The Players Behind The Canucks’ Quarter-Century Team

The Vancouver Canucks’ quarter-century teams were released this morning. Included players must have played for the team between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2024. Without further ado, here are NHL.com’s picks for the Canucks’ quarter-century team.

First Team

Markus Näslund

Second in goals scored in Canucks history with 346, former captain Markus Näslund is most often known for his prolific goal-scoring and mentorship of the coming influx of Swedish players. Originally a product of the Pittsburgh Penguins, a couple of down years resulted in him getting traded to the Canucks for Alek Stojanov. He scored 395 goals and 474 assists in his 1117 career NHL games, and won the Lester B. Pearson award after a 48-goal, 56-assist season in 2003.

Daniel Sedin

An obvious choice for Vancouver’s quarter-century team, Daniel Sedin is one of six players on this list that were part of the 2011 Stanley Cup run. He was drafted 2nd overall in the 1999 NHL draft, just ahead of his brother. Daniel currently holds the franchise record for goals scored with 393, adding 648 assists onto that for a total of 1041 points in 1306 career NHL games. He has won the Art Ross Trophy (2010–11), Ted Lindsay Award (2010–11), King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2017–18), and was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022.

Henrik Sedin

Former captain and franchise record-holder for points as a Canuck with 1070, Henrik Sedin was drafted 3rd overall in 1999 by then-Canucks General Manager Brian Burke. In his entire 17-season career, all spent with the Canucks, he scored 240 goals and 830 assists in 1330 games played. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy in the 2009–10 season with 29 goals and 83 assists, also taking home the Art Ross (2009–10) and King Clancy (2015–16, 2017–18). He was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame alongside his brother in 2022.

Alexander Edler

A reliable defenceman who spent 15 seasons with the Canucks, Alex Edler is currently the franchise leader in points by a defenceman. He was picked 91st overall in the 2004 NHL Draft by Vancouver and remained in the organization until 2021. Having only officially retired this season, he signed a one-day contract with the team to retire as a Canuck. In 1030 career games also spent with the L.A. Kings, he posted 104 goals and 335 assists.

Quinn Hughes

It’s quite possible that current Canucks captain Quinn Hughes will go down as the best defenceman in franchise history. He is currently second to Edler in points by a defenceman in Vancouver’s history with 383 in 519 less games. The 7th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Hughes has been everything the Canucks fanbase could have hoped for. He was a runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy in his rookie year (2019–20) and won his first James Norris Memorial Trophy last year (2023–24).

Roberto Luongo

One of four captains in the Canucks’ first team, Roberto Luongo is a Hockey Hall of Famer who spent eight seasons with Vancouver. He was drafted 4th overall in 1997 by the New York Islanders, but spent the majority of his career with Vancouver and the Florida Panthers. As one of the top goaltenders in NHL history, Luongo had an impressive 489 wins in 1044 games played and 77 shutouts in his entire career. He had a career-high of nine shutouts in the 2008–09 season as a member of the Canucks. In 2010–11, he won the William M. Jennings Trophy alongside goaltending partner Cory Schneider.

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Second Team

Ryan Kesler

A commanding presence in the locker room with the ability to take over a series, Ryan Kesler spent 10 seasons with the Canucks before heading to the Anaheim Ducks. He was drafted 23rd overall by Vancouver in 2003 and made his NHL debut on November 24 of the same year. He is most known for his complete takeover of the team’s second-round series against the Nashville Predators in 2011 with 11 points in six games played. In his career, he posted 258 goals and 315 assists in 1001 NHL games played, and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2011.

J.T. Miller

Strikingly similar to Kesler, J.T. Miller has had Canucks fans chanting his name throughout Rogers Arena, cementing his place on this list. The forward has the ability to lock down a star player while putting up a point or two, and even had his first 100-point season with Vancouver. He was picked 15th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2011 NHL Draft, and found his way to Vancouver in the summer of 2019. Regardless of his future with the Canucks, the past six seasons he has spent with the team have been nothing but memorable.

Elias Pettersson

Drawing comparisons to the Sedins in his rookie year, Elias Pettersson has been with the Canucks for all seven of his career NHL seasons since being drafted 5th overall by them in 2017. Pettersson is averaging a near point per game pace right now with 180 goals and 261 assists in 446 games played. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy in his debut season in 2018–19 off a 28-goal, 38-assist campaign in 71 games played.

Kevin Bieksa 

A hard-nosed defenceman-turned star sports broadcaster, Kevin Bieksa was drafted 151st overall in 2001 by Vancouver. He made his debut in the 2005-06 season and spent 10 seasons with the Canucks before moving onto Anaheim. He is currently seventh in the franchise in scoring by a defenceman with 241 points in 597 games played as a Canuck. In his entire career, Bieksa has put up 63 goals and 215 assists in 808 NHL games.

Mattias Öhlund 

Mattias Öhlund was drafted 13th overall by Vancouver in 1994 and spent 11 seasons with the team before heading to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He is currently third in franchise history in scoring by a defenceman with 325 points in 770 games played. As well, he’s second in goals by a defenceman with 93, and sixth in assists with 232.

Thatcher Demko 

Despite having made a name for himself in the 2020 Bubble Playoffs, Demko made his NHL debut on March 31, 2018. He was picked 36th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft by Vancouver and has remained with the team ever since. Injuries have impacted his playing time, but that hasn’t stopped him from posting a career .911 SV% and 2.81 GAA. He was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season after winning 35 of 51 games played.

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