Editing Vancouver Canucks (section)

===Pat Quinn era (1987–1998)===
After the installation of former Canucks defenceman [[Pat Quinn (ice hockey)|Pat Quinn]] as general manager in the summer of 1987,<ref name="FischlerFischler2003">{{cite book|first1=Stan |last1=Fischler|first2=Shirley |last2=Fischler|title=Who's Who in Hockey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wpbLnSHBNHgC&pg=PT362|access-date=May 26, 2011|date=March 2, 2003|publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing|isbn=978-0-7407-1904-2|page=362}}</ref> the team underwent an immediate rebuilding process, trading away core veterans for younger prospects and players. Among the more key transactions was a deal with the [[New Jersey Devils]], in which Sundstrom was traded away in exchange for winger [[Greg Adams (ice hockey, born 1963)|Greg Adams]] and goaltender [[Kirk McLean]]. In addition to Quinn's trades, the team improved through the draft route with two selections, in particular. With the second overall selection in the [[1988 NHL entry draft]], the Canucks chose winger [[Trevor Linden]] from the [[Western Hockey League]] (WHL). The [[1989 NHL entry draft|following year]], the team made a controversial selection by choosing Russian winger [[Pavel Bure]] 113th overall. Bure was believed by most teams to be ineligible for selection that year. Consequently, his draft by the Canucks took a year to be verified by the league as team management went about procuring documents to prove his eligibility.<ref>Rossiter 1994, p. 71.</ref>

As the decade turned, a shift in the Canucks' leadership occurred as Stan Smyl resigned his captaincy prior to the [[1990–91 NHL season|1990–91 season]] due to a reduced on-ice role with the team. In his place, the Canucks implemented a rotating captaincy of Linden, [[Dan Quinn (ice hockey)|Dan Quinn]] and [[Doug Lidster]]; of the three, Linden retained the captaincy thereafter, becoming the youngest permanent captain in team history at 21 years of age. At the end of the season, Smyl retired as the team's all-time leader in games played, goals, assists and points.<ref name=smyl/> Led by Linden and in large part to Quinn's dealings, the Canucks rose to prominence in the early 1990s. This increased success came roughly around the time the Oilers and Flames began to sink in the standings. As a result, Vancouver won their first division title in 17 years with 42 wins, 26 losses and 12 ties during the [[1991–92 NHL season|1991–92 season]] (it was also the team's first winning season since the 1975–76 season). During the campaign, the Canucks honoured Smyl, who had remained on the team as an assistant coach, by making him the first player in team history to have his jersey (number 12) retired.<ref name="smyl">{{cite news|title=Stan Philip Smyl|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14386|access-date=May 2, 2010|publisher=[[Hockey Hall of Fame]]}}</ref> In the [[1992 Stanley Cup playoffs|1992 playoffs]], the Canucks won their first series since 1982 before being eliminated by the Oilers in the second round.<ref name="playoff history"/> Quinn and Bure became the first Canucks recipients of major NHL awards in the off-season, being awarded the [[Jack Adams Award]] as the best coach (Quinn assumed a dual coaching and general managerial role starting that year) and the top rookie in the league, respectively.<ref name="vault">{{cite magazine|title=The Russian Rocket|url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1004629/index.htm|access-date=June 24, 2009|date=December 7, 1992|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208135628/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1004629/index.htm|archive-date=December 8, 2012}}</ref> The following year, the Canucks repeated as regular season division champions, while Bure emerged as arguably the team's first superstar with his first of back-to-back 60-goal seasons, totals which remain the highest recorded in Canucks history.<ref name="single-season goals">{{cite web|title=Regular Season – Vancouver Canucks – All Skaters – Single Season Leaders For Team – Career Goals|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/careerstats.htm?fetchKey=00002VANSAHAll&sort=goals&viewName=careerLeadersSingleSeasonForTeam|access-date=May 27, 2011|publisher=National Hockey League}}</ref> As the team struggled to score in the second half of the [[1993–94 NHL season|1993–94 season]], Bure recorded 49 goals in the club's final 51 games and contributed to 46.45% of his team's goals in the final 47 games of the season to carry the Canucks into the 1994 postseason. Jim Matheson of the ''[[Edmonton Journal]]'' called Bure "the NHL's best forward the last 40 games, scoring almost a goal a game."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Matheson|first=Jim|title=WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW: [Final Edition]|work=Edmonton Journal|date=April 16, 1994}}</ref>

====1994 Stanley Cup run====
[[File:Kirk McLean.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kirk McLean]] was a key member of the Canucks' 1994 Stanley Cup run.]]
In {{scfy|1994}}, the Canucks made their second trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, entering the [[1994 Stanley Cup playoffs|playoffs]] as the seventh [[seed (sports)|seed]] in the renamed [[Western Conference (NHL)|Western Conference]]. Despite underachieving in the regular season (their points total decreased by 16 from the previous year, although they finished second in the newly renamed Pacific Division),<ref name=seasons/> the Canucks played well in the playoffs and embarked on another unexpected run.

Opening the playoffs with a close first-round series against the Calgary Flames, Vancouver rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit to win the series in seven contests. Games 5 through 7 were all won in overtime with goals from [[Geoff Courtnall]], Trevor Linden, and Pavel Bure, respectively.<ref>Rossiter 1994, pp. 15–16.</ref> The deciding seventh game featured two of the most recognizable and celebrated plays in Canucks history. With the game tied 3–3 in the first overtime, goaltender Kirk McLean made what became known thereafter as "The Save", sliding across the crease feet-first and stacking his pads on the goal line to stop [[Robert Reichel]] on a one-timer pass from [[Theoren Fleury]]. The following period, Pavel Bure received a breakaway pass from defenceman [[Jeff Brown (ice hockey, born 1966)|Jeff Brown]] before deking Calgary goaltender [[Mike Vernon (ice hockey)|Mike Vernon]] to score and win the series. Fifteen years later, Bure's goal and McLean's save were ranked first and second in a ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'' article listing the "40 most memorable moments in team history."<ref name="forty memorable moments">{{cite news|title=40 most memorable moments in team history|url=http://www2.canada.com/topics/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=2049807|access-date=May 31, 2011|date=September 30, 2009|work=The Vancouver Sun|location=Canada|last=Pap |first=Elliott|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905142421/http://www2.canada.com/topics/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=2049807|archive-date=September 5, 2012}}</ref>

Following their victory over the Flames, the Canucks then upset both the [[Dallas Stars]] and [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] (both in five games) en route to the franchise's second Stanley Cup Finals appearance.<ref name="playoff history"/> Forward Greg Adams sent the Canucks into the Finals with a double-overtime goal against Maple Leafs goaltender [[Felix Potvin]] in game 5.<ref name="forty memorable moments"/> Staging the second coast-to-coast Finals in league history, the Canucks were matched against the [[Presidents' Trophy]]-winning [[New York Rangers]]. Vancouver achieved victory in game 1 by a score of 3–2 in overtime, largely due to a 52-save performance by goaltender McLean.<ref>Rossiter 1994, p. 87.</ref> After losing the next 3 games, the Canucks won the next two to force a seventh game at [[Madison Square Garden]] on June 14, 1994.<ref name="playoff history"/> Despite a two-goal effort (one on a shorthanded breakaway) from Linden (who was playing with cracked ribs),<ref name="WeekesBanks2010">{{cite book|first1=Don |last1=Weekes|first2=Kerry |last2=Banks|title=Hockey's Top 100: The Game's Greatest Goals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KKESWkMExGkC&pg=PA50|access-date=May 26, 2011|date=August 23, 2010|publisher=Greystone Books|isbn=978-1-55365-660-9|page=50}}</ref> Vancouver lost the game by a 3–2 score. The Canucks' efforts to tie the game included a post hit by forward [[Nathan LaFayette]] with just over a minute remaining in regulation.<ref name="Rossiter">Rossiter 1994, p. 103.</ref> The loss was followed by a [[1994 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot|riot]] in Downtown Vancouver, which resulted in property damage, injuries and arrests.<ref>{{cite news|title=4 Canadian Sports Riots|url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/article.jsp?content=20051222_140516_2124&hubname=nhl|work=Maclean's|access-date=December 6, 2008|archive-date=December 25, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225101721/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/article.jsp?content=20051222_140516_2124&hubname=nhl|url-status=dead}}</ref> Two days after the riots, the team held a rally at [[BC Place Stadium|BC Place]] attended by 45,000 fans, who congratulated the team for their effort.<ref>{{cite news|title=45,000 Canuck fans pack stadium to thank players|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/496996591.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+17%2C+1994&author=&pub=Waterloo+Region+Record&desc=45%2C000+Canuck+fans+pack+stadium+to+thank+players&pqatl=google|access-date=June 3, 2011|date=June 17, 1994|work=Waterloo Record|archive-date=November 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107030618/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/496996591.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+17,+1994&author=&pub=Waterloo+Region+Record&desc=45,000+Canuck+fans+pack+stadium+to+thank+players&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref>

With a young core that included Linden, Bure and McLean still in their 20s after the 1994 playoffs, the Canucks appeared poised to remain contenders in the league.<ref name="Rossiter"/> However, the team failed to record a winning season in the six years following their Stanley Cup Finals appearance.<ref name=seasons/> Prior to the lockout-shortened [[1994–95 NHL season|1994–95 season]], Quinn stepped down as head coach to focus on his managerial duties and was replaced by [[Rick Ley]];<ref>{{cite news|title=Sports people: Hockey; Pat Quinn Turns Over Coaching Duties|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/11/sports/sports-people-hockey-pat-quinn-turns-over-coaching-duties.html?src=pm|access-date=May 31, 2011|date=August 11, 1994|work=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Vancouver finished with a .500 record that year.<ref name=seasons/> Their elimination from the [[1995 Stanley Cup playoffs]] in game 4 of the second round marked the Canucks' last game played at the Pacific Coliseum,<ref name="playoff history"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Stanley Cup Playoffs NHL Report: Blackhawks, Wings Sweep Into Finals|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/20493099.html?dids=20493099:20493099&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+28%2C+1995&author=COMPILED+FROM+WIRE+REPORTS&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=STANLEY+CUP+PLAYOFFS+NHL+REPORT+Blackhawks%2C+Wings+Sweep+Into+Finals&pqatl=google|access-date=May 31, 2011|date=May 28, 1995|work=Newsday|location=Long Island, New York|archive-date=November 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107030640/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/20493099.html?dids=20493099:20493099&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+28,+1995&author=COMPILED+FROM+WIRE+REPORTS&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=STANLEY+CUP+PLAYOFFS+NHL+REPORT+Blackhawks,+Wings+Sweep+Into+Finals&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref> as the team moved into the new [[General Motors Place]] (since renamed Rogers Arena), a new $160&nbsp;million arena situated in [[Downtown Vancouver]], the following season.

[[File:GM Place 1997.jpg|thumb|left|The Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers warm up before a match at General Motors Place in October 1997.]]
The Canucks made another significant move in the off-season by acquiring high-scoring Russian forward [[Alexander Mogilny]] from the [[Buffalo Sabres]], reuniting Bure with his former [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]] and national team linemate.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mogilny trade steals spotlight|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j5ZGAAAAIBAJ&pg=1241,1657144&dq=pavel+bure+alex+mogilny&hl=en|access-date=May 31, 2011|date=July 9, 1995|work=The Day|location=Connecticut|last=Miles |first=Gary}}</ref> While Mogilny became the second player in team history to record 50 goals and 100 points in a season,<ref name="single-season goals"/><ref name="single-season points">{{cite web|title=Regular Season – Vancouver Canucks – All Skaters – Single Season Leaders For Team – Career Points|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/careerstats.htm?fetchKey=00002VANSAHAll&sort=points&viewName=careerLeadersSingleSeasonForTeam|access-date=May 31, 2011|publisher=[[National Hockey League]]}}</ref> chiefly playing with centre [[Cliff Ronning]], the expected chemistry between Mogilny and Bure never materialized, with the latter suffering a season-ending knee injury early in the campaign.<ref>{{cite news|title=Severe knee injury ends season for Canucks' Bure; Surgery scheduled soon|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HaspAAAAIBAJ&pg=6320,965813&dq=pavel+bure+alex+mogilny&hl=en|access-date=May 31, 2011|date=November 12, 1995|work=The Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington}}</ref> Vancouver finished [[1995–96 NHL season|1995–96]] two games below .500 and were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the [[Colorado Avalanche]].<ref name="playoff history"/><ref name=seasons/> The season also marked the arrival of another future Canucks superstar, as [[Markus Näslund|Markus Naslund]] was acquired from the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] in exchange for [[Alek Stojanov]]. The deal is regarded as one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history, as Stojanov soon became a minor-leaguer, while Naslund became the team's all-time leading goal- and point-scorer years later.<ref>{{cite news|last=Montgomery|first=Ted|title=Eight of the NHL's worst trades of all time|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/montgomery/2008-02-13-worst-trades_N.htm|work=USA Today|access-date=March 9, 2008|date=February 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/penguins/2006-04-20-gm-patrick-out_x.htm | title= GM Craig Patrick leaves Penguins after 17 years |work=USA Today| access-date=July 25, 2008| date=April 20, 2006| first=Alan| last=Robinson}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=What was the worst trade in Penguins history?|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10062/1039696-125.stm|access-date=October 16, 2010|date=March 3, 2010|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> Despite a late season swoon, Ley was fired and replaced by Quinn down the stretch. The team limped into the playoffs, losing to the [[Colorado Avalanche]] in the first round.

In the 1996 off-season, Quinn hired [[Tom Renney]] whose tenure as the team's head coach lasted less than two seasons.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vancouver Canucks Coach Register|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/VAN/coaches.html|access-date=May 31, 2011|publisher=Hockey-Reference.com}}</ref> Despite strong performances from Mogilny and team-leading point-scorer [[Martin Gélinas|Martin Gelinas]] in Bure and Linden's absence (both of whom were injured for long periods of time during the season),<ref name=seasons/> the Canucks missed the playoffs for the first of four consecutive seasons that year.<ref name="playoff history"/> Making another high-profile acquisition on July 27, 1997, the Canucks signed free agent [[Mark Messier]] to a three-year deal.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nhl.com/news/this-date-in-nhl-history-july-28/c-281214410 | title=July 28: Messier leaves Rangers for Canucks}}</ref><ref name="Klein2004">{{cite book|first=Jeff Z. |last=Klein|title=Messier|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PC1ny2IqyrMC&pg=PA325|access-date=May 26, 2011|date=October 26, 2004|publisher=Doubleday Canada|isbn=978-0-7704-2908-9|page=325}}</ref> They had come close to signing [[Wayne Gretzky]] the previous summer, but were reportedly spurned away when they refused to continue negotiations and gave Gretzky an ultimatum to sign.<ref name="quinn fired">{{cite web |title=Quinn top Canuckle-head |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/1997/11/09/quinn-top-canuckle-head/ |website=New York Daily News |access-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122111211/https://www.nydailynews.com/1997/11/09/quinn-top-canuckle-head/ |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |date=November 9, 1997}}</ref>

====Keenan and Messier (1997–1998)====
[[File:Marccrawford 2006nhlawards.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Marc Crawford became the Canucks' head coach in 1998–99. Crawford also played for the team in the 1980s.]]
Heading into the [[1997–98 NHL season|1997–98 season]], Linden resigned his captaincy for Messier, who had developed a strong reputation as a leader, having captained the New York Rangers over the Canucks in 1994 (he also captained the Oilers to a Stanley Cup in 1990). Linden later recalled regretting the decision, feeling that Messier generated hostility and tension in the dressing room.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/08/08/sayitaintso_canucks/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020209004908/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/08/08/sayitaintso_canucks/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 9, 2002 |title=Say it Aint So| magazine=Sports Illustrated | access-date=May 26, 2010|date=August 8, 2001}}</ref> Messier later said if he could change one thing about his time in Vancouver, he would not have accepted the captaincy.<ref>{{cite web|last=Messier|first=Mark|title=Mark Messier here to take your questions|date=January 9, 2014|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/1utpcu/mark_messier_here_to_take_your_questions/cell32v|publisher=Reddit|access-date=January 10, 2014}}</ref>

The Canucks began the campaign overseas in a two-game series against the [[Mighty Ducks of Anaheim]] in Tokyo, Japan. It marked the first time in NHL history that a regular season game was held outside of North America—an effort from the league to attract attention to the sport in anticipation of the [[1998 Winter Olympics]], which were held in [[Nagano (city)|Nagano]], Japan.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ducks, Canucks Warm Up Japan for Five-Ring Circus|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-04-sp-39215-story.html|access-date=September 1, 2011|date=October 4, 1997|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|last=Teaford |first=Elliott}}</ref> As the team's performance continued to worsen, starting the 1997–98 season with three wins in the first 16 games, Quinn was fired as general manager after ten years with the team.<ref name="quinn fired"/> Soon thereafter, Renney was fired and replaced as coach by [[Mike Keenan]], reuniting him with Messier, another central figure from the Rangers' 1994 team. Keenan's hiring reportedly exacerbated tensions between groups of Canucks players and his negative relationship with Linden was given ample media attention.<ref name="Captain of Islanders">{{cite news|title=Spots of The Times; Here's How A Captain Operates|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/11/sports/spots-of-the-times-here-s-how-a-captain-operates.html|last=Vecsey |first=George|work=The New York Times|date=December 11, 1998|access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Darkest time">{{cite news|title=Linden outlasts 'darkest time' trade from Canucks |url=http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=8f587dcd-243b-41da-9aeb-accd1d1d46ac |last=Pratt |first=Dave |work=[[The Province]] |date=February 5, 2008 |access-date=February 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104154208/http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=8f587dcd-243b-41da-9aeb-accd1d1d46ac |archive-date=November 4, 2012}}</ref> Two months into his tenure with the team, his role was expanded and he was made de facto general manager. With control of player personnel, Keenan overhauled the roster, making ten trades within two months, most notably dealing Linden to the [[New York Islanders]].<ref name="keenan fired">{{cite news|title=Hockey; Canucks Dismiss Keenan and Bring In Crawford|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/25/sports/hockey-canucks-dismiss-keenan-and-bring-in-crawford.html|access-date=May 31, 2011|date=January 25, 1999|work=The New York Times}}</ref> Although the trade was unpopular with fans, the Canucks received winger [[Todd Bertuzzi]] in return, who would later become an integral part of the team's return to success in the next decade. Defenceman [[Bryan McCabe]] was also part of the deal, who would eventually be involved in a key transaction in the [[1999 NHL entry draft]].