The 2008–09 Vancouver Canucks season was the 39th season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Season events

Off-season

On June 17, 2008, the Canucks named Ryan Walter as an assistant coach. He joined head coach Alain Vigneault and assistant coach Rick Bowness on the Canucks' coaching staff.CANOE - SLAM! Sports - Hockey NHL - Vancouver - Canucks hire Walter as assistant Walter, 50, played in 1,003 NHL games over 15 seasons with Washington, Montreal, and Vancouver, scoring 264 goals and 382 assists. He won the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986. A native of New Westminster, British Columbia, Walter was the second overall pick by the Washington Capitals in the 1978 NHL amateur draft.

The Canucks lost two key veterans to free agency. Markus Naslund, the Canucks' captain for the previous seven seasons, signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the New York Rangers, while Pitt Meadows native Brendan Morrison signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks.

The Canucks also lost a promising young defenceman, Luc Bourdon, who died in a motorcycle accident in his hometown of Shippagan, New Brunswick. The Canucks honoured Bourdon with a tribute in the season opener, October 9, against the Calgary Flames.

Among the Canucks' roster additions was Steve Bernier, who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres for a second- and third-round draft pick, and Pavol Demitra, who signed a two-year, $8 million contract.

The Canucks announced on September 4, 2008, that they would honour Trevor Linden in a pre-game ceremony on December 17, 2008 before a game against the Edmonton Oilers. His jersey number, 16, was retired by the team, joining former captain Stan Smyl as the second Canuck to have his number retired.

Pre-season The Canucks' 2008 pre-season began on September 12 with the opening of their annual prospects training camp. The camp consisted of 22 players and was held in Vancouver, British Columbia at both General Motors Place and the University of British Columbia campus, as well as in Camrose, Alberta. The prospect camp was then followed by the main training camp, held over two days beginning September 20 in Whistler, British Columbia.

On September 30, 2008, the Canucks named Roberto Luongo as the twelfth captain in team history, with Luongo becoming only the seventh goaltender in NHL history to be named team captain. NHL rules prevent goaltenders from physically wearing the captain's letter "C", however, they do not prevent goaltenders from being named captain. The Canucks also named Willie Mitchell, Mattias Ohlund, and Ryan Kesler as alternate captains. Mitchell assumed the duties of dealing with officials during games, while Ohlund took faceoffs and performed other ceremonial duties.

2008 Pre-season Game Log: 6–0–1 (Home: 3–0–1; Road: 3–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 22 Vancouver 4–3 Edmonton SO Schneider 16,839 1–0–0 2 September 23 Edmonton 1–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 2–0–0 3 September 27 Vancouver 3–2 San Jose Luongo 16,721 3–0–0 4 September 28 Vancouver 5–4 Anaheim SO Sanford 16,481 4–0–0 5 October 1 Calgary 1–6 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 5–0–0 6 October 2 San Jose 2–3 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 6–0–0 7 October 5 Anaheim 4–3 Vancouver OT Luongo 18,630 6–0–1

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Regular season 2008–09 Game log October: 6–5–0 (Home: 2–1–0; Road: 4–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 9 Calgary 0–6 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 1–0–0 2 2 October 11 Vancouver 5–4 Calgary OT Luongo 19,289 2–0–0 4 3 October 13 Vancouver 1–5 Washington Luongo 16,847 2–1–0 4 4 October 16 Vancouver 4–3 Detroit OT Luongo 19,011 3–1–0 6 5 October 17 Vancouver 2–5 Buffalo Sanford 18,449 3–2–0 6 6 October 19 Vancouver 2–4 Chicago Luongo 21,193 3–3–0 6 7 October 21 Vancouver 2–4 Columbus Luongo 12,057 3–4–0 6 8 October 25 Edmonton 3–6 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 4–4–0 8 9 October 28 Boston 1–0 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 4–5–0 8 10 October 30 Vancouver 4–0 Los Angeles Luongo 13,652 5–5–0 10 11 October 31 Vancouver 7–6 Anaheim SO Luongo 16,704 6–5–0 12 November: 8–3–2 (Home: 5–2–1; Road: 3–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 2 Detroit 3–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 6–6–0 12 13 November 4 Nashville 0–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 7–6–0 14 14 November 6 Phoenix 0–1 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 8–6–0 16 15 November 8 Minnesota 0–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 9–6–0 18 16 November 12 Colorado 2–1 Vancouver SO Luongo 18,630 9–6–1 19 17 November 15 Toronto 2–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 10–6–1 21 18 November 17 Vancouver 1–2 NY Islanders SO Luongo 11,299 10–6–2 22 19 November 19 Vancouver 6–3 NY Rangers Luongo 18,200 11–6–2 24 20 November 20 Vancouver 3–2 Minnesota Sanford 18,568 12–6–2 26 21 November 22 Vancouver 3–1 Pittsburgh Sanford 17,040 13–6–2 28 22 November 24 Detroit 2–3 Vancouver OT Sanford 18,630 14–6–2 30 23 November 27 Calgary 4–3 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 14–7–2 30 24 November 29 Vancouver 1–3 Calgary Schneider 19,289 14–8–2 30 December: 6–7–1 (Home: 4–3–0; Road: 2–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 25 December 1 Vancouver 2–3 Columbus Schneider 13,299 14–9–2 30 26 December 4 Vancouver 5–6 Detroit Sanford 19,116 14–10–2 30 27 December 5 Vancouver 2–1 Minnesota Schneider 18,568 15–10–2 32 28 December 7 Vancouver 4–5 Colorado SO Schneider 13,411 15–10–3 33 29 December 9 Vancouver 3–1 Nashville Sanford 12,441 16–10–3 35 30 December 13 Vancouver 0–3 Edmonton Sanford 16,839 16–11–3 35 31 December 14 Florida 3–5 Vancouver Schneider 18,630 17–11–3 37 32 December 17 Edmonton 2–4 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 18–11–3 39 33 December 20 Chicago 3–1 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 18–12–3 39 34 December 22 Anaheim 3–4 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 19–12–3 41 35 December 23 Vancouver 0–5 San Jose Schneider 17,496 19–13–3 41 36 December 26 Edmonton 3–2 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 19–14–3 41 37 December 28 Ottawa 0–3 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 20–14–3 43 38 December 30 Philadelphia 3–2 Vancouver Schneider 18,630 20–15–3 43 January: 2–5–5 (Home: 0–5–3; Road: 2–0–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 39 January 1 Vancouver 2–1 Nashville LaBarbera 16,502 21–15–3 45 40 January 2 Vancouver 3–4 Atlanta SO LaBarbera 14,902 21–15–4 46 41 January 4 Dallas 3–2 Vancouver SO LaBarbera 18,630 21–15–5 47 42 January 7 Vancouver 4–2 Edmonton LaBarbera 16,839 22–15–5 49 43 January 9 St. Louis 6–4 Vancouver LaBarbera 18,630 22–16–5 49 44 January 10 San Jose 4–2 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 22–17–5 49 45 January 13 New Jersey 5–3 Vancouver Sanford 18,630 22–18–5 49 46 January 15 Phoenix 4–1 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 22–19–5 49 47 January 18 Columbus 6–5 Vancouver SO Luongo 18,630 22–19–6 50 48 January 20 Vancouver 1–2 San Jose OT Luongo 17,496 22–19–7 51 49 January 28 Nashville 5–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 22–20–7 51 50 January 31 Minnesota 4–3 Vancouver OT Luongo 18,630 22–20–8 52 February: 9–2–0 (Home: 4–0–0; Road: 5–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 51 February 3 Carolina 3–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 23–20–8 54 52 February 7 Chicago 3–7 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 24–20–8 56 53 February 10 Vancouver 6–4 St. Louis Luongo 16,431 25–20–8 58 54 February 12 Vancouver 4–3 Phoenix Luongo 14,872 26–20–8 60 55 February 13 Vancouver 1–2 Dallas LaBarbera 18,532 26–21–8 60 56 February 15 Montreal 2–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 27–21–8 62 57 February 17 Vancouver 4–3 Calgary SO Luongo 19,289 28–21–8 64 58 February 19 Vancouver 5–2 Ottawa Luongo 19,716 29–21–8 66 59 February 21 Vancouver 3–2 Toronto SO Luongo 19,504 30–21–8 68 60 February 24 Vancouver 0–3 Montreal Luongo 21,273 30–22–8 68 61 February 27 Tampa Bay 1–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 31–22–8 70 March: 11–3–1 (Home: 7–0–0; Road: 4–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 62 March 1 Columbus 1–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 32–22–8 72 63 March 3 Minnesota 2–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 33–22–8 74 64 March 7 San Jose 1–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 34–22–8 76 65 March 9 Vancouver 2–3 Los Angeles Luongo 16,995 34–23–8 76 66 March 11 Vancouver 3–4 Anaheim OT Luongo 16,967 34–23–9 77 67 March 13 Los Angeles 2–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 35–23–9 79 68 March 15 Colorado 2–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 36–23–9 81 69 March 17 Dallas 2–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 37–23–9 83 70 March 19 St. Louis 0–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 38–23–9 85 71 March 21 Vancouver 1–5 Phoenix Luongo 17,125 38–24–9 85 72 March 24 Vancouver 5–2 Dallas Luongo 17,276 39–24–9 87 73 March 26 Vancouver 2–4 St. Louis Luongo 19,250 39–25–9 87 74 March 27 Vancouver 4–1 Colorado LaBarbera 16,177 40–25–9 89 75 March 29 Vancouver 4–0 Chicago Luongo 21,673 41–25–9 91 76 March 31 Vancouver 2–1 Minnesota OT Luongo 18,568 42–25–9 93 April: 3–2–1 (Home: 2–1–1; Road: 1–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 77 April 2 Anaheim 6–5 Vancouver SO Luongo 18,630 42–25–10 94 78 April 4 Vancouver 3–5 Edmonton Luongo 16,839 42–26–10 94 79 April 5 Colorado 4–1 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 42–27–10 94 80 April 7 Calgary 1–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 43–27–10 96 81 April 9 Los Angeles 0–1 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 44–27–10 98 82 April 11 Vancouver 1–0 Colorado OT Luongo 13,397 45–27–10 100 Legend:

Playoffs 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference quarter-final vs. (6) St. Louis Blues: Vancouver won series 4–0 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 April 15 St. Louis 1–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 1–0 2 April 17 St. Louis 0–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 2–0 3 April 19 Vancouver 3–2 St. Louis Luongo 19,500 3–0 4 April 21 Vancouver 3–2 St. Louis OT Luongo 19,250 4–0 Western Conference semi-final vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago won series 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 April 30 Chicago 3–5 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 1–0 2 May 2 Chicago 6–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 1–1 3 May 5 Vancouver 3–1 Chicago Luongo 22,659 2–1 4 May 7 Vancouver 1–2 Chicago OT Luongo 22,682 2–2 5 May 9 Chicago 4–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 2–3 6 May 11 Vancouver 5–7 Chicago Luongo 22,687 2–4 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes

Regular season Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM 82 31 51 82 +24 36 82 22 60 82 +22 48 82 26 33 59 +8 61 69 20 33 53 +6 20 82 28 23 51 +23 150 72 11 32 43 -4 97 80 10 27 37 +11 54 81 15 17 32 +4 27 41 9 19 28 -5 28 74 18 9 27 +2 4 82 6 19 25 +14 105 60 5 20 25 +5 26 72 11 12 23 +2 24 82 3 20 23 +29 59 55 6 15 21 +5 37 69 10 9 19 0 43† 76 0 10 10 +6 196 62 2 7 9 +1 12 73 4 1 5 +1 109 14 2 2 4 -2 14 12 3 0 3 -3 19 23 0 2 2 -4 51 4 1 0 1 0 2† 3 0 1 1 +1 0 7 0 1 1 +1 4‡ 14 0 1 1 +3 6‡ 20 0 1 1 -5 85 3 0 0 0 +1 0

Playoffs Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM 10 4 6 10 +2 2 10 4 6 10 +4 8 8 3 5 8 -1 2 10 1 7 8 -2 6 7 3 4 7 0 2 10 1 5 6 -1 0 10 0 5 5 +3 14 10 3 1 4 +3 20 10 2 2 4 -1 7 10 2 2 4 -2 14 10 2 1 3 -2 2 6 1 2 3 -2 2 10 1 2 3 +5 6 10 1 1 2 0 2 10 1 1 2 -3 24 10 0 2 2 -2 22 10 0 2 2 -1 40 10 1 0 1 +1 14 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 -3 2

Goaltenders

Regular season Player GP Min W L OT GA GAA SA SV Sv% SO 54 3181 33 13 7 124 2.34 1542 1418 .920 9 19 973 7 8 0 42 2.59 448 406 .906 1 † 9 451 3 2 2 20 2.66 235 215 .915 0 8 355 2 4 1 20 3.38 162 142 .877 0

Playoffs Player GP Min W L GA GAA SA SV Sv% SO 10 618 6 4 26 2.52 304 278 .914 1

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Vancouver. Stats reflect time with the Canucks only. ‡Denotes player no longer with the team. Stats reflect time with Canucks only.

Awards and records

Awards Daniel Sedin was named the NHL's first star of the week for the week ending October 12, 2008. Roberto Luongo was named the NHL's first star of the week for the week ending November 9, 2008. Henrik Sedin was named the NHL's second star of the week for the week ending November 23, 2008.