Vancouver Canucks (WHL)

The Vancouver Canucks were an minor league professional ice hockey team in the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. 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 their final season in the WHL after 25 years in 1969-70 before joining the National Hockey League along with fellow expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres.

The Vancouver Canucks won 6 President's/Lester Patrick Cups (the trophy was renamed in 1960 after the death of Lester Patrick) – 2 PCHL titles (1946 and 1948) and 4 WHL titles (1958, 1960, 1969 and 1970). They were also regular season champions 4 times.

Personnel

Players

Five Canucks players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Andy Bathgate (inducted in 1978) played with Vancouver for four years (1952-54 and 1968-70) 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 Cowley
1949–50: 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 (11–35–3); replaced by Hugh Currie (7–13–1) (February 7, 1962)
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 Cowley
1949–50: Coleman E. Hall
1950–51: --
1960–61: Coley Hall
1961–62: Art Chapman (temp); replaced by Dave Dauphine (after Nov.)
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. Hall
1962–63: Fred J. Hume (owner)
1968–69: Cyrus McLean
1969–70: Cyrus McLean; replaced by Thomas K. Scallen

External links

[http://www3.telus.net/dmarchak/canplay6.htm All-time pre-NHL Canucks roster]