Team History

1982-1983: CANUCKS FAIL TO BUILD ON 1982'S PLAYOFF SUCCESS

Darcy Rota set a club record with 42 goals in the '82-'83 season.

Roger Neilson became full-time coach and Harry Neale was kicked upstairs to become Vice-President and General Manager. Former Minnesota GM Jack Gordon was brought aboard as Assistant General Manager, and Jake Milford took the position of Senior Vice-President, while on the ice, Stan Smyl became the team's full-time captain. All of the key players from the previous spring had returned and with the addition of slick C Patrik Sundstrom from Sweden, it was hoped that the team would have an even more formidable offense this season.

The season opened at home against, who else, the New York Islanders. Banners were raised to commemorate the division and conference championships of the previous season, as well as the 1975 Smythe Division title. Though it was hardly a measure of revenge, the Canucks edged the Isles 2-1. Expectations of the team were higher than they'd ever been, and the team struggled to live up to them. Curt Fraser, who was struggling, was traded to Chicago on January 6 for a 19-year-old RW prospect with three games of NHL experience named Tony Tanti. On February 4, the Canucks would deal D Anders Eldebrink to Quebec for G John Garrett. Brodeur would have a legitimate back-up for the first time since the Hanlon trade. On the eve of the all-star game, Brodeur suffered an ear injury in a game in Toronto, forcing Garrett to replace him in the game. Garrett played spectacularly in his half-of the mid-season classic, which virtually guaranteed him the game MVP until Wayne Gretzky scored four goals in the third period. The team looked in danger of finishing in fourth until a five-game winning streak in March improved their fortunes. They finished with 75 points, two back of second-place Calgary and three up on fourth-place Winnipeg. Darcy Rota, who moved from being a second-line center to first-line left-winger after the Fraser trade, set a club record with 42 goals while Stan Smyl did likewise in the points department, tallying 88 times. Thomas Gradin's 58 assists were second only to Andre Boudrias' 63 back in 1974-75 and finished with 86 points. With Rota's 81 points, it marked the first (and still only) time that the Canucks have had three 80-point scorers in one season. As well, Doug Halward scored 19 goals, breaking Dale Tallon's club record for defencemen of 17, and finished with 52 points.

Goalie John Garrett later became assistant General Manager for Vancouver.

Once again, the Canucks drew Calgary as a first-round opponent, only this time the series would open at the Corral. In the first period, the Canucks suffered a bad break when neither the referee nor the goal judge saw an apparent goal and the game remained scoreless. The game ended up headed to overtime tied 3-3, where Hakan Loob scored to win the game for Calgary. Game two was a chippy one, with the lasting impression being Lanny McDonald trying to get in the face of Harold Snepsts during a ruckus, possibly to exchange moustache grooming tips. The game, which was won 5-3 by Calgary, featured a near empty-net goal by Calgary goalkeeper Rejean Lemelin in the final minute. After a scoreless first period in game three, the Canucks jumped out to a 4-1 lead, only to see the Flames come back and tie it in the third. The game was won dramatically when Stan Smyl scored on a breakaway at 19:10 of the third period, forcing a fourth game. Game four was lead 3-2 by the Flames, until the Canucks tied it in the final minute, forcing overtime. Greg Meredith beat Brodeur to the five-hole at the 4:33 mark of the extra frame, winning the game and the series for Calgary.