Was 1992/93 The Best Canuck Team Ever?

Tiranis

Registered User
Jun 10, 2009
23,097
28
Toronto, ON
Would you like to elaborate? I get how bad we were for the first 21 seasons, don't get me wrong here. The only thing that got spoiled that season was the officiating.

People used to be happy if the Canucks made the playoffs, let alone made it anywhere far. A President's Trophy was a momentous achievement. Hell, we used to celebrate winning the division.

Now people complain about not having 9 Top 6 forwards, not winning the Cup, etc. And every team gets judged against the one that got us to Game 7 of the SCF. If it's even a bit worse then everyone questions whether they will even make the playoffs.

I mean, just look at Gillis being compared to Nonis... :facepalm:
 

Wetcoaster

Guest
People used to be happy if the Canucks made the playoffs, let alone made it anywhere far. A President's Trophy was a momentous achievement. Hell, we used to celebrate winning the division.

Now people complain about not having 9 Top 6 forwards, not winning the Cup, etc. And every team gets judged against the one that got us to Game 7 of the SCF. If it's even a bit worse then everyone questions whether they will even make the playoffs.

I mean, just look at Gillis being compared to Nonis... :facepalm:
I do not get that at all.

Dave Nonis was a God (not THE God mind you).






































Oh yeah... ;)
 

strattonius

Registered User
Jul 4, 2011
4,128
4,280
Surrey, BC
2010-2011 team was the best Canucks team ever - bar none.

Team won the President's trophy, were leaders in GF and GA, had the best powerplay and a top 3 penalty kill in the league. They had Art Ross and Hart trophy winners - They had the best GM of the year.

Losing to Boston in game 7 doesn't take any of these accomplishments away. The argument of Trevor Linden and the underdog team rising above is so overstated I often have to shake my head - that team wasn't in the same realm as the 2011 team.

I love a good story as much as the next guy - And yes, the Canucks/Rangers series was one of the best of all-time; But given the players and accomplishments of both teams, we shouldn't discount the 2011 team for a poor finish to a great season.
 

Mofletz

Registered User
Aug 28, 2006
4,267
64
The 2010/2011 Vancouver Canucks team is by far the best one the franchise has iced. Throughout the whole season they controlled complete periods/full games, they dictated the play against high caliber teams and the stats speak for themselves. IIRC we led almost every statistical category, first team since the 1970's Canadiens IIRC.
 

Reverend Mayhem

Lowly Serf/Reluctant Cuckold
Feb 15, 2009
28,096
5,224
Port Coquitlam, BC
Now people complain about not having 9 Top 6 forwards, not winning the Cup, etc. And every team gets judged against the one that got us to Game 7 of the SCF. If it's even a bit worse then everyone questions whether they will even make the playoffs.

I mean, just look at Gillis being compared to Nonis... :facepalm:

Is this a problem of the fan base being spoiled or just a case of higher expectations? Or is there a correlation between the two perhaps?

I can't speak for the entire fan base here, but I don't think I am a minority here saying I think the team still has the pieces in tact to win the bloody thing. I'm not going to feel as bad if we fail as compared to 10-11 because quite simply that 10-11 team was a once in a lifetime thing. Doesn't mean I'm not going to expect certain things I feel the team can do.

Although I don't get people calling for Gillis' head, as you said Nonis...ugh, :laugh:. There is something to be said about unrealistically optimistic people as well.
 

LickTheEnvelope

Time to Retool... again...
Dec 16, 2008
37,985
5,349
Vancouver
People used to be happy if the Canucks made the playoffs, let alone made it anywhere far. A President's Trophy was a momentous achievement. Hell, we used to celebrate winning the division.

Now people complain about not having 9 Top 6 forwards, not winning the Cup, etc. And every team gets judged against the one that got us to Game 7 of the SCF. If it's even a bit worse then everyone questions whether they will even make the playoffs.

I mean, just look at Gillis being compared to Nonis... :facepalm:

I was okay with Nonis up until the 2007 draft... that was one of the worst drafts I think I've ever seen by a team.
 

Reverend Mayhem

Lowly Serf/Reluctant Cuckold
Feb 15, 2009
28,096
5,224
Port Coquitlam, BC
I was okay with Nonis up until the 2007 draft... that was one of the worst drafts I think I've ever seen by a team.

One of the biggest disappointments I've ever witnessed while a draft is happening. It wasn't a great draft, either but just watching it as a Canucks fan was a massive letdown. I seriously don't know what our staff was thinking to this day.
 

canuck4life16

It what it is-mccann
May 29, 2008
13,380
0
Vancity
I was okay with Nonis up until the 2007 draft... that was one of the worst drafts I think I've ever seen by a team.

Patrick White over Perron........Elington over Subban miss out on local boy Jamie Benn.......it like Nonis set up to fail with the worst draft ever and he was gone the next year
 

canuck4life16

It what it is-mccann
May 29, 2008
13,380
0
Vancity
One of the biggest disappointments I've ever witnessed while a draft is happening. It wasn't a great draft, either but just watching it as a Canucks fan was a massive letdown. I seriously don't know what our staff was thinking to this day.

zero player from 2007 made the team at all......it really hurt in both prospect pool and forward depth
 

Trelane

Registered User
Feb 12, 2013
1,987
42
Salusa Secundus
The 94 team was more balanced and better than the 93 squad. They underachieved big time in the regular season but put it together when it counted. Neither was on par with the 10-11 winning machine.

The dead puck era started after Jersey won it all in 95. The change was gradual and it took several years before the extent and permanency of the tragedy dawned on observers. Expansion and the accompanying talent dilution made it worse. It never went away. Playoff (non) officiating in 11 quashed whatever gains the entertainment quotient made in the previous post lockout years.
 

Mofletz

Registered User
Aug 28, 2006
4,267
64
One of the biggest disappointments I've ever witnessed while a draft is happening. It wasn't a great draft, either but just watching it as a Canucks fan was a massive letdown. I seriously don't know what our staff was thinking to this day.

White #25
Ellington #33
Messier #145
Kablukov #146
Matson #176
Gendur #206

0 combined NHL games from the 2007 draft picks.
48 combined AHL games, 20 from Gendur, 7 from Matson, 21 from Ellington.

How in the right mind did Ellington + white become Ehrhoff, Lukowich. Thanks Salary cap.
 

Tim McCracken

Good loser = LOSER!
Jan 4, 2010
1,385
3
Jail
That era of the team was third best in my opinion, just below the WCE team and with the 2010/11 team at the top.

The Linden/Bure era, 1991/92 through to the Cup Final, was a blast to watch if only for the fact Vancouver finally had a legitimate superstar and he really was something special. We can only hope we get to see someone that exciting ever again here. People think they kind of snuck up on everybody the year they went to the Finals but they were coming off 96 and 101 point seasons and that was prior to "loser" points. The top end talent was really augmented by the thievery of St.Louis and the other thing people forget is those teams played with some jam. Guys like Odjick, Momesso, Hunter, Diduck, Dirk, Murzyn, Sandlak, Courtnall, Linden, and Valk really could play the body and take care of business. Team toughness was a very understated part of that team. I still don't know why they gutted it so quick with adding guys like Beranek, Oksiuta, and Christian Ruuttu during the following year. Things looked up when they got Mogilny but then Bure got hurt and hit the wall with the team and the next thing you know Quinn is fired, Linden is traded, and we're stuck with the Messier debacle. The original core of that era could have won it all.
 

Freakshow

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
2,271
20
Vancouver Island
I watched both teams (in fact every Canucks team since 1970-71) and there is no way that team was close to the 2010-11 team.

In 1992-93 six teams finished with more points and not a single Canuck player won an award.

I understand your point of view, I'm not as old as you (we've crossed paths before) but I was born in the 60's, thus I've seen a lot of the teams throughout the years.

Anyways, I'm not comparing the 92/93 team to other teams, I'm comparing them to the 2011 Canucks team. The 93 Smythe Division was a lot stronger than the 2011 Northwest Division, as you know, a lot of factors play into the whole scenario. No three point games back then either.

The early 90's NHL was FULL of the greatest players to ever play the game, is that currently the same in todays game? Time will tell, but I don't see if that way.
 
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Hammer Time

Registered User
May 3, 2011
3,957
10
It's difficult not to go for 2011 when you know they won the Presidents Trophy going away and made Game 7 of the finals. In hindsight, you could probably say they overachieved a bit in that regular season but still ...
 

Hardyvan123

tweet@HardyintheWack
Jul 4, 2010
17,552
24
Vancouver
The 2010/2011 Vancouver Canucks team is by far the best one the franchise has iced. Throughout the whole season they controlled complete periods/full games, they dictated the play against high caliber teams and the stats speak for themselves. IIRC we led almost every statistical category, first team since the 1970's Canadiens IIRC.

Sure the team over achieved in the regular season but don't be comparing the 11 team to any of the 70's Habs teams, that's just pure nonsense.
 

Tim McCracken

Good loser = LOSER!
Jan 4, 2010
1,385
3
Jail
Sure the team over achieved in the regular season but don't be comparing the 11 team to any of the 70's Habs teams, that's just pure nonsense.

Holy smokes, I missed that! That Habs team lost 29 games combined over 3 years and only 43 over 4 years but they won everything regardless of whether it was exhibition, regular season, or playoffs. EVERYTHING. If Dryden hadn't taken a year off and a couple of young next wave players in Marc Tardif and Rejean Houle hadn't jumped to the WHA, that 70's team would have won 7 straight Stanley Cups regardless of what the Flyers were pulling.
 

David Bruce Banner

Nude Cabdriver Ban
Mar 25, 2008
7,947
3,217
Streets Ahead
2011/12 was our best team... and despite some post season disappointments, the last couple of years been pretty good too.

That said, I would LOVE it if we could time machine Bure, Linden, Courtnall, Lumme, Ronning, Momesso and Diduck (in that order) from that team to this team. Nedved, Adams and Odjick too, I guess. I never liked Nedved that much, Adam was great, but fragile and Odjick... man, he was impressive, but I don't know if there's a place for him on a modern, winning, NHL team.

Kirk McLean too, is an interesting one... his game translates poorly to the current era, but I'm sure he could adjust. If we had a big enough time machine, and and some bonus time to work with him, he'd be third on my list.
 

LiquidSnake

Registered User
Jun 10, 2011
31,513
2
Vancouver, BC
Would you like to elaborate? I get how bad we were for the first 21 seasons, don't get me wrong here. The only thing that got spoiled that season was the officiating.
I think he means in regards to expectations and not realizing how bad it was before.

Check the GDT for examples. There's some guys in there that go ballistic these days even after a preseason game.
 

LiquidSnake

Registered User
Jun 10, 2011
31,513
2
Vancouver, BC
White #25
Ellington #33
Messier #145
Kablukov #146
Matson #176
Gendur #206

0 combined NHL games from the 2007 draft picks.
48 combined AHL games, 20 from Gendur, 7 from Matson, 21 from Ellington.

How in the right mind did Ellington + white become Ehrhoff, Lukowich. Thanks Salary cap.
the worst part of that draft is most of those scouts are still around.
 

wholesickcrew

Registered User
May 7, 2010
2,122
0
Toronto
Holy smokes, I missed that! That Habs team lost 29 games combined over 3 years and only 43 over 4 years but they won everything regardless of whether it was exhibition, regular season, or playoffs. EVERYTHING. If Dryden hadn't taken a year off and a couple of young next wave players in Marc Tardif and Rejean Houle hadn't jumped to the WHA, that 70's team would have won 7 straight Stanley Cups regardless of what the Flyers were pulling.

You're making a jump here. Andre was talking about leading every statistical category: we almost led GA, GF, PP, PK--and this would have been a first since those Habs teams. He wasn't comparing that Canucks team to those Habs teams.
 

Barney Gumble

Registered User
Jan 2, 2007
22,711
1
Holy smokes, I missed that! That Habs team lost 29 games combined over 3 years and only 43 over 4 years but they won everything regardless of whether it was exhibition, regular season, or playoffs. EVERYTHING. If Dryden hadn't taken a year off and a couple of young next wave players in Marc Tardif and Rejean Houle hadn't jumped to the WHA, that 70's team would have won 7 straight Stanley Cups regardless of what the Flyers were pulling.

Bruins really got hurt more when Cheevers jumped to the WHA (but that's just my own personal opinion).
 

RobertKron

Registered User
Sep 1, 2007
15,413
8,500
White #25
Ellington #33
Messier #145
Kablukov #146
Matson #176
Gendur #206

0 combined NHL games from the 2007 draft picks.
48 combined AHL games, 20 from Gendur, 7 from Matson, 21 from Ellington.

How in the right mind did Ellington + white become Ehrhoff, Lukowich. Thanks Salary cap.

Obviously a horrendous draft, but as an aside I always felt that it was a shame Kablukov never came over. I think he would have been a better North American pro.
 

Tim McCracken

Good loser = LOSER!
Jan 4, 2010
1,385
3
Jail
Bruins really got hurt more when Cheevers jumped to the WHA (but that's just my own personal opinion).

Yeah, Cheevers was a very big part of that team. Losing Sanderson, Pie McKenzie and ultimately Mike Walton didn't help either. That and Johnny Bucyk getting old. I also think they paid the price for not being patient enough with Reg Leach and Rick Macleish and maybe even Dan Bouchard. They could have still brought in Jacques Plante but to mentor Bouchard.
 

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