Editing Vancouver Canucks (section)

===Dave Nonis era (2004–2008)===
Upon the resolution of the labour dispute between NHL players and owners, new gameplay rules were set in place for the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]] that were intended to benefit skilled players and generate more goal-scoring. As the Canucks' basis of success in previous seasons was built on playing a fast-paced, high-scoring style of play, expectations for the team were high going into the season.{{notetag|For example: decreased tolerance for impeding a player as he is skating, four-foot increase length-wise in the offensive zones, abolishment of the two-line pass rule (i.e. passing the puck from the defending zone to the opposing side of centre) and a decrease in goaltending equipment size.<ref>{{Cite news|title=New NHL will be faster, more skill-oriented|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/072705/mor_2429295.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622024520/http://amarillo.com/stories/072705/mor_2429295.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 22, 2011|access-date=October 21, 2010|date=July 25, 2005|work=[[Amarillo Globe-News]]}}</ref>|group=notes}}<ref name="thrive">{{cite news|title=Season preview: Canucks seek Cup as NHL breaks ice|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/hockey/2002540424_canucks05.html|access-date=October 16, 2010|date=October 5, 2005|work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref> However, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs, completing the regular season ninth place in the conference.<ref>{{cite web|title=2005–2006 Regular Season|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20052006|access-date=June 10, 2011|publisher=National Hockey League}}</ref> The first line of Naslund, Bertuzzi and Morrison suffered offensively, as all three players recorded decreased points totals.<ref name=seasons/> Head coach Marc Crawford later recalled the campaign as a turning point for the team's offensive leadership as the Sedin twins began their rise to stardom, matching the top line's production.<ref name="surprise">{{cite news|title=Surprised by Sedin? You shouldn't be|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=lebrun_pierre&id=4883674|access-date=April 19, 2010|date=February 3, 2010|publisher=[[ESPN]]|first=Pierre |last=LeBrun}}</ref> Crawford was fired in the off-season and replaced with [[Alain Vigneault]], who had been coach of the team's [[American Hockey League]] (AHL) affiliate, the [[Manitoba Moose]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vigneault hired as Canucks' head coach|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/canucks/2006-06-20-vigneault-coach_x.htm|access-date=June 10, 2011|date=June 20, 2006|work=USA Today|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Three days after Vigneault's hiring, Nonis dealt Bertuzzi to the Florida Panthers, ending the "West Coast Express" era. In return, the Canucks received All-Star goaltender [[Roberto Luongo]] as part of a six-player trade.<ref>{{cite news |title=Luongo signs four-year, $27&nbsp;million deal with Canucks |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2504431 |accessdate=January 15, 2009 |publisher=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> With the acquisition of Luongo, Cloutier was traded away to the Los Angeles Kings.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=ESPN | url = https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2510206| title=Kings acquire goalie Cloutier from Canucks|date=July 5, 2006|access-date =March 1, 2011}}</ref>

[[File:GM Place Canucks 4 Overtimes.jpg|thumb|Scoreboard after game one of the 2007 conference quarterfinals between the Canucks and the [[Dallas Stars]]. Ending at the 138-minute mark, it was the longest game in the club's history.]]
With widespread changes to team personnel in [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07]], the Canucks won the Northwest Division title for the second time in three seasons.<ref name=seasons/> In his first season with the Canucks, Luongo was nominated for the Hart Memorial and [[Vezina Trophy|Vezina]] Trophies.<ref name="2007 nhl awards">{{cite news|title=NHL awards analysis|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2007-06-14-awards-analysis_N.htm|access-date=June 10, 2011|date=June 15, 2007|work=USA Today|last=Brehm |first=Mike}}</ref> He also tied [[Bernie Parent]] for the second-most wins in a single-season by an NHL goaltender, with 47.<ref>{{cite web|title=Regular Season Goalie Goalie Single Season Leaders For Team Wins|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/careerstats.htm?fetchKey=00002ALLGAHAll&sort=wins&viewName=careerLeadersSingleSeasonGoaliesForTeam|access-date=June 10, 2011|publisher=National Hockey League}}</ref> The Canucks opened the [[2007 Stanley Cup playoffs|2007 playoffs]] with a quadruple-overtime win against the [[Dallas Stars]]. Ending at the 138-minute mark, the game was the longest in club history and the sixth-longest in NHL history.<ref>{{cite web|title=Marathon win in a whale of a wakeup call|url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/sports/story.html?id=86a6c620-a3a0-402b-9d0e-1d7fb509906f|access-date=January 20, 2009|date=April 12, 2007|work=The Vancouver Sun|location=Canada|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602085908/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/sports/story.html?id=86a6c620-a3a0-402b-9d0e-1d7fb509906f|archive-date=June 2, 2008}}</ref> The Canucks also set a league record for shots against in one game, allowing 76.<ref>{{cite news|title=Addition of Luongo not enough for Canucks|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2007-05-06-3696634881_x.htm|access-date=June 10, 2011|date=May 6, 2007|work=USA Today}}</ref> Vancouver won the series in seven games despite a lack of goal-scoring; Stars goaltender [[Marty Turco]] recorded three shutouts in the series and equalled the league record for most shutouts in a playoff series.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://records.nhl.com/records/playoff-goaltender-records/shutouts/most-shutouts-one-series-playoff | title=NHL Records}}</ref> Advancing to the second round, the team was defeated in five games by the Anaheim Ducks, who went on to win the Stanley Cup [[2007 Stanley Cup Finals|that year]].<ref>{{cite news|title=2007 NHL Playoffs Summary|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_2007.html|access-date=June 10, 2011|publisher=Hockey-Reference.com|archive-date=May 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507084838/http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_2007.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the playoffs, head coach Vigneault received the [[Jack Adams Award]].<ref name="2007 nhl awards"/>

Suffering numerous injuries to players in the [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08 season]], the Canucks struggled and finished three points out of a playoff spot.<ref>{{cite web|title=2007–2008 Regular Season|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20072008&type=con|access-date=June 10, 2011|publisher=National Hockey League|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606021811/http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20072008&type=con|archive-date=June 6, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The final game of the season, a 7–1 loss to the Calgary Flames, marked Trevor Linden's last NHL game, as the former Canucks' all-time leading scorer retired.<ref>{{cite news|title=Linden set to call it a career|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/06/10/linden_retirement/|access-date=June 10, 2011|date=June 10, 2008|publisher=[[Rogers Sportsnet]]|agency=The Canadian Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080709012941/http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/06/10/linden_retirement/|archive-date=July 9, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Having missed the playoffs for the second time in three years,<ref name="playoff history"/> the team underwent numerous personnel changes in the off-season.