The Canuck Way
Fansided

Most memorable moments of the last 5 Vancouver Canucks seasons

By David Quadrelli

VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 17: Vancouver Canucks Center Henrik Sedin (33) and Center Bo Horvat (53) and Left Wing Daniel Sedin (22) and Defenseman Alexander Edler (23) celebrate Edler's goal against the San Jose Sharks during the second period in a NHL hockey game on March 17, 2018, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. (Photo by Bob Frid/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 17: Vancouver Canucks Center Henrik Sedin (33) and Center Bo Horvat (53) and Left Wing Daniel Sedin (22) and Defenseman Alexander Edler (23) celebrate Edler's goal against the San Jose Sharks during the second period in a NHL hockey game on March 17, 2018, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. (Photo by Bob Frid/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 14: Jake Virtanen #18 and Ben Hutton #27 of the Vancouver Canucks talk as they skate up ice during their NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena March 14, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 14: Jake Virtanen #18 and Ben Hutton #27 of the Vancouver Canucks talk as they skate up ice during their NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena March 14, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2015-16: The New Kids on the Block

You may start to see a trend with this list; that the majority of the memorable moments that come up in it are young players making an impact on some pretty subpar Canucks’ teams. First, it was Horvat the year before, then it was 2014 first-round pick Jake Virtanen, along with Ben Hutton, Sven Baertschi, and Jared McCann.

While Virtanen’s journey up to this point has been rather up and down, the hype surrounding Virtanen was unbelievable due to his hometown status and draft selection spot. It was the highest the Canucks have picked in a draft since drafting Daniel and Henrik Sedin 2nd and 3rd overall in 1999, so you can understand why fans would be excited about the sixth overall pick arriving to the NHL right out of junior hockey.

In fact, Virtanen got some time with the Sedins on the top line. As a rookie who grew up watching the Canucks and the twins work their magic, that was an incredibly surreal moment for the 19-year-old Virtanen.

Hutton was a welcome addition to an ageing defence corps and managed to pick up 25 points in his first year. He would then suffer from a bit of sophomore slump, and is currently a free agent, as the Canucks chose not to qualify his contract this offseason; but during that season, Hutton was another promising young player wearing a Canucks’ uniform.

Sven Baertschi is always noted as a win when it comes to Jim Benning’s trade history. When he was acquired in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick late in the 2014-15 season, fans were excited after seeing the chemistry he sparked with Bo Horvat the following season.

The Canucks also selected Olli Juolevi with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, and while many fans were hoping to see the team add fellow London Knight Matthew Tkachuk, who was selected next by Calgary in that draft, fans were nonetheless pleased to add another young body

Canucks fans didn’t have much to be excited about, but young players coming in surely provided them with a bit of hope during what were relatively hopeless times.

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