Canucks: Who would be on their All-Canadian starting lineup?

VANCOUVER - MARCH 27: Alexandre Burrows #14 of the Vancouver Canucks is congratulated by teammate Todd Bertuzzi #44 after scoring on the Los Angeles Kings at General Motors Place on March 27, 2006 in Vancouver, Canada. Vancouver defeated Los Angeles 7-4. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER - MARCH 27: Alexandre Burrows #14 of the Vancouver Canucks is congratulated by teammate Todd Bertuzzi #44 after scoring on the Los Angeles Kings at General Motors Place on March 27, 2006 in Vancouver, Canada. Vancouver defeated Los Angeles 7-4. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
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Todd Bertuzzi #44 of the Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
Todd Bertuzzi #44 of the Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)

Forwards

Right-Winger: Todd Bertuzzi

There isn’t a Canadian right-winger that deserves to go ahead of Bertuzzi. Although his time in Vancouver is often overshadowed by the Steve Moore Incident, he was one of the best forwards ever to grace Vancouver ice. He had everything you want in a player — toughness, speed, scoring, it was all there.

From 2001-2003 the man epitomized what it meant to be a power forward, as he scored over a point per game for a Vancouver team that never really had a hope of going very far. He may not have been a figure through Vancouver’s three Stanley Cup appearances, but a player like him may have just been able to push the Canucks over the hump if he had been.

Centreman: Trevor Linden

Please, I would love to hear who else you would suggest. Trevor Linden was a pivotal part of the 1994 Stanley Cup run, but his contributions are far-reaching. He eased into captaincy alongside the aforementioned Lidster as well as Pat Quinn, before being named the youngest captain in the team’s history. Aside from leadership, the four 70-plus point seasons and playing until he physically couldn’t are reasons that only elevate his earning of this spot.

Left-Winger: Alexandre Burrows

This a lot was the hardest to decide out of all. I could have just as easily slotted Geoff Courtnall, he of 246 Canucks points, but in the end, I’ve gone with recent Ring of Honour inductee, Alexandre Burrows. While he may be remembered for his time with the Sedin twins, his “exorcism” goal against the Chicago Blackhawks came without either. Over his 12 seasons in blue and green, Burrows scored countless memorable goals, became the perfect fit for the Sedin twins and morphed into one of the perpetual fan favourites. While it’s his 384 points and never-say-die attitude which earned him the spot on the All-Canadian roster, his demeanor and personality certainly did not take away from his application.

And just like that, we have the Canucks All-Canadian starting lineup. Stay tuned for The Canuck Way version of the Canucks All-Time roster.