Vancouver Canucks (WHL)
The Vancouver Canucks were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Hockey League, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Inaugurated in 1945 with the PCHL, they became a WHL team with the merger of the PCHL with the Western Canada Senior Hockey League in 1952. The Canucks played 25 seasons in the WHL between 1945 and 1970. In 1970 they were replaced by a new Canucks team of the same name, and joined the National Hockey League along with fellow expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres.
The Vancouver Canucks won six President's/Lester Patrick Cups, two PCHL titles and four WHL titles. They were also regular season champions four times. They played home games in the PNE Forum arena at the Pacific National Exhibition in east Vancouver, before moving for their last two seasons into the Pacific Coliseum just to the north.
Personnel
Players
Five Canucks players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Andy Bathgate played with Vancouver for four years and was on the team for their final two championships. In 1969–70, he recorded 108 points in 72 games, earning the George Leader Cup as league MVP. Johnny Bower, Tony Esposito, Allan Stanley and Gump Worsley – all Hall of Fame inductees – have all played one season with the Canucks.Coaches
1948–49: Bill Cowley1949–50: Bill Carse
1950–51: Bill Carse replaced by Murph Chamberlain
1951–52: Murph Chamberlain; replaced by Hugh Currie; replaced by Joe Carveth
1959–61: Art Chapman
1961–62: Phil Maloney ; replaced by Hugh Currie
1962–63: Max McNab
1966–67: Bert Olmstead
1967–68: Jim Gregory
1968–69: Joe Crozier
1969–70: Joe Crozier; replaced by Hal Laycoe
General Managers
1948–49: Bill Cowley1949–50: Coleman E. Hall
1950–51: –
1960–61: Coley Hall
1961–62: Art Chapman ; replaced by Dave Dauphine
1962–63: Max McNab
1967–68: Annis Stukus
1968–69: Joe Crozier
1969–70: Joe Crozier; replaced by Bud Poile
Presidents
1948–61: Coleman E. Hall1962–63: Fred J. Hume
1968–69: Cyrus McLean
1969–70: Cyrus McLean; replaced by Thomas K. Scallen
Honoured members
Hall of famers
;Players- Andy Bathgate, C, 1952–54 & 1968–70, inducted 1978
- Johnny Bower, G, 1954–55, inducted 1976
- Tony Esposito, G, 1967–68, inducted 1988
- Allan Stanley, D, 1953–54, inducted 1981
- Gump Worsley, G, 1953–54, inducted 1980
WHL league award winners
Leader Cup – MVP
- Emile Francis, G, 1952–53
- Lorne Worsley, G, 1953–54
- Phil Maloney, F, 1955–56
- Hank Bassen, G, 1959–60
- Phil Maloney, F, 1962–63
- Billy McNeill, F, 1964–65
- Billy McNeill, F, 1965–66
- Andy Bathgate, F, 1969–70
- Orland Kurtenbach, D, 1957–58
- Bruce Gamble, G, 1958–59
- Jim Baird, G, 1961–62
- Gilles Villemure, G,
- Ron Boehm, F, 1966–67
- Brad Selwood, F, 1969–70
- Phil Maloney, F, 1961–62
- Phil Maloney, F, 1962–63
- Phil Maloney, F, 1967–68
- Larry Cahan, D, 1966–67
- Marc Reaume, D, 1969–70
- Phil Maloney, F, 1955–56
- Emile Francis, G, 1952–53 GA-216 GAA-3.08
- Lorne Worsley, G, 1953–54 GA-168 GAA-2.40
- Johnny Bower, G, 1954–55 GA-63 GAA-1.71
- Ray Mikulan, G, 1955–56 GA-181 GAA-2.54
- Marcel Pelletier, G, 1957–58 GA-173 GAA-2.43
- Hank Bassen, G, 1959–60 GA-172 GAA-2.48
- George Gardner, G, 1969–70 GA-171 GAA-2.88
Year by year standings
| Season | League | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1945–46 | PCHL | 64 | 37 | 27 | 0 | 74 | 308 | 247 | Won Championship | |
| 1946–47 | PCHL | 60 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 61 | 267 | 287 | ||
| 1947–48 | PCHL | 66 | 34 | 29 | 3 | 71 | 284 | 264 | Won Championship | |
| 1948–49 | PCHL | 70 | 33 | 31 | 6 | 72 | 262 | 256 | 3rd North | |
| 1949–50 | PCHL | 70 | 33 | 28 | 9 | 75 | 300 | 264 | 3rd North | |
| 1950–51 | PCHL | 70 | 19 | 34 | 17 | 55 | 216 | 285 | 6th overall | |
| 1951–52 | PCHL | 70 | 23 | 38 | 9 | 55 | 226 | 283 | 8th overall | |
| 1952–53 | WHL | 70 | 32 | 28 | 10 | 74 | 222 | 216 | 2nd overall | |
| 1953–54 | WHL | 70 | 39 | 24 | 7 | 85 | 218 | 174 | 1st overall | |
| 1954–55 | WHL | 70 | 31 | 30 | 9 | 71 | 207 | 202 | 3rd overall | |
| 1955–56 | WHL | 70 | 38 | 28 | 4 | 80 | 252 | 181 | 1st Coast | |
| 1956–57 | WHL | 70 | 27 | 37 | 6 | 60 | 203 | 231 | 4th Coast | |
| 1957–58 | WHL | 70 | 44 | 21 | 5 | 93 | 238 | 174 | 1st Coast | Won Championship |
| 1958–59 | WHL | 70 | 31 | 28 | 11 | 73 | 219 | 214 | 2nd Coast | |
| 1959–60 | WHL | 70 | 44 | 20 | 6 | 94 | 230 | 177 | 1st overall | Won Championship |
| 1960–61 | WHL | 70 | 38 | 29 | 3 | 79 | 208 | 191 | 3rd overall | |
| 1961–62 | WHL | 70 | 18 | 48 | 4 | 40 | 223 | 324 | 4th Northern | |
| 1962–63 | WHL | 70 | 35 | 31 | 4 | 74 | 243 | 234 | 1st Northern | |
| 1963–64 | WHL | 70 | 26 | 41 | 3 | 55 | 229 | 258 | 6th overall | |
| 1964–65 | WHL | 70 | 32 | 32 | 6 | 70 | 263 | 244 | 3rd overall | |
| 1965–66 | WHL | 72 | 33 | 35 | 4 | 70 | 252 | 233 | 3rd overall | |
| 1966–67 | WHL | 72 | 38 | 32 | 2 | 78 | 228 | 215 | 3rd overall | |
| 1967–68 | WHL | 72 | 26 | 41 | 5 | 57 | 213 | 258 | 5th overall | |
| 1968–69 | WHL | 74 | 36 | 24 | 14 | 86 | 259 | 223 | 2nd overall | Won Championship |
| 1969–70 | WHL | 72 | 47 | 17 | 8 | 102 | 334 | 219 | 1st overall | Won Championship |
| Season | League | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
Year by year statistical leaders
Total points (team, season)
Year Player GP Goals Assists Pts PIM Leading scorer1952–'53 Larry Popein 70 25 44 59 23 Ian MacIntosh, Walt Atanas – 28
1953–'54 Larry Popein 70 34 32 66 22 Larry Popein
1954–'55 Doug Adam 67 30 22 52 53 Doug Adam
1955–'56 Phil Maloney 70 37 58 95 14 Phil Maloney
1956–'57 Phil Maloney 70 43 55 98 8 Phil Maloney
1957–'58 Phil Maloney 70 35 59 94 0 Jack McLeod – 44*
1958–'59 Ted Hampson 66 27 41 68 23 Dan Belisle – 31
1959–'60 Colin Kilburn 70 23 47 70 79 Jim Powers – 30
1960–'61 Bruce Carmichael 70 30 47 77 36 and Dan Belisle – 30
1961–'62 Phil Maloney 70 34 52 86 2 Barrie Ross – 35
1962–'63 Phil Maloney 69 24 61 90 8 Carl "Buddy" Boone – 44*
1963–'64 Phil Maloney 65 28 53 81 38 Carl "Buddy" Boone – 38
1964–'65 Billy McNeill 68 29 59 88 86 and Phil Maloney – 29
1965–'66 Billy McNeill 72 40 62 102 20 Billy McNeill
1966–'67 Gordon Vejprava 71 36 46 82 27 Gordon Vejprava
1967–'68 Phil Maloney 72 22 46 68 6 Bruce Carmichael – 31
1968–'69 Bob Barlow 74 36 48 84 50 Andy Bathgate – 37
1969–'70 Andy Bathgate 72 40 68* 108* 66 Paul Andrea – 44*
* – team record
Team record for PIM/season – 251, John Arbor, 1969–'70
Total points (team, playoffs)
Year Player GP Goals Assists Pts PIM1952–'53 Larry Popein 9 5 10 15 0
1953–'54 Charles McCullough 13 5 8 13 0
1954–'55 Phil Maloney 5 2 2 4 0
1955–'56 Phil Maloney 15 8 7 15 4
1957–'58 Phil Maloney 11 8 17* 25* 4
1958–'59
1959–'60 Ray Cyr 11 5 11 16 11
1960–'61 Bruce Carmichael 9 3 3 6 2
1962–'63 Phil Maloney 7 2 7 9 0
Robert Kabel 7 5 4 9 2
1964–'65 Phil Maloney 5 1 5 6 0
Billy McNeill 5 2 4 6 0
1965–'66 Larry Cahan 7 4 12 16 4
1966–'67 Bryan Hextall 8 3 5 8 11
1968–'69 Bryan Hextall 8 4 7 11 22
1969–'70 Murray Hall 11 10 11 21 10
Gerry Glover 11 5 16 21 12
* – team record
Team record for goals/playoff – 14, Jack McLeod, 1957–'58
Team record for PIM/playoff – 47, Ted McCaskill, 1969–'70
Goaltender stats, season
Year Player GP GA EN SO GAA W L T SVS .PC1952–'53 Emile Francis 70 216 5 3.09 32 28 10 – won Outstanding Goalkeeper
1953–'54 Lorne "Gump" Worsley 70 168 4 2.40 39 24 7 – won Outstanding Goalkeeper
1954–'55 Johnny Bower 63 171 7 2.71 30 25 8 – won Outstanding Goalkeeper
1955–'56 Ray Mikulan 71 181 2.54 – won Outstanding Goalkeeper
1956–'57 Ray Mikulan 71 231 0 4 3.25 1772 .885
1957–'58 Marcel Pelletier 71 173 0 8* 2.43 1749 .910* – won Outstanding Goalkeeper
1958–'59 Bruce Gamble 65 199 2 7 3.06 29 26 20 1630 .891
1959–'60 Hank Bassen 69 172 5 2.45 44 19 6 – won Outstanding Goalkeeper
1960–'61 Claude Evans 53 147 6 2.77 27 23 3
1961–'62 Claude Evans 40 165 2 4.08 11 26 3
Art LaRiviere 23
1962–'63 Gilles Villemure 70 228 5 3.26 35 31 4
1963–'64 Marcel Paille 70 254 2 3.60 26 41 3
1964–'65 Gilles Villemure 60 212 6 3.46 27 26 6
1965–'66 Gilles Villemure 69 223 5 3.20 32 34 3
1966–'67 Don Simmons 72 213 1 7 2.95 38 32 2
1967–'68 Tony Esposito 63 199 0 4 3.20 25 33 4
Jean-Guy Morissette 11 58 0 0 5.45 1 8 1
1968–'69 George Gardner 53 154 2 2 3.01 25 18 9
Charlie Hodge 13 32 1 0 2.54 7 2 4
Al Millar 12 34 0 0 3.52 4 4 1
1969–'70 George Gardner 60 171 0 3 2.88 41 14 6 – won Outstanding Goalkeeper
Lynn Zimmerman 13 48 0 0 3.78