Canucks: Who would be on their All-American starting lineup?
By Ben Steiner
Left defence: Bret Hedican
Back to the Stanley Cup Finals teams. Bret Hedican was an intrinsic piece of the 1993-94 Canucks puzzle, whilst also being a salient component of the Vancouver squads he was on through 1994-1999. He is the team’s all-time American leader in points for a blueliner with 102, which he posted through 310 NHL regular season games.
The Canucks have had many American blueliners, but few have gotten the chance to represent their countries as much as Hedican did. The Minnesotan represented the USA five times, including two Olympic games, a feat few in the NHL will ever get to match with the current relations of the league and international hockey bodies.
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Right Defense: Quinn Hughes
Quinn Hughes is the youngest but the most prolific player on the list. The Canucks have never had a player like him, and after only a year in the league, he’s being thought of as one of the best players in franchise history.
If he’s thought to be on a possible all-time Canucks team, there’s certainly enough there to put him in the All-American lineup. Yes, Hughes is left-handed, but with Hedican on the right, Hughes is simply too good to leave off the list.
In just his first season, the young blueliner has garnered comparisons to Bobby Orr and Drew Doughty, some of the best defencemen to ever play the game.
The No. 7 selection from the 2018 draft endeared himself to Canucks fans with his swift skating and 53 points in 68 games. With his performance, he’s earned the status of a Calder Trophy favourite, alongside fellow defender Cale Makar. Hughes has represented the USA at the senior level twice, but four times in his youth. He may not have any all-time franchise leads yet, but just wait. He will eventually.
Goaltender: Ryan Miller
Who would have thought that the goaltending decision would be the toughest one to make? Ryan Miller comes out on top, but serious considerations were given to Cory Schneider and even a quick thought to rookie Thatcher Demko.
Miller was never part of a cup contending Canucks side, but he backstopped the team to their last playoff appearance in 2015 and solidified a tenuous goaltending situation following the infamous John Tortorella-coached 2013-14 season.
150 games over three seasons and a .914 save percentage may not shout “best goalie ever.” But the fact of the matter is, Miller was the Canucks’ only solid goaltender in a fragile time for the club, and he’s one of the few Americans ever to hold a rigid presence in Vancouver’s crease.
Although it was prior to his time in Vancouver, Miller was one of Team USA’s main goalies for the majority of the 2010s — most notably in 2010 when he won a silver medal dawning the stars and stripes.
Next. The Canucks all-time Canadian team. dark
The Canucks all-time American team is a tough one to play against. Good luck to any opponent who wishes to face Brashear and Kesler up front, while dealing with Hughes’ funky feet on defence. Of all the foreign countries the Canucks have drawn talent from, the USA puts together one of the strongest sides, with arguably only Sweden providing a capable group to beat them.