A Flying Skate Down Memory Lane

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*[House Rule: Just like the previous rule regarding staff, we can only sign players who were one-time Canucks].*

But this rule takes it a step further. To make sure we don't exploit the AI, all trades must be approved by a real (human) GM on both sides. This means no one, (not even one-time Canucks) can be acquired, unless the other team gets back at least one of the same players they choose to include in the transaction.

*[House Rule: Historic Trades Only. Trades can be made in forward or reverse, IF both teams get their original player(s) back].*

While early advantage can be gained by undoing bad trades, this is strictly limited by the requirement of having (or being able to obtain), the exact player(s) to comply with trade rules. Long term the player is very restricted, as is demonstrated by free agency:

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In 1989 the Vancouver Canucks signed two members of the famed K-L-M line, (Krutov and Larionov), both to three year deals. While Larionov acclimatized well, Krutov struggled with the transition to North America, posting a so-so first season. In 1990 he reported to camp 10 pounds over his usual playing weight of 195. Canuck management went ballistic. They essentially locked him out, refused to pay salary and charged him with breach of contract.

In our alternate universe none of this happened. We decided to let Krutov play himself back into shape, so he was better adjusted and still on our roster in '91, entering the final year of his contract.

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This was the trade that sent the Canucks into utter oblivion for much of the mid-to-late 80's. Cam Neely and a first round pick to Boston for Barry Pederson. To reverse engineer this deal we have to find a way to send Barry back to Beantown.

In 1991 Pederson was in Hartford, but the good news is he signed there as a free agent, which means there is no player to give as compensation. Prior to that, he was waived by Pittsburgh with no takers and then bought out. To get Pederson back to Vancouver, we have to reverse the trade that made him a Penguin.

As you can see in the image below, Pederson was involved in a 3-for-3 swap in which we received Dave Capuano, Andrew McBain and Dan Quinn. Quinn is already gone to Philly, but fortunately for us, Capuano and McBain are still in the Canuck organization. To nullify the deal, we'll send McBain (because he had the better career of the two) back to Pittsburgh.

This returns Pederson to our roster just as if he'd never left. From there, we send him back to Boston with Neely and our first rounder (Glen Wesley) coming back the other way. And just like that, our alternate universe has much of the force restored.

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With the roster starting to take shape, we paused briefly to finalize an agreement for our practice facility. Our main priorities were a building with a great sheet of ice, but also nearby, so we could minimize the commute and spend more time on-ice improving skills. Management at Britannia Arena had been very receptive to our phone inquiries, so we gave legal the go-ahead to draft up a contract.

On the day we arrived to ink the deal, a rumor had somehow leaked that Pavel Bure was going to be there for his first ever (pre-camp) skate in Vancouver. Needless to say, the smallish building was jammed beyond capacity with crazed fans holding 'Go Pavel Go' signs, and waving everything you could imagine. Once they realized no one was coming except for us front-office types, you could almost hear the air leave the building.

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The next few days were spent mostly on the phone discussing possible trades with other GM's. After three or four lengthy calls, we seemed to be inching toward a deal with the Stars. We were working on a trade that was good for both teams. The Stars wanted a little more scoring touch, and for our part, we really wanted to improve team speed.

'Gus' Adams was well liked in the room, played with his heart on his sleeve and was a local BC boy, so he was doubly tough to let go. That said, when push came to shove, we firmly believed we'd be a better team with 'Rusty' Courtnall in the lineup. After lengthy deliberation, (during which we consulted with our entire staff), we decided to pull the trigger and hope for the best.

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With training camp just around the corner, several of the player's wives and girlfriends came in to help organize a 'Welcome to Vancouver' campaign. The idea was to put together an orientation package for new families who were joining the team for the first time. We wanted to match them up with a local volunteer who would act as a guide and help them get settled in their new city.

Based on the sounds coming from the conference room, the ladies were having a lot of fun, and we felt confident they'd make a positive difference getting our team situated.

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We'd read all the reports and heard all the superlatives, but seeing is believing, and nothing can prepare you for the very first time. As we sat quietly in the stands, suddenly and without warning, something akin to a force of nature blew by. Momentarily stunned, Brian Burke dropped his drink. "Holy @#$%&!, this kid can skate!"

"Hey Burkie," Pat Quinn yelled down, "Did you catch the number?"

From the moment Pavel Bure's skates first touched the ice, you knew there was something special about him. Everything he did, he did at such high speed and with such confidence. It's like he brought an energy into the arena that anything was possible...

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Training Camp was a time for fresh starts and unbridled enthusiasm. A time when everyone was undefeated, and dreaming the ultimate dream. (To score the winning goal in game seven, and hoist a certain Cup high-in-the-sky). To be honest, it was hard not to get caught up in the sudden burst of activity. After a long quiet summer, we were now completely engulfed with the dawn of a new hockey season.

While the assistant coaches were busy running drills, practicing breakouts, and getting systems in-place, we were conducting one-on-one interviews with every player in camp. The idea was to get the whole team on the same page through good two-way communication. First, we told the players what we expected from them, then we asked the players what they expected from us.

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As quickly as it came, it went, and training camp was done. For most of the players, they seemed quite happy to see the end of bag skates and twice-a-day scrimmages. Yes, coaches were still making adjustments and juggling lines in search of elusive chemistry, but for the most part, the thankless work was done.

As we boarded the plane for our first preseason test in Los Angeles, we shared an uneasy laugh. The laugh was good, but not enough to ease that feeling in the pit of your stomach. Had we done enough? Was there anything else we could have done?... Lots of rhetorical questions without answers, but we couldn't help asking, especially as we prepared to face a certain Number 99...

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It was only an exhibition game, but we still felt nervous as the Kings stormed out to a two-nothing lead. The second goal was a bullet by Gretzky from just inside the blue line, (one we're sure Kirk McLean would love to have back). After that the club looked a little rattled and coughed up a number of dangerous giveaways...

Fortunately we regained our composure and swung the momentum.

The comeback featured two pretty goals. The first from Trevor Linden as he took a beautiful pass from Krutov at the side of the net and shoveled it home before Kelly Hrudey could react. Then with the game tied at two, and only 1:15 on the clock, Jeff Brown took a wicked shot from the point. The shot was blocked, but the rebound landed right on the stick of Pavel Bure in the slot. Without so much as pausing to control the puck, Bure fired it all in one motion and beat Hrudey high on the glove side!

It may not have counted in the standings, but a 3-2 road win was a great way to start building confidence.

[CanuckJohnny]

woohoo!
haha and how fitting after tonight

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The day after our final exhibition game, we booked an entire restaurant for a special team dinner. It was good to spend time together away from the rink so the guys could bond without all their gear.

After dinner we handed out training camp awards, swapped funny stories and enjoyed a cool one or two. Then it was time for the GM to stand, offer a toast to the start of a new season, and address the troops...

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GM/HC: "Gentlemen, there's no better feeling in the world than the feeling you get from winning. That's why we all got into this game. Nevertheless, winning the Cup will be the hardest thing you ever do. There's gonna come a time for each of us when we hit a wall. And when that moment comes, when you don't know if you can go on, you need to think about the guy next to you. Think about how he faced that same wall, and remember he never quit on you, so you have to dig deep inside and don't quit on him."

"That's how we win gentlemen. We don't do it for the fans or the fame or anything else. We do it for us..."

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After posting a record of five wins and two losses in the preseason, it was finally time for our long anticipated home opener. As we took to the ice for the pregame warm up, we saw the crowd slowly filing in, and on the other side of the rink, a brand new team dressed in teal. The San Jose Sharks had just joined the NHL as an expansion franchise and were now preparing to play their first ever National Hockey League game.

It was hard to imagine they weren't feeling butterflies, but this game was important to us as well. It was a contest that was circled on the calendar as a must-have, and not just because of the opposition. After tonight we were heading out on a tough five game road trip, so it was critical to get off to a good start and hit the road with confidence.

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Like a condemned man receiving a last minute pardon, the crowd suddenly erupted with joy!...

But it hadn't been so happy at first. The Sharks came out playing a tight defensive game with one man in and four back. For the longest time, they smothered most every move in the offensive zone and the fans were growing restless wondering if we'd ever break through. Then it happened...

The game winning goal, on a picture perfect play by the K-L-B line! It started with Larionov and Bure playing catch with a series of quick passes back and forth. Then, with the defenders momentarily mesmerized, Krutov slipped out the back door and positioned himself in open space by the side of the net. Suddenly a swift pass from Bure found the tape, and a split second later the crowd went wild!

Highlight of the Night



Player in the Spotlight: Vladimir Krutov | GR 91 | G 1 | A 1 | TOT 20:59 | 2nd Star

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It was a cold night in Toronto and the traffic was thick as thieves. As the team bus slowly inched from the hotel toward the arena, Geoff Courtnall sat up front and blew his warm breath against the cold window. In the midst of the condensation that formed, Courts drew a single tree with a fallen Leaf on the ground. Several other players saw it and broke out in smiles. The message was clear, even if the window wasn't.

No matter how you slice it, this was an important early season game, and everyone knew it. It was a match-up between two undefeated teams, with the Leafs coming in with a perfect 4-0 record, while we stood at 3-0-1. And to make things even bigger, it was our first ever nationally televised game on Hockey Night in Canada. The audience would be huge and no one wanted to make a mistake...

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Week 1:

[Flying_Canuck]

Wow!!! Talk about nostalgia. Reading this thread and seeing some of the pictures brought me back to the good old days. Great job and I hope the Canucks can win the Cup at least once!! Good luck!!

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To fully comprehend it, you had to live it, but suffice it to say: There was no love lost between these teams. Vancouver and Toronto were long time rivals both on and off the ice. Vancouver fans resented Toronto for thinking themselves the center of the universe, while Leaf fans thought Vancouver was always whining for attention. No matter the right or wrong, it made for a heated rivalry.

On this night, the crowd was particularly boisterous and both teams responded well to the energy in the building. It was an entertaining back and forth contest with the Leafs taking the lead at 15:32 of the first, only to see us storm back to tie 27 seconds later. In the second we forged ahead 2-1, but this time the Leafs battled back to even the score.

Then with the game tied 2-2 in the third, the Russian Rocket decided it was time to kick in the afterburners... Taking a harmless looking pass in the neutral zone, Bure accelerated (in the blink of an eye) to full speed, blowing through the Leaf defense like a tornado in a trailer park.

As he sped in alone, the entire bench stood in anticipation. Barreling right in on goal, Pavel deked to the backhand before quickly pulling back to the forehand, dancing around the stranded goalie. As the puck crossed the line, the bench exploded!

Highlight of the Night



Player in the Spotlight: Pavel Bure | OGR 86 | G 1 | A 1 | TOT 20:12 | 3rd Star

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The first week of the season was a great success, which certainly helped take the sting out of the long flight home. By the time we landed it was already early in the morning, but the terminal was still buzzing with a few dozen fans and a media scrum with cameras in tow. Sizing up the situation, we decided to distract the media while the guys signed a few autographs before slipping out the side gate.

Reporter: "What do you think about the start of the season?"

GM/HC: "So far the players are working hard for one another and that's something we love to see. They've done a really good job setting a tone that we want to cultivate as we progress through the season. That said, it's still a small sample size, and with all due respect to the Sharks, two of the wins came against an expansion team, so it's a little early to be making a proper assessment."

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The schedule allowed us a three day break in Week Two, so we took advantage of the opportunity to get in some extra practice time. While we were generally pleased with the way things were going, one area of concern was our faceoff percentage. The stats indicated we were getting killed in the circle and as a result, spending a lot of time chasing the play.

It wasn't something we felt the team could sustain long term, so we spoke with the assistant coaches and asked them to make it a priority at practice. We also introduced a new drill where we turned the nets around backwards and had the guys shoot tennis balls off the end boards. It was a lot of fun for everyone except the goalies who had to track all those crazy bounces.