Bure, Ohlund and Sedin: The World Junior's All-Canucks Team

Mattias Ohlund, Pavel Bure and Daniel Sedin have all
starred in the World Juniors as Canucks prospects.

Until they actually make it to the NHL, the World Juniors is far and away the most closely-scrutinized and highly-celebrated stage for the league's best prospects. And when the average hockey fan is reduced to reading the same cliche scouting reports on their team's draft picks over and over and over, there's nothing like actually watching a player like Jake Virtanen or Thatcher Demko perform at the highest level among their peers.

And every so often, you'll be lucky enough to not only see your team's best prospects play internationally, but watch them absolutely dominate the tournament. A couple of years ago, we highlighted the very best Canadian Junior performances by Canucks prospects of all-time. Cody Hodgson's 16 points in 2008 was there. As was Luc Bourdon's All-Star Team performance at GM Place in 2006.

See also: The All-Time List of Canucks Prospects to Play for Team Canada at the WJC (up to 2013) 

But while Canadian prospects will always get more exposure at this tournament, Vancouver have a long history of drafting top flight international prospects. This year, Canucks fans are spoiled with a United Nations showing of Virtanen (Canada), Demko (USA) and Gustav Forsling (Sweden) playing for their respective countries. (Not to mention Cole Cassels narrowly missing a roster spot with the States.) So with this year's international flavour in mind, we've highlighted the best World Junior performances by Canucks prospects -- Canadian or not -- in the history of the tournament:

Luongo's 67th shutout and the generational disparity with Patrick Roy

With his 67th career shutout, Luongo has bested Roy all-time.

After three straight wins and a shutout two nights ago, it is officially Miller Time in Vancouver. But hockey fans around here have obvious reason to follow the goaltending in Florida these days. And for that reason, it should be noted that Friday's showdown between the Panthers and Sabres had notable implications beyond Connor McDavid. 

Stopping all 18 shots against CoHo and company, Roberto Luongo recorded his 67th career shutout last night. In the process, he surpassed Patrick Roy for 13th overall on the all-time shutouts list.

Granted, that's not quite as shocking as other recent hockey news out of Florida. (If Lu had waited two more games to pitch the shutout against St. Patrick's Colorado Avalanche himself -- well, there's a legitimate story.) Nonetheless, passing one of the top three goalies of all-time and father of the butterfly in any major stat is a significant achievement. But there's a legitimate counter-argument worth exploring.

Five points out of the playoffs, but hey look! Nicklas Jensen!

Jensen led all SEL rookies with 17 goals in 50 games last year. After a slow start
with Utica, he's living up to the hype on the Canucks' top line. (Flickr: anders-h-foto)

Back in early-February, I wrote an article lauding Eddie Lack and how his play was one of the Canucks' few redeeming stories this year. It was a post grasping for any kind of positivity in the face of a precariously-held playoff spot. Oh, that playoff spot. It was a whole fifteen games ago now that the Canucks were still ahead of both Dallas and Phoenix -- if just barely.

Although Lack's baptism-by-fire, post-Luongo, has loosened his play, he remains one of the few Canucks playing beyond pre-season expectations. And for the past couple of weeks, he's been joined by another pleasantly surprising rookie in Nicklas Jensen.

Nagano to Sochi: Canada's all-time Olympic numbers in the NHL era

Photo from olympics.cbc.ca.

Salt Lake City, Vancouver and now Sochi. In the five Winter Olympics since NHL players were allowed to compete, Canada has won gold in three of them. And while more zealous fans will tell you that we should have had all five, the best team on paper never wins a hundred percent of the time.

It can take a very under-appreciated resiliency to be the best and live up to it. To stick to sound and systematic play -- especially when it only gets you a 2-1 win against an Arturs Irbe-less Latvian team. Or just two measly assists through five games from the best player in the world.

But here we are, just barely recovered from a deprived sleep schedule and with ultimate bragging rights for at least four more years. And thank Price, because we all know how much longer four years can feel after having left Gretzky on the bench in Nagano.

Since 1998, Team Canada has played a total of 31 games. That is nearly half a regular season's worth of the most scrutinized hockey known to man. Makes for a pretty decent sample size. Which makes you wonder where Sidney Crosby's pair of Olympic performances might stack up against, say...Joe Sakic's. Or Steve Yzerman's. Or where Shea Weber and Drew Doughty rank among the Scott Niedermayers and Chris Prongers of yesteryear.

One can only Google so hard until they take matters into their own hands. If there's already an all-time list out there, well, it's not in the first 10 pages of a standard Google search. So go, go gadget Excel spreadsheet. The career rankings of Team Canada players since 1998:

The Bures, the Sedins and fraternal scoring supremacy

After years of poring over stats upon stats upon stats, one begins to accumulate what I refer to as 'trivia records'. They have little significance or relevance and typically only represent unique scenarios that don't really reflect what the NHL is like as a whole.

For example, the "brothers record". Perhaps you too have once been told that Wayne and Brent Gretzky hold the all-time record for career points by a pair of siblings at 2,861 -- Brent's contribution being a whole 4 points. Puts a different spin on Gretzky's dominance in the league, I suppose, but ultimately, this record yields about zero relevancy in terms of its ability to illustrate the history of actual brother tandems in the league.

Pavel and Valeri in their lone season
together in Florida.

Enter Pavel Bure and his younger brother, DJ Tanner's husband Valeri. While there is a pretty sizable disparity in skill between the Bures, it is far smaller than that between the Gretzkys. As such, a record held by the two of them might actually have some relevancy. And wouldn't you know it, in 1999-2000, Pavel and Valeri combined for 93 goals in a single season -- a league-leading 54 from Pavel and 35 from Valeri. As a result, they topped a rather legendary pair of brothers in Bobby and Dennis Hull, surpassing their previous mark of 88 goals, set in 1968-69.

The staying power of Bure's 60-goal record

The following is the fourth in BTD's 10-day series of posts counting down to Bure night.

Having played just 428 games as a Canuck, Pavel Bure is somewhat buried in the team's all-time stats lists. Though he left the Canucks as the second-highest goal-scorer (254, behind Smyl) and fourth-highest in points (478, behind Smyl, Linden and Gradin), both years and Swedes have gone by. As a result, he now stands fifth and seventh in those regards.

Nonetheless, Bure's name remains littered all over the Canucks single-season record books. Most power play goals in a season (25 in 1993-94). Most shorthanded goals (7 in 1992-93). Most shots (407, 1992-93). Most points by a winger (110, 1992-93). Though that mark stood for 17 years as the overall record until Henrik Sedin surpassed it in 2009-10.

The most impressive of them all, however -- and perhaps the safest  -- remains Bure's 60 goals, recorded in back-to-back seasons. Set in both 1992-93 and 1993-94, the mark is now 19 years strong and counting.

The all-time precedence for Hunter and Bo

Gone are Frank Corrado and Brendan Gaunce, re-assigned to Utica and Belleville, respectively. Meanwhile, the Canucks' original wave of the future, Jordan Schroeder and Nicklas Jensen, have both been reduced to the press box with a pair of injuries.

So with four of the Canucks' top prospects out of the rookie derby running, the stage was set for yesterday's report regarding Bo Horvat and Hunter Shinkaruk. Despite being the two youngest players among the team's current rookie crop, Bo's London Knights and Hunter's Medicine Hat Tigers were both informed that they'd be without their star players for at least opening night in the NHL.

Shinkaruk's offensive skill has been on full display over the pre-season (feel free to re-live this outrageousness), while Horvat has been a steady presence at centre. In other words, both have come exactly as advertised since their draft. And with one half of this new tandem costing the team one of the best goalies in the league, this is welcome news for Vancouver.

Granted, the Canucks' dearth at centre and Shanahan's most recent misjudgement Zack Kassian's suspension have as much do with this development as the pair's actual play. But credit is due to the 2013 duo for taking advantage of the opportunity.

It is rare in any circumstance that a Canucks prospect cracks the lineup in his draft year -- let alone two. That said, what sort of precedent is there for Canucks rookies cracking the roster immediately following their draft?

Thanks to a rainy afternoon and a storm of Wikipedia-ing, I can elaborate for you exactly the sort of precedence that exists. Down to the last Murray Bannerman.

Henrik and Daniel: Plus-minus royalty among active players

Neither Sedin has ever won a plus-minus crown.  (Of all their Canucks teammates, who would have thought that Marek Malik would have beat them to it...) But ever since a combined -5 rating in their rookie seasons all 13 years ago, the Canucks duo have been plus players every year of their careers.  And from 2009-10 on, Henrik has been an annual staple on the league's plus-minus leaderboard -- ranking 8th, 14th, 15th and 11th in that span. Meanwhile, in that same four-year run, Daniel has come closer to the NHL's Plus-Minus Award, but has been a bit less consistent at 5th, 5th, 64th and 45th.

Henrik and Daniel at 3rd and 6th overall. See the note at the end
of the article for differences between our list and NHL.com's.

As a result the Sedins steady 5-on-5 play, Henrik enters the 2013-14 season ranked third among all active players in career plus-minus.  In some part to his current ironman streak, Henrik, as always, has an edge on Daniel at a career +200 to +172.  The only two above him?  Jaromir Jagr and Pavel Datsyuk -- one is likely the greatest offensive threat of his generation, while the other represents the best two-way forward of his.  In other words, Henrik stands among pretty heady company.  Daniel, meanwhile, ranks sixth* with Marian Hossa and Patrik Elias sandwiched between the twins.

(Borderline related: See BTD's January article on the Sedins' ranking among active players without a Stanley Cup.)

Henrik's records 605th career assist, continues to climb the all-time list

A week after recording his 600th career assist in a game against the Flames, Henrik Sedin has continued his climb among the league's best playmakers of all-time.  Assisting on Ryan Kesler's powerplay goal less than two minutes into the game, Henrik passed Nordique Hall of Famer Michel Goulet as the 73rd most prolific playmaker in NHL history.  And at 606 assists, the Canucks captain stands nine helpers behind yet another Hall member, Rod Gilbert, who represents the next rung on the NHL's all-time assists ladder.

Henrik eclipsed the former Nordique and Blackhawk forward's
604 assists in 155 fewer games. 

Luongo ties Broda in all-time shutouts, passes Hasek in games played

Unfortunately for anybody watching, it was a classic 1-0 game against the Predators last night in Nashville.  Fortunately for Roberto Luongo, it meant facing a season-low 23 shots for his second shutout in eight starts.  And in the process of blanking the Preds, he made two significant moves up the NHL's all-time goaltending lists.  Luongo simulatensouly tied Turk Broda for 15th overall in shutouts (62) and surpassed Dominik Hasek to enter the top 20 in games played (736).



Luongo remains behind Hasek in wins (344 to 389) and shutouts (62 to 81), however.

Five years after Naslund, Henrik Sedin's 757th

A cross-crease one-timer to Burrows.  Poetic justice at its finest.  Henrik's 757th point to pass Markus Naslund could not have been achieved on a more fitting play.  After receiving the puck from Daniel, he unleashes one of those seeing-eye passes off the rush, landing right on the tape through a maze of sticks.  It's what we've come to expect from the captain in his historic tenure here. 

Henrik achieved the feat in his 905th game, 21 more than Naslund

Henrik within four points of Canucks history

Despite being held pointless in Thursday night's win against the Minnesota Wild, Henrik Sedin sits within four points of passing Markus Naslund (756 points) for the Canucks' all-time record.  And with Vancouver kicking off a four-game stand at Rogers Arena tonight, Canucks fans are treated with the strong possibility Henrik will become the most prolific player in team history on home ice.

Henrik's pending record, representing the sheer longevity of his value to the Canucks, comes on the heels of another major individual achievement on the team.  When Chris Tanev scored the most dramatic first NHL goal in recent memory earlier this week, the team and, by extension, the entire city was compelled to celebrate the young defenceman.

As far as NHL firsts go, Tanev's goal had a noticeably added flavour to it.  Playing in his third NHL season, the milestone was a long time in the making.  (Mind you, he achieved the goal in just his 63rd NHL game.). Because Tanev's value to the team had been established so much earlier than his first goal, the milestone yielded that extra level of deservedness.

Now compare Tanev's three-ish years to Henrik's career of service to the Canucks and you can begin to imagine what kind of recognition is due for Vancouver's captain when he eclipses Naslund.  Nevermind that he is mired in a slump of two points in the last six games.  Canucks fans are notoriously incapable of looking beyond a player's most recent performance, a fact that might shed light on the complete lack of media coverage regarding Henrik's forthcoming record.

Two strong games could see Henrik overtake Naslund's
franchise-high 756 career points.

This is one of those rare instances that an achievement can summarize all of a player's contributions to a team.  In this case, Henrik's inevitable 757th point might call to mind an Art Ross, a Hart, countless divisional titles and a run to the Finals.  Canucks fans have the opportunity to tangibly celebrate the era of success that both Henrik and Daniel have led in this city.

And while all the pomp and glamour and attention just seems so... un-Henrik, Vancouver owes him the melodrama that these kinds of achievements warrant.  Anything less would be an insult.

So whether it's a tap-in to Burrows or a one-timer to Edler, make the 757th one memorable, Vancouver.  Four to go and counting.

-HC

The Canucks All-Canadian WJC Team

When Frank Corrado was cut from Team Canada two weeks ago, Canucks fans were painfully reminded that it's been four years since one of our own played for the good guys at the World Juniors.  For reasons too many to count, we needn't be reminded who that last player was, but could we really forget Cody Hodgson's mastery in 2009?  Two years before that, Luc Bourdon had his turn starring for Team Canada.  It takes you back to a time when the Canucks actually drafted good Canadian players.

Bourdon and Hodgson undoubtedly mark two of the best Canucks-in-the-making to suit up for our national junior team.  Sadly, it becomes a real stretch after that to think of the last Vancouver prospect to make an impact for Canada at this tournament.  And no, Roberto Luongo does not count.  For that reason, Bure's Triple Deke gives you the Vancouver Canucks' All-Canadian WJC Team.  That is – by position, the five greatest performances by a Canucks draft pick at the World Juniors.

I dare you not to get excited about the name Jim Sandlak.  Go on, just try not to!

*An important caveat: Players must have been drafted prior to their WJC performance.  For example, Brandon Reid led Canada with 9 points in 2000, but was not yet official property of the Canucks until his draft later that year.

Goaltender

Frank Caprice, 1982

Apparently the Canucks are terrible at drafting Canadian goaltenders, because the last time a prospective Vancouver netminder made any noise at the World Juniors was 31 years ago.  Caprice played second fiddle to Mike Moffat, who was named to the Tournament All-Star Team, in a seemingly 1A-1B goalie rotation.  Starting three of seven games, he posted a 2.33 GAA, helping Canada to an undefeated record and their first gold medal in tournament history.

Going into his NHL career, the Canucks' ninth-round selection (1981) never managed to secure that starting role.  Caprice played in the Richard Brodeur era of Canucks history, spending six years in the backup position.  In 1984–85, he appeared in a career-high 28 games, posting a 4.81 GAA and .851 save percentage.  Years later, he even made a cameo appearance for the Vancouver Voodoo.

Defence

Garth Butcher, 1982

Another 1982 alum.  Butcher was a tenth overall selection in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft and immediately played five games for the Canucks before being sent back down to the WHL for a third junior season.  Playing for Team Canada, Butcher was one of three Canucks prospects on the national junior squad, alongside Caprice and forward Moe Lemay.  He tied for second in scoring among Canadian defencemen, behind Paul Boutilier, with a goal and four points over seven games.

Butcher was a mainstay on the Canucks blueline for years to come thereafter, spending more than half of his thirteen-year career in Vancouver.  The stay-at-home defender would become a casualty of Pat Quinn's rebuilding process in the early-ninetees; his trade to St. Louis ushered in a trio of supporting cast members from 1994 in Geoff Courtnall, Cliff Ronning and Sergio Momesso.



Bourdon played in 2006 and 2007, winning
back-to-back gold medals for Canada.

Luc Bourdon, 2006

The Canucks already knew they had a gem in Bourdon after the lockout tossed them a draft freebie with the 10th overall slot.  But it wasn't until the 2006 World Juniors that the late defenceman was firmly established as a can't-miss prospect.  With Vancouver playing host, no less, he led all tournament defencemen with five helpers, adding to one goal.  Bourdon scored, passed and hit his way to All-Star honours, helping lead Canada to their second of five straight gold medals.

Bourdon went on to play another year of junior, securing a second World Junior gold, before splitting the 2007–08 campaign between the Canucks and Manitoba Moose.  He scored two goals over 36 career NHL games.  The rest – tragic history.

Forwards

Jim Sandlak, 1986

After being chosen fourth overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, Sandlak made the Canucks opening roster out of training camp, but was shipped back to junior after 23 games.  Joining Canada for the 1986 World Juniors, the power forward was named team captain.  He scored 5 goals and 12 points, ranking third in Canadian scoring behind Shayne Corson and Joe Murphy.  His efforts earned him Best Forward honours from the IIHF directorate (despite being left off the media's All-Star Team), overshadowing such future NHL stars as Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Roberts and Luc Robitaille on the Canadian roster.  Canada went on to a 5-2-0 record, finishing second-best to the undefeated Soviets.

Sandlak's success was quickly parlayed into his first full season with the Canucks in 1986–87.  Seemingly fast-tracked for some form of stardom, Sandlak and his All-Rookie Team honours allowed Vancouver to ship their other power forward, one by the name of Cam Neely, to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Barry Pederson.  So the story goes, the Canucks clearly misplayed their hand, as Sandlak never progressed significantly beyond his scoring output as a rookie – he managed one 20-goal season over the course of a nine-year career in Vancouver.

Rick Girard, 1994

Girard was one of four Canucks prospects on the gold medal winning squad in 1994.  The other three – Yanick Dube, Brent Tully and Mike Peca.  While the latter is alone in actually having suited up for the Canucks, Girard dominated the World Juniors with a tournament-leading six goals (tied with teammate Martin Gendron and Czech Petr Sykora).  Thanks in large part to the Canucks' second-round draft pick (1993), Canada went undefeated in seven games en route to their second of five straight gold medals.

Despite his high-scoring junior career, totaling 261 points over 175 WHL games, Girard never caught on in the NHL.  After toiling in the Canucks' minor-league system for four years, the former World Junior star went the European route.  He played 15 years in Germany, winning one league title, before calling it a career last season.

Cody Hodgson, 2009

Without a doubt, the single most dominant performance by a Canucks prospect for the Canadian juniors.  Hodgson led the tournament with 16 points and received All-Star Team honours.  Only Jason Allison has totalled more assists in a single year for Canada.  Only Wayne Gretzky has recorded a higher points-per-game rate.

Fast forward to the present and it's clear that of the five players on Vancouver's All-Canadian WJC Team, Hodgson will likely go on to make the greatest NHL impact, as well.  But nobody needs reminding of Hodgson's merits as an NHL forward here, do we?  Especially in comparison to a certain power forward currently playing for the Chicago Wolves?  No, I didn't think so.

Intriguing parting thought: Can you just imagine what Hodgson would have been capable of as a Team Canada returnee in 2010 if Canucks trainer Dave Gagner hadn't broken the kid's back four summers ago?

Honourable mentions

Yanick Dube, 1994

Centreman tied for the team scoring lead with 10 points in a gold medal year.  Late-round draft pick never played a game in the NHL, however.

Josh Holden, 1998

Led Canada in scoring with four goals and no assists.  Needless to say, it was an off-year for Canada, who lost their seventh-place game against Kazakhstan.  Speedy forward remains active to this day, donning the maple leaf alongside Bergeron and company at this year's Spengler Cup.

Bryan Allen, 1999

Allen was a steady presence for Canada, scoring a goal and two assists as a shutdown defenceman.  Won silver alongside Luongo in Canada's overtime heartbreaker against Russia.  Poetically enough, Allen left Vancouver seven years later in exchange for his former national teammate.

***

It's certainly not a star-studded lineup by NHL standards, but the quintent of Frank Caprice, Garth Butcher, Luc Bourdon, Jim Sandlak, Rick Girard and Cody Hodgson certainly made their mark at the World Juniors – simultaneously representing Canada and Canada's favourite team, the Vancouver Canucks, of course.  Remember that when you're watching Bruins prospects Malcolm Subban and Anthony Camara competing for our country this year.

Interestingly, Canucks legends Stan Smyl and Trevor Linden both played for Canada at the World Juniors, as well.  Like Reid, however, they had not yet been drafted by the Canucks.  Both of them underaged for the tournament, Smyl had a goal and an assist in a bronze medal effort (1978), while Linden scored one goal en route to a gold (1988).

-HC

*See the online discussion regarding this post on the Canucks.com forums here.

Could have been Henrik's day

Several weeks ago, The Province's feature sports story depressingly reminded Vancouver that October 11 "Could have been Schneider's day".  It would have marked the Canucks' 2012-13 season opener against the Flames and, consequently, Schneider's official christening as Vancouver's new endless scapegoat undisputed starter.

Fast forward later in the month and yesterday marks what would have been Vancouver's tenth game of the regular season.  Preparing for a matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, our theories by now would have been confirmed as to whether or not the Canucks' lacklustre Octobers have been entirely Luongo's fault all these years.  But in the grander scheme of Canucks hockey lore, the city would most likely be focused on something far more significant.

At 747 points in 892 games, Henrik Sedin currently stands nine points behind Markus Naslund for the Canucks' all-time lead.  Assuming he and Daniel's near-robotic point-a-game pace, Henrik would have hypothetically broken Naslund's record yesterday with his 10th point in the 10th game of the season and 757th all-time.  Would have happened at Rogers Arena on national television to boot.  Maybe a one-timer to Jason Garrison?  Probably a tap-in to Burrows.

Realistically, you give or take a couple games for Henrik to pass Naslund in this scenario.  Point is, in this now-cancelled stage in the season, we would either be celebrating or anticipating something truly great.  And within another three months or so, Daniel, too, would be within reach of his former captain, statistically solidifying the twins as the Canucks' best players in team history.

Cue the standing ovations.  The headlines.  The city's love affair with the Sedins and, by extension, the game of hockey as a whole.

Moments such as the Sedins' pending milestones have that rare capacity to capture a city's brief attention and a rabid fan's entire consciousness.  They turn even the most jaded Canucks followers rosy-eyed for but a few moments – about the length of a pre-game ceremony or a well-produced YouTube montage.

But with this feel-good storyline delayed – reduced in the present time to a mere hypothetical – Canucks fans can add it to the increasing pile of reasons to curse the league's powers-that-be.  As exciting as the displaced-NHLer-makes-news-in Europe routine can be these days, yesterday was ultimately for Bettman and Fehr to continue hogging the league's dulling spotlight.  Shame to imagine that the day could have been Henrik's.

-HC