and noticed one guy that probably would have been in my top ten if he'd been up for voting: king richie.

feel like i'm talking to myself here...

 

[kmad]

I have Boudrias last out of this round

I would bet money that I've got Hamhuis ranked higher than anyone else in the project

 

[Captain Bowie]

I have only received 4 votes, 5 including myself. 3 guys out there still need to vote. Please, please get votes in as soon as you can! I will give you until tomorrow morning if need be.