Two Perspectives on the Canucks 1998-99 Season:
1. Vancouver Canucks Media Spokesman, Player, Coach or GM -
This was a really positive season. We've always believed that
Vancouver Canucks fans are the greatest on the planet, and they
proved it again this year. We may have had a season of change
within the organization and on the ice, but the fans really stuck
with us. When you really think about it, we didn't have a poor
season, in fact, quite the opposite is true! We now have a new head
coach who has a Stanley Cup win under his belt, a GM who knows
what he wants from his team, and a great amount of youth to
complement a core of experienced veterans. Next season is really
looking up, and with high draft pick, we'll have another star ready
to forge a bond with the Canucks family. Just wait till next year,
with Marc Crawford behind the bench for a whole year, Brian Burke
having put his stamp on the team, and a great, young defensive core
that is the envy of the league, this is a team that has nowhere to
go but up!
2. Fan -
Big surprise! Three years in a row we've missed the playoffs now!
Oh, but we have a high draft pick! Maybe another Alex Stojanov is
in our future, or Libor Polasek, he was a first-round gem! All this
team really needs is two things -- scoring and defence -- and then
we'll be a contender. Just you wait! I thought it couldn't get
worse than last season, but boy did they ever prove me wrong!
Nuff said. It was a pretty bad year, and everybody needs to take a
little time to reflect on it before any rational conclusions can be
made. With the large amount of bad that comes with 23 wins, there
were some positives, and next year's edition should be a whole lot
younger, if not a bit better. I'll do all that reflectionary stuff
in the season-in-review issue, immediately following the Red Wings'
third straight Stanley Cup win, but for now I'll stick to the
facts! A few recent developments:
Steve Kariya - The Canucks signed the talented younger
brother of some Mighty Duck player to a three-year deal. Having
finished behind Jason Krog for the Hobey Baker award (top US
college player), Kariya was free to seek offers, and settled on
the Canucks, and a return home. Steve Kariya may take awhile to
develop (his size - 5'7" is an issue) but is expected to join the
club at some point in the near future. Ant offensive spark he can
provide is desperately needed.
Second Worst - After losing their final game to Calgary, the
Canucks captured a top three draft pick by claiming the 26th spot
in a 27-team league. The top prospects this year are high scoring
Europeans, and it's been a long time (one season) since the team
had one of those. Go mediocrity !!!
Speaking For Itself - Canucks' record: 23-47-12 for 58
points...Ugly!
Wayne Axford Award for not sucking as bad as everybody else
-- The final selection, and therefore the season crown, goes to
Adrian Aucoin, who beat, and significantly improved upon, the
previous club record for goals by defencemen in a season. He also
led the NHL in power-play goals by a d-man and was near the top of
the league in hits. Congrats to Adrian from me, the entire LCS
Hockey family, and, of course, Mr. Wayne Axford, a prince among
men!
