NHL Saturday returns to its miniseries on the best players in each franchise’s history, today tackling the Vancouver Canucks. The organization joined the NHL in 1970 as part of the second-wave expansion, and the team has reached three Stanley Cup Finals, albeit without winning any of them. Recently, there have been some hard times, too, with just two postseason appearances in the last 10 seasons. Alas, it’s cyclical.

No. 10: Pavel Bure, LW—53 PS (1991-1998)

A sixth-round pick, he paid off for Vancouver with a Calder vote win in 1992 and an All-Star nod in 1994, the same year he led the Canucks to Game 7 of the Cup Finals. He also topped the NHL in goals during that All-Star year. After 7 years, he left Vancouver, having posated 478 points in 428 regular-season games and 66 points in 60 postseason contests. He peaked in his final year with the team, posting 12.9 Point Shares.

No. 9: Richard Brodeur, G—56 PS (1980-1988)

After being an All Star in the WHA, he joined the Canucks at age 28, well into his professional career. He posted just a 126-173-62 record in Vancouver, but he was a key member of the 1982 team that reached the Cup Finals. He went 11-6 in that playoff run, with a league-best .918 save percentage in the process. Oddly, however, he won just 1 other postseason game in his time with the organization (1984). Strange highs and lows.

No. 8: Trevor Linden, RW—61 PS (1988-1998, 2001-2008)

Never a dominant player, he’s on this list for longevity in two different stints with the club totaling 1,140 regular-season games (733 points) and 118 postseason contests (95 points). Never an All Star, his best season came in 1996 when he posted 7.6 PS, and overall, he earned 5.0-plus PS just five times in his career with the Canucks. He was a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals team, posting 25 points in 24 games overall.

No. 7: Mattias Öhlund, D—62 PS (1997-2009)

He averaged 24:35 ATOI in his time with the team, despite never making an All-Star team. For the No. 13 pick overall, that may seem like a disappointment, however. He finished in the Top 15 voting for the Norris only twice (2002, 2004) as well. In 52 playoff games, he put up 26:11 ATOI, so he certainly stepped it up for the postseason. His best season was 2003-2004, when he posted 7.9 PS, including 5.0 defensively. Rugged.

No. 6: Kirk McLean, G—73 PS (1987-1997)

An All Star in 1992, he also backed the team in those 1994 playoffs (15-9, 2.29 GAA, .928 save percentage). Not bad for a sixth rounder, eh? He came to Vancouver after two brief stints with the New Jersey Devils, and he was only 21 years old. Twice, he finished in the Top 3 Vezina vote (1989, 1992). He finished his career with the team even in postseason action (34-34), and his best season (1991-1992) produced an 11.4 PS mark.

No. 5: Alexander Edler, D—73 PS (2006-2021)

Another long timer who never made an All-Star team, he peaked with 8.3 PS in 2012. He posted 22:55 ATOI in the regular season (925 games) and 23:22 ATOI in the postseason (82 games). He was a key member of the 2011 squad that reached the Stanley Cup Finals before falling short in Game 7 at home. In that postseason stretch, he improved to 24:47 ATOI in 25 games. Never dominant, he was a truly grinder on the blue line.

No. 4: Markus Näslund, LW—87 PS (1996-2008)

We voted him the Hart winner in 2002 and 2003, surprisingly, but he did finish 5th and 2nd in the vote, respectively, during those years. The No. 16 overall pick by Pittsburgh, he made three All-Star squads (2002-2004) while with the Canucks, and he led the NHL in even-strength goals once (2004). He also topped his peers in game-winning goals once (2003), as well. Why the Penguins traded him so young?!

No. 3: Roberto Luongo, G—89 PS (2006-2014)

He joined Vancouver at age 27 and was a workhorse with the Canucks, playing in 572 regular-season games (252-137-50) and 64 playoff matchups (32-31). He was a leader on the 2011 Cup Finals squad, and he made the 2007 All-Star team as well. Five years in a row (2007-2011), he was a Top 10 vote getter for the Vezina, although we never gave it to him, either. He topped his peers with 38 victories during the 2010-2011 season.

No. 2: Henrik Sedin, C—109 PS (2000-2018)

As the No. 3 overall pick, expectations were high (see below), and he delivered: the 2010 Hart trophy, the 2010 scoring champion, three-time assists king (2010-2012), and a reputation for toughness as he missed just 30 games in his 18-year career. Oddly, he only made two All-Star teams (2010-2011), but that’s not his fault. He put up a league-best 19 assists during the 2011 playoffs, as the Canucks came up just short of glory.

No. 1: Daniel Sedin, LW—123 PS (2000-2018)

He was the No. 2 pick in the same draft as his twin (see above), and he made the same two All-Star teams (2010-2011). He was the scoring champ in 2011, one year after his brother did it. In those 2011 playoffs, he led all skaters with 5 power-play goals. Strangely, the only year he garnered any Hart votes was in 2011, when he came second in the voting. Imagine how many voters got the two guys mixed up on the ballots!