Top 5 Canucks Moments

Yeah, the season didn't turn out the way we here at The Half Court Press hoped. With a chance to take a 3-1 series lead over Chicago, the Canucks blew it and lost the next 2 to get knocked out, and lost their chance to lose to the Red Wings in 5. Still, the year far exceeded the hopes of the hockey Nostradami over at ESPN or The Hockey News. Although the future of the Sedins and Luongo are uncertain, Gillis seems like a man with a plan, and with the success of Cody "Sexual Healing" Hodgson, Cory Schnieder (sexually suggestive nickname pending) and the Moose battling in the AHL Finals, the future looks up for the Canucks. With that in mind, here are the top five Canucks moments from the past year.

5. After the haters scoffed at our 6-1 preseason, no one, not even me, could have predicted an absolutely perfect first game. After a classy, emotional tribute to the fallen Luc Bourdon, the Canucks proceeded to demolish the Flamers 6-0, capped off by this shorty of Rypiens. Props to Sam with the heads up call of Hank for the first goal. The lone Flames fan at our bar is still crying himself to sleep every night.

4. After being 13 points back of those very Flames with 2 months to go in the season, and the Flames making some big moves on trade deadline day, people were all ready to put the Flames in the class of the West. Not so fast Flamers. The Canucks went on a tear, and eventually won the division on the last game of the season, by making it into overtime and then capping it off with a Hank goal. The Canucks regular season ended as a fitting "Hank sandwich", and my 2008-2009 Division Champions banner was hoisted over my Wild-loving roommates' door. (The goal is around the 1:44 mark)

3. When Gillis announced that he had offered Mats Sundin a whopping $10 million to come play for the Canucks (after passing on Kyle Beach at the draft..which may have turned out well after all..) I thought he was crazy. And then I liked it. And thus began a roller coaster of emotion, which didn't end after the elation of him actually signing 6 months later. Looking back, Gillis probably made the right move, if nothing else but to set up this fairytale moment at the Air Canada Centre.

2. After losing one of his best friends, both on and off the ice, Alex Burrows broke out in a big way, putting up career numbers and eerily scoring 28 goals to honor his buddy, #28 Luc Bourdon. After scoring in OT to complete the first-round sweep of St. Louis, Burrows did the celebration that Bourdon was famous for in Juniors, as a fitting tribute. RIP, Luc.

1. And finally, if Alex Burrows hadn't scored this next goal for the Canucks, they may have been buried beneath the Wild and Flames in the standings, out of the playoffs and with a total loss of direction. After acquiring Sundin, and getting Luongo back from injury, the Canucks didn't improve, stretching a long homestand into an eight-game losing streak, including nine straight on home ice. After blowing a 3rd period lead against Carolina, and then handed them a late powerplay, the streak seemed doomed to continue. And then, this happened:

And the rest is history. Next year, I expect all of the above to be Cody Hodgson highlights.

Honerable mention: Trevor Linden night, and this. Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye, indeed.