Team History

1980-1981: KING RICHARD ASSUMES THE THRONE

"King" Richard Brodeur was acquired during the '80-'81 season.

Jake Milford made a move in the goaltending department, picking up Richard Brodeur from the Islanders for a flip of first round picks in 1981 (Vancouver chose LW Moe Lemay with their pick). He also brought back original Canuck Bobby Schmautz and he fit in nicely centering Dave Williams and LW Per-Olav Brasar.

Brasar was tied for second in team scoring with Stan Smyl with 63 points (six behind leader Thomas Gradin). Williams lead the team with 35 goals and had 62 points, which was enough to earn him a spot on the Campbell Conference All-Star Team along with captain Kevin McCarthy, making it the first time since 1975 that the Canucks had two representatives in the game. Williams hadn't allowed his newfound goal-scoring touch to turn him soft either. He went about his business racking up a league leading and franchise record 343 minutes in penalties. Schmautz contributed 61 points and 175 minutes of his own in this, his last NHL season. This line helped take some pressure off of the Smyl-Gradin-Fraser line, which had carried the team offensively for two seasons. Along with spectacular goaltending from Brodeur, the Canucks racked up a 17-9-9 record by Christmas. But Vancouver fans had learned not to become too complacent and sure enough, the team won only four games in the next two months. Rookie D Rick Lanz was showing promise and on March 8, the Canucks shored up the defense even more, by trading third-string goalie Gary Bromley to Los Angeles for D Doug Halward. Times were definitely changing in Vancouver as Dennis Kearns was limited to only 46 games and would retire at the end of the season. At the time of his retirement, he was the Canucks all-time leader in games played (677) and points by a defenseman (321). As well, Chris Oddleifson and Rick Blight would only play 11 games between them and disappear into the minors. A 10-2 thumping of the Jets in Winnipeg on March 27 brought the Canucks to within a game of .500, but then picked up only a single point in their final four games to finish the season with 76 points-their highest total in five years.

Finishing 12th overall, the Canucks would once again draw the Buffalo Sabres, who finished fifth, as first round opponents. The Sabres won the first two games at "the Aud" by scores of 3-2 and 5-2 before completing the sweep in Vancouver on April 11 with a 5-3 win. After eleven seasons, the Canucks had still never won a post-season series and, in fact, had never won more than a game in any series.