1970–71 Vancouver Canucks season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=1970-71
Team=Vancouver Canucks
Division=East
DivisionRank=6th
Record=24-46-8 (56 Points)
HomeRecord=17-18-4
RoadRecord=7-28-4
GoalsFor=229
GoalsAgainst=296
GeneralManager=Norman Robert Poile
Coach=Hal Laycoe
Captain=Orland Kurtenbach
AltCaptain=Ray Cullen
Garth Rizzuto
Arena=Pacific Coliseum
Attendance=15,577
GoalsLeader=Rosaire Paiement (34)
AssistsLeader=Dale Tallon (42)
PointsLeader=Andre Boudrias (66)
PIMLeader=Pat Quinn (149)
WinsLeader=Charlie Hodge (15)
GAALeader=George Gardner (3.38) The 1970-71 Vancouver Canucks season was the Canucks first in the NHL. They joined the league on May 22, 1970, along with the Buffalo Sabres. After not being awarded an expansion team in 1967 when the league added six teams, Vancouver finally joined the NHL in 1970 for a price of $6 million (compared to $2 million in 1967cite book | last = MacKinnon | first = John | title = NHL Hockey: The Official Fans' Guide | year = 1996 | publisher = Raincoast Book Distribution Ltd. | location = Vancouver | pages = 128] ). The Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League were promoted to the NHL, though the ownership group of the WHL Canucks, not willing to pay the $6 million to join the NHL, sold the team to Medicor, a group controlled by Thomas Scallen.

The Canucks logo was a stylized "C" designed as a hockey stick inside a rink incorporating the colours of blue, green and white to represent the water, forests and snow surrounding Vancouver. It was designed by a local creative designer, Joe Borovich, and bought for $500.Cite web|url=http://canucks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=12896|title=Canucks History|accessdate=2007-11-02|publisher=Canucks.com|year=2007|author=Vancouver Canucks]

During the Amateur draft, held on June 11 in Montreal, there was debate over what expansion team would draft first. In order to reach a compromise, a numbered spinning wheel was brought in to determine the draft: the Sabres were odd numbers, the Canucks even. When the wheel landed on 11, the Canucks and NHL President Clarence Campbell thought it was II (two) in Roman numerals. However it turned out to be 11 (eleven) in Arabic numerals, leading the Sabres to select first overall future superstar Gilbert Perrault.cite book | last = Rud | first = Jeff | title = Canucks Legends: Vancouver's Hockey Heroes | year = 2006 | publisher = Raincoast Books | location = Vancouver | pages = 256]

On October 9, 1970, the Canucks played their first game in the NHL, a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. There was a grand opening ceremony attended by British Columbia Premier W. A. C. Bennett, Mayor of Vancouver Tom Campbell (who was booed by fans), Chief Dan George and former Vancouver Millionaires player Cyclone Taylor, who received a standing ovation upon being introduced. Barry Wilkins scored the first goal for the Canucks in the third period.

Throughout the first three months of the season, the Canucks managed to stay within contention of a playoff spot, despite playing in the much stronger NHL East Division, composed of five of the Original Six teams (Chicago was transferred to the West Division at the start of the season). This changed when captain Orland Kurtenbach injured his knee in late December. The Canucks would finish their inaugural season with six 20 goal scorers, and Tallon would break Bobby Orr's rookie record for defenceman assists, but still only one point out of last in the East Division.

Regular season

"Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against"