The 1991–92 Vancouver Canucks season was the Canucks' 22nd NHL season.
Off-season In the off-season, the Canucks fourth round draft pick in 1989 was finally validated and the Canucks now officially held the NHL rights to Pavel Bure. There was still a problem, though. His release from the Central Red Army still needed to be negotiated and there was no guarantee that he would play for the Canucks in the upcoming season. Director of Hockey Operations Brian Burke accepted the job as general manager of the Hartford Whalers and took Milwaukee Admirals Head Coach, Rick Ley to coach his team. George McPhee filled the vacant front-office post and Jack McIlhargey became the new coach on the farm. Ron Wilson became an assistant coach, as did Stan Smyl, who tearfully resigned from active playing. "The Steamer" retired as the team's all-time leader in games (896), goals (262), assists (411), and points (673). Pat Quinn elected to retain all three titles (President, General Manager, and Head Coach) instead of hiring a new coach. Craig Coxe was chosen by the San Jose Sharks in the expansion draft, and Steve Bozek signed with the same club as a free agent. To fill the void, 13-year veteran and Burnaby-native C Ryan Walter was signed away from Montreal.
Forward Trevor Linden is named sole team captain. Defenceman Doug Lidster (who shared the captaincy last season with Linden) is returned to his previous role of an alternate captain. Newly signed forward Ryan Walter, is named the other alternate captain.
Regular season The team season opened with a home-and-home series against the expansion San Jose Sharks and the Canucks swept. Pavel Bure, staying in California with his father and brother, watched the game at the Cow Palace from the press box. They managed to roll up a 7–1–1 record, the last being a 3–1 victory over the Washington Capitals on October 24 which leap-frogged the Canucks past Washington into first place in the NHL standings. On November 3, the Canucks paid tribute to their long-time captain and all-time leading scorer turned assistant coach (Smyl) with a special pre-game ceremony. He was presented with a Harley Davidson motorcycle, among other gifts, and had his number 12 raised to the rafters at Pacific Coliseum. In the game to follow, Igor Larionov broke out of a long drought by scoring his first three goals of the season in a 7–2 rout of Edmonton. The Pavel Bure debacle was being settled during that time and two nights later he made his NHL debut before a packed Coliseum against the Winnipeg Jets. The "Russian Rocket", as he became known, dazzled the crowd with three spectacular rushes but failed to score in a 3–3 tie. Three games later, Bure scored his first two NHL goals in an 8–2 romp of the Los Angeles Kings. Playing with Larionov and Greg Adams, Bure completed the "BIG Line", which became, arguably, the most dangerous offensive unit in Canucks history. Though all of the experts were predicting otherwise, the Canucks remained among the NHL's elite throughout the season, hitting a high point with an 11–0 shellacking of the Calgary Flames on March 1. Bure rolled to 34 goals, many of the highlight-reel variety, breaking Ivan Hlinka's club rookie record in only 65 games. His 60 points equaled Hlinka's total from 1981 to 1982. Trevor Linden's 75 points led the team in scoring for the second straight year, Cliff Ronning was second with 71 points and Larionov finished third with 65. Kirk McLean rebounded to have a terrific season in goal, winning a club-record 38 games and recording a 2.74 goals-against average with five shutouts earning him team MVP honors. Gino Odjick broke Dave Williams' 11-year-old single-season penalty minutes record with 348 and, what's more, he did it in only 65 games. Overall, the team racked up club record totals of 42 wins and 96 points and won the Smythe Division by 12 points over Los Angeles. The only threat to their division crown was a 10-day strike in early April that threatened to wipe out the playoffs. Finally, the streak of losing seasons had been halted at 16 years and, for the first time since 1982, the Canucks would open up a playoff series at home.
Standings
Playoffs The Canucks would eventually win the first round against the Winnipeg Jets, in seven games, after trailing the series 3–1 for the first playoff series victory since reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 1982. However, the Canucks would not get past the Edmonton Oilers and lost the series in six games.
Schedule and results
Regular season
| 1 || October 4 || San Jose || 3 – 4 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 1–0–0 || 2
| 2 || October 5 || Vancouver || 5 – 2 || San Jose || || McLean || 10,888 || 2–0–0 || 4
| 3 || October 8 || Vancouver || 3 – 2 || Winnipeg || OT || McLean || 8,689 || 3–0–0 || 6
| 4 || October 10 || Vancouver || 6 – 7 || Chicago || || Gamble || 17,322 || 3–1–0 || 6
| 5 || October 12 || Vancouver || 2 – 1 || Toronto || || McLean || 15,759 || 4–1–0 || 8
| 6 || October 13 || Vancouver || 3 – 1 || Buffalo || || McLean || 14,403 || 5–1–0 || 10
| 7 || October 17 || Boston || 3 – 3 || Vancouver || OT || McLean || 15,986 || 5–1–1 || 11
| 8 || October 19 || Calgary || 2 – 5 || Vancouver || || McLean || 15,226 || 6–1–1 || 13
| 9 || October 21 || Toronto || 1 – 4 || Vancouver || || McLean || 13,108 || 7–1–1 || 15
| 10 || October 24 || Washington || 1 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,104 || 8–1–1 || 17
| 11 || October 26 || Vancouver || 4 – 5 || Edmonton || || McLean || 16,446 || 8–2–1 || 17
| 12 || October 27 || Edmonton || 6 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || 14,646 || 8–3–1 || 17
| 13 || October 29 || New Jersey || 3 – 4 || Vancouver || || McLean || 12,196 || 9–3–1 || 19
| 14 || November 1 || St. Louis || 3 – 2 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 9–4–1 || 19
| 15 || November 3 || Edmonton || 2 – 7 || Vancouver || || McLean || 15,651 || 10–4–1 || 21
| 16 || November 5 || Winnipeg || 2 – 2 || Vancouver || OT || McLean || 16,123 || 10–4–2 || 22
| 17 || November 7 || Vancouver || 4 – 3 || Los Angeles || || McLean || 16,005 || 11–4–2 || 24
| 18 || November 10 || NY Islanders || 0 – 6 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 12–4–2 || 26
| 19 || November 12 || Los Angeles || 2 – 8 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 13–4–2 || 28
| 20 || November 14 || Vancouver || 2 – 2 || Calgary || OT || McLean || 19,688 || 13–4–3 || 29
| 21 || November 16 || San Jose || 0 – 1 || Vancouver || || McLean || 15,950 || 14–4–3 || 31
| 22 || November 19 || NY Rangers || 4 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,077 || 14–5–3 || 31
| 23 || November 21 || Vancouver || 2 – 3 || Calgary || || McLean || 20,055 || 14–6–3 || 31
| 24 || November 22 || Calgary || 5 – 6 || Vancouver || OT || McLean || 16,123 || 15–6–3 || 33
| 25 || November 26 || Vancouver || 1 – 4 || San Jose || || Gamble || 10,888 || 15–7–3 || 33
| 26 || November 29 || Chicago || 2 – 5 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 16–7–3 || 35
| 27 || December 1 || Vancouver || 0 – 7 || Edmonton || || McLean || 15,502 || 16–8–3 || 35
| 28 || December 3 || Vancouver || 0 – 3 || Quebec || || McLean || 13,033 || 16–9–3 || 35
| 29 || December 4 || Vancouver || 3 – 0 || Montreal || || McLean || 16,573 || 17–9–3 || 37
| 30 || December 7 || Vancouver || 3 – 6 || Toronto || || Gamble || 15,781 || 17–10–3 || 37
| 31 || December 10 || Edmonton || 7 – 4 || Vancouver || || McLean || 14,974 || 17–11–3 || 37
| 32 || December 12 || Minnesota || 5 – 7 || Vancouver || || Gamble || 14,803 || 18–11–3 || 39
| 33 || December 14 || Vancouver || 4 – 4 || Los Angeles || OT || McLean || 16,005 || 18–11–4 || 40
| 34 || December 17 || Detroit || 1 – 2 || Vancouver || || McLean || 15,609 || 19–11–4 || 42
| 35 || December 19 || Winnipeg || 1 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 20–11–4 || 44
| 36 || December 22 || Quebec || 6 – 6 || Vancouver || OT || McLean || 16,123 || 20–11–5 || 45
| 37 || December 27 || Philadelphia || 1 – 1 || Vancouver || OT || McLean || 16,123 || 20–11–6 || 46
| 38 || December 28 || Vancouver || 3 – 2 || San Jose || || McLean || 10,888 || 21–11–6 || 48
| 39 || December 31 || Vancouver || 5 – 3 || Los Angeles || || McLean || 16,005 || 22–11–6 || 50
| 40 || January 3 || Vancouver || 3 – 3 || Washington || OT || McLean || 16,789 || 22–11–7 || 51
| 41 || January 4 || Vancouver || 3 – 4 || Minnesota || || Gamble || 15,204 || 22–12–7 || 51
| 42 || January 7 || San Jose || 1 – 4 || Vancouver || || McLean || 15,816 || 23–12–7 || 53
| 43 || January 12 || Pittsburgh || 4 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 23–13–7 || 53
| 44 || January 14 || Vancouver || 4 – 2 || Winnipeg || || McLean || 14,737 || 24–13–7 || 55
| 45 || January 15 || Vancouver || 5 – 3 || Edmonton || || McLean || 15,176 || 25–13–7 || 57
| 46 || January 21 || Vancouver || 5 – 3 || Quebec || || Gamble || 13,634 || 26–13–7 || 59
| 47 || January 23 || Vancouver || 3 – 1 || Detroit || || McLean || 19,816 || 27–13–7 || 61
| 48 || January 25 || Vancouver || 1 – 0 || St. Louis || OT || McLean || 18,215 || 28–13–7 || 63
| 49 || January 28 || Edmonton || 5 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 28–14–7 || 63
| 50 || January 30 || Chicago || 1 – 4 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 29–14–7 || 65
| 51 || February 1 || Hartford || 4 – 4 || Vancouver || OT || McLean || 16,123 || 29–14–8 || 66
| 52 || February 4 || Montreal || 3 – 5 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 30–14–8 || 68
| 53 || February 6 || NY Islanders || 5 – 4 || Vancouver || OT || Gamble || 15,689 || 30–15–8 || 68
| 54 || February 10 || Vancouver || 3 – 8 || Montreal || || McLean || 16,838 || 30–16–8 || 68
| 55 || February 12 || Vancouver || 2 – 5 || NY Rangers || || McLean || 16,002 || 30–17–8 || 68
| 56 || February 13 || Vancouver || 3 – 5 || New Jersey || || Gamble || 12,702 || 30–18–8 || 68
| 57 || February 15 || Vancouver || 1 – 3 || NY Islanders || || McLean || 9,911 || 30–19–8 || 68
| 58 || February 17 || Vancouver || 3 – 3 || NY Rangers || OT || McLean || 18,200 || 30–19–9 || 69
| 59 || February 19 || Buffalo || 5 – 6 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 31–19–9 || 71
| 60 || February 21 || Vancouver || 5 – 3 || San Jose || || McLean || 10,888 || 32–19–9 || 73
| 61 || February 23 || Boston || 1 – 2 || Vancouver || OT || McLean || 16,123 || 33–19–9 || 75
| 62 || February 25 || Los Angeles || 4 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 33–20–9 || 75
| 63 || February 28 || Winnipeg || 3 – 5 || Vancouver || || McLean || 16,123 || 34–20–9 || 77
| 64 || March 1 || Calgary || 0 – 11 || Vancouver || || McLean || || 35–20–9 || 79
| 65 || March 2 || St. Louis || 5 – 3 || Vancouver || || McLean || || 35–21–9 || 79
| 66 || March 5 || Vancouver || 2 – 2 || Boston || OT || Gamble || || 35–21–10 || 80
| 67 || March 7 || Vancouver || 5 – 1 || Hartford || || Gamble || || 36–21–10 || 82
| 68 || March 8 || Vancouver || 7 – 3 || Philadelphia || || McLean || || 37–21–10 || 84
| 69 || March 12 || New Jersey || 1 – 2 || Vancouver || || McLean || || 38–21–10 || 86
| 70 || March 14 || Vancouver || 6 – 4 || Calgary || || McLean || || 39–21–10 || 88
| 71 || March 18 || Hartford || 1 – 3 || Vancouver || || Gamble || || 40–21–10 || 90
| 72 || March 20 || Winnipeg || 2 – 2 || Vancouver || OT || Gamble || || 40–21–11 || 91
| 73 || March 22 || Vancouver || 1 – 5 || Winnipeg || || Gamble || || 40–22–11 || 91
| 74 || March 24 || Vancouver || 4 – 2 || Minnesota || || McLean || || 41–22–11 || 93
| 75 || March 26 || Vancouver || 3 – 7 || Pittsburgh || || Gamble || || 41–23–11 || 93
| 76 || March 28 || Vancouver || 1 – 3 || Detroit || || McLean || || 41–24–11 || 93
| 77 || March 29 || Vancouver || 4 – 7 || Washington || || McLean || || 41–25–11 || 93
| 78 || April 12 || Los Angeles || 6 – 1 || Vancouver || || Gamble || 16,123 || 41–26–11 || 93
| 79 || April 14 || Vancouver || 3 – 2 || Los Angeles || || McLean || 16,005 || 42–26–11 || 95
| 80 || April 16 || Calgary || 4 – 4 || Vancouver || OT || Gamble || 15,843 || 42–26–12 || 96
Legend:
Playoffs