1994–95 Vancouver Canucks season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	1994–95
Year:	1994
Team:	Vancouver Canucks
Conferencerank:	6th
Divisionrank:	2nd
Record:	18–18–12
Homerecord:	10–8–6
Roadrecord:	8–10–6
Goalsfor:	153
Goalsagainst:	148
Attendance:	13,932
Goalsleader:	Pavel Bure (20)
Assistsleader:	Pavel Bure (23)
Pointsleader:	Pavel Bure (43)
Pimleader:	Dana Murzyn (129)
Plusminusleader:	Dana Murzyn (+14)
Winsleader:	Kirk McLean (18)
Gaaleader:	Kirk McLean (2.75)

The 1994–95 Vancouver Canucks season was the team's 25th NHL campaign. Goaltender Kirk McLean earned all eighteen of the Canucks' wins during the lockout-shortened, 48–game season. Pavel Bure was not the same offensive dynamo that he had been over the prior two seasons, each of which saw him hit the 60-goal mark, but he did still lead the club in goals (20), assists (23, and tied with Jeff Brown), points (43) and shots (198). A trade with the Dallas Stars on April 7, 1995, saw Russ Courtnall join his brother Geoff on the Canucks. The team finished the season with as many wins as losses, good for 6th place in the Western Conference, and they led the league with 12 ties. This was also the team's final season at the Pacific Coliseum before moving to GM Place, now known as Rogers Arena.

Playoffs

See also: 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs. In the post-season, Vancouver was the clear underdog against the third-place St. Louis Blues, who had members from the 1994 Stanley-Cup champion Rangers team, as well as their head coach, Mike Keenan. After losing game one at the Kiel Center by a score of 2–1, the Canucks won game two by a score of 5–3 behind Kirk McLean's 33-save performance and Pavel Bure's shorthanded insurance goal in the third period. The shots on goal were 26 for Vancouver and 36 for St. Louis, as they had been in the first game. The Canucks carried over their momentum from their win in game two to the Pacific Coliseum for game three, where they triumphed 6–1. Sergio Momesso scored twice. The Canucks were looking to win game four as well, leading 2–1 after Russ Courtnall's shorthanded goal at 4:41 of the second period. But the Blues got their jump from Brendan Shanahan who scored a natural hat trick to give the Blues a 4–2 lead. Glenn Anderson would add another goal at 13:01 of the third period as St. Louis went on to win 5–2 to square the series at two games apiece. In game five at the Kiel Center, the Canucks scored four times on their first 19 shots, as Curtis Joseph would be pulled in favor of Jon Casey. Trailing Vancouver 5–4 with under 12 minutes to play, Murray Baron tied the game at 8:22 of the third period. The game would go into overtime where Cliff Ronning scored at 1:48 of the first overtime period to give the Canucks a 3–2 lead in the series.

Looking to close out the series at home in game six, the Canucks were dominated by the Blues who won by a score of 8–2. Esa Tikkanen (who would soon become a Canuck himself) picked up four points in the game (2 goals and 2 assists). Kirk McLean allowed six goals on just 17 shots. With the series tied at 3–3, a crucial game seven in St. Louis took place on Friday, May 19. Although the Blues had twice as many shots as the Canucks (44–22), Curtis Joseph allowed 4 goals on 21 shots while Kirk McLean made 41 saves. Call-up rookie Adrian Aucoin began a successful NHL career by blasting a slapshot on the power-play to give the Canucks the lead, and Pavel Bure added an empty-net goal with 22 seconds remaining to seal the game 5–3 and earn the Canucks a 4–3 series win. It was Bure's seventh goal of the playoffs. It was a series with marked offensive output, as each team scored 27 goals over the seven games. The Canucks' special teams dominated throughout, as Vancouver scored 11 power-play goals and six short-handed goals in the series.

In the second round, the Canucks faced the Chicago Blackhawks. Both teams skated to a 1–1 tie before Joe Murphy scored the winner at 9:04 of the first overtime period. Blackhawks goaltender Ed Belfour stopped 26 of 27 Vancouver shots. Game two was also close, as Chicago edged Vancouver 2–0 on goals by Jim Cummins and Patrick Poulin. Down two games to none in the series, the Canucks battled desperately to get a win at home in game three, but relinquished leads of 1–0 and 2–1. Ironically it was ex-Canuck Murray Craven who tied the game at 2–2 with 45 seconds remaining in the third period to send the game to overtime. Chris Chelios scored at 6:22 of the first overtime period as the Hawks took a commanding three-games-to-none series lead. In game four, Vancouver broke a 1–1 tie on two goals by Roman Oksiuta to lead 3–1 in the second period, but Chicago came back again on goals by another ex-Canuck Gerald Diduck and Jeremy Roenick, leaving the score after 60 minutes tied at three goals apiece. Once again, the overtime hero was Chris Chelios, who scored 5:35 into the extra frame to give the Blackhawks a 4–0 sweep over the Canucks, advancing them to the third round for the first time in three years.

Schedule and results

Regular season

|- align="center" |1||T||January 20, 1995||1–1 OT|| align="left"| Dallas Stars (1994–95) ||0–0–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|2||L||January 21, 1995||1–7 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1994–95) ||0–1–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|3||L||January 24, 1995||3–6 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1994–95) ||0–2–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|4||L||January 25, 1995||2–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1994–95) ||0–3–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |5||W||January 28, 1995||3–1 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1994–95) ||1–3–1 || |-|- align="center" |6||T||February 1, 1995||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1994–95) ||1–3–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|7||L||February 5, 1995||4–9 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1994–95) ||1–4–2 || |- align="center" |8||T||February 7, 1995||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1994–95) ||1–4–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |9||W||February 9, 1995||5–1 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1994–95) ||2–4–3 || |- align="center" |10||T||February 11, 1995||1–1 OT|| align="left"| San Jose Sharks (1994–95) ||2–4–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|11||L||February 15, 1995||1–3 || align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks (1994–95) ||2–5–4 || |- align="center" |12||T||February 17, 1995||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1994–95) ||2–5–5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |13||W||February 18, 1995||6–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1994–95) ||3–5–5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |14||W||February 20, 1995||8–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1994–95) ||4–5–5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|15||L||February 22, 1995||1–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1994–95) ||4–6–5 || |- align="center" |16||T||February 24, 1995||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Dallas Stars (1994–95) ||4–6–6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |17||W||February 26, 1995||5–1 || align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks (1994–95) ||5–6–6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|18||L||February 28, 1995||3–4 || align="left"| San Jose Sharks (1994–95) ||5–7–6 || |-|- align="center" |19||T||March 2, 1995||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1994–95) ||5–7–7 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |20||W||March 4, 1995||5–4 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1994–95) ||6–7–7 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|21||L||March 6, 1995||2–5 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1994–95) ||6–8–7 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |22||W||March 11, 1995||5–3 || align="left"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1994–95) ||7–8–7 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |23||W||March 12, 1995||5–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1994–95) ||8–8–7 || |- align="center" |24||T||March 14, 1995||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1994–95) ||8–8–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|25||L||March 16, 1995||2–9 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1994–95) ||8–9–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|26||L||March 17, 1995||1–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1994–95) ||8–10–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |27||W||March 21, 1995||3–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1994–95) ||9–10–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|28||L||March 23, 1995||1–3 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1994–95) ||9–11–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|29||L||March 25, 1995||1–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1994–95) ||9–12–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|30||L||March 26, 1995||0–2 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1994–95) ||9–13–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |31||W||March 29, 1995||5–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1994–95) ||10–13–8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |32||W||March 31, 1995||6–1 || align="left"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1994–95) ||11–13–8 || |-|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |33||W||April 1, 1995||5–1 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1994–95) ||12–13–8 || |- align="center" |34||T||April 4, 1995||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Dallas Stars (1994–95) ||12–13–9 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|35||L||April 7, 1995||4–7 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1994–95) ||12–14–9 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |36||W||April 8, 1995||4–2 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1994–95) ||13–14–9 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |37||W||April 11, 1995||5–0 || align="left"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1994–95) ||14–14–9 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|38||L||April 13, 1995||4–6 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1994–95) ||14–15–9 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |39||W||April 15, 1995||3–1 || align="left"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1994–95) ||15–15–9 || |- align="center" |40||T||April 17, 1995||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Dallas Stars (1994–95) ||15–15–10 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|41||L||April 18, 1995||1–4 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1994–95) ||15–16–10 || |- align="center"|42||T||April 20, 1995||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Calgary Flames (1994–95) ||15–16–11 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |43||W||April 22, 1995||6–1 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1994–95) ||16–16–11 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|44||L||April 25, 1995||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1994–95) ||16–17–11 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|45||L||April 26, 1995||2–5 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1994–95) ||16–18–11 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |46||W||April 28, 1995||3–1 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1994–95) ||17–18–11 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |47||W||April 30, 1995||6–4 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1994–95) ||18–18–11 || |-|- align="center" |48||T||May 3, 1995||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks (1994–95) ||18–18–12 || |-|-| Legend:

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 1 || L || May 7, 1995 || 1–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues || Blues lead 1–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 2 || W || May 9, 1995 || 5–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues || Series tied 1–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 3 || W || May 11, 1995 || 6–1 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues || Canucks lead 2–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 4 || L || May 13, 1995 || 2–5 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues || Series tied 2–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 5 || W || May 15, 1995 || 6–5 OT|| align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues || Canucks lead 3–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 6 || L || May 17, 1995 || 2–8 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues || Series tied 3–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 7 || W || May 19, 1995 || 5–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues || Canucks win 4–3 || |-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 1 || L || May 21, 1995 || 1–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks || Blackhawks lead 1–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 2 || L || May 23, 1995 || 0–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks || Blackhawks lead 2–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 3 || L || May 25, 1995 || 2–3 OT|| align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks || Blackhawks lead 3–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 4 || L || May 27, 1995 || 3–4 OT|| align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks || Blackhawks win 4–0 || |-|-| Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring

Position abbreviations: C = Centre; D = Defence; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing
= Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canucks only.
= Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canucks only.

	Regular season						Playoffs
	Player
10		LW	44	20	23	43	−8	48	11	7	6	13	−1	10
16		C	48	18	22	40	−5	40	11	2	6	8	−1	12
14		LW	45	16	18	34	2	81	11	4	2	6	−8	34
22		D	33	8	23	31	−2	16	5	1	3	4	2	2
27		LW	48	10	15	25	−2	65	11	3	1	4	−5	16
7		C	41	6	19	25	−4	27	11	3	5	8	−5	2
23		RW	46	13	10	23	8	36	3	0	1	1	1	0
42		C	37	8	13	21	−10	28	11	1	1	2	−7	12
9		RW	13	4	14	18	10	4	11	4	8	12	1	21
21		D	36	5	12	17	4	26	11	2	6	8	0	8
8		LW	31	5	10	15	1	12
44		D	40	3	11	14	−13	18	11	2	2	4	−8	14
3		D	45	2	11	13	−3	34	11	0	2	2	−5	6
33		C	33	6	6	12	−6	30	5	0	1	1	0	8
20		LW	25	5	6	11	11	23	9	1	1	2	−3	0
29		LW	23	4	5	9	−3	109	5	0	0	0	−2	47
25		C	27	4	4	8	2	2
5		D	40	0	8	8	14	129	8	0	1	1	−1	22
28		RW	12	5	2	7	2	2	10	2	3	5	0	0
24		D	19	1	5	6	0	32
19		RW	34	3	2	5	1	120	11	0	0	0	−3	22
4		D	22	1	3	4	−8	15
15		C	28	0	4	4	−3	37
34		D	34	1	2	3	−2	39	11	0	0	0	−4	12
2		D	16	0	3	3	2	4	1	0	0	0	0	2
9		RW	10	2	0	2	−3	0
6		D	1	1	0	1	1	0	4	1	0	1	−1	0
20		RW	3	1	0	1	0	0
36		RW	3	1	0	1	0	4	6	0	0	0	−2	10
1		G	40	0	1	1		4	11	0	1	1		0
6		D	3	0	1	1	3	4
24		D	11	0	1	1	0	33
35		G	11	0	1	1		7	1	0	0	0		0
18		LW	7	0	0	0	−4	46
25		RW	4	0	0	0	−2	13	5	0	0	0	0	2
4		D	1	0	0	0	1	0	5	0	0	0	0	4

Goaltending

	Regular season										Playoffs
	Player
1		40	18	12	10	1140	109	2.75	.904	1	2374	11	4	7	336	36	3.27	.893	0	660
35		11	0	6	2	279	37	3.98	.867	0	558	1	0	0	18	2	6.00	.889	0	20

Awards and records

Awards

Type	Award/honour	Recipient	Ref
Team	Babe Pratt Trophy	Jeff Brown	^[1]
	Cyclone Taylor Trophy	Trevor Linden
	Cyrus H. McLean Trophy	Pavel Bure
	Fred J. Hume Award	Martin Gelinas	^[2]
	Molson Cup	Kirk McLean	^[3]
	Most Exciting Player Award	Pavel Bure

Draft picks

Vancouver's draft picks at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft held at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut.^[4]

Round		Player	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	13	Mattias Ohlund	Luleå HF (Sweden)
2	39	Robb Gordon	Powell River Kings (BCHL)
2	42	Dave Scatchard	Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
3	65	Chad Allen	Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
4	92	Mike Dubinsky	Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
5	117	Yanick Dube	Laval Titan (QMJHL)
7	169	Yuri Kuznetsov	Avangard Omsk (Russia)
8	195	Rob Trumbley	Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
9	221	Bill Muckalt	Kelowna Spartans (BCHL)
10	247	Tyson Nash	Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
11	273	Robert Longpre	Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

References

Web site: Vancouver Canucks 1994-95 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com . www.hockeydb.com . September 11, 2023.
Web site: 1994-95 Vancouver Canucks Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts . Hockey-Reference.com . September 11, 2023.

Notes and References

Vancouver Canucks 2016–17 Media Guide, p. 249
Vancouver Canucks 2016–17 Media Guide, p. 250
2015–16 Vancouver Canucks Media Guide, p. 217
Web site: 1994 NHL Entry Draft Picks at hockeydb.com . www.hockeydb.com . September 11, 2023.