The 2009–10 Vancouver Canucks season was the team's 40th season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Season events

Off-season

Entry draft At the 2009 NHL entry draft, the Vancouver Canucks drafted seven players. The Canucks did not have their own seventh-round draft pick as it had previously been traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Jason LaBarbera. The Canucks acquired a sixth-round draft pick from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Shaun Heshka.

Free agency On July 1, the Vancouver re-signed Daniel and Henrik Sedin to identical five-year, $31 million contracts. The contracts paid both players $6.1 million per season.

On July 3, 2009, Mikael Samuelsson was signed as an unrestricted free agent to a three-year contract worth $2.5 million per season.

The team lost free agent Mattias Öhlund, who had spent the first 11 seasons of his NHL career with Vancouver; he signed a seven-year, $26.25 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On August 17, 2009, the Canucks signed prospect Sergei Shirokov to a two-year, $1.75 million contract. Shirokov was drafted in the sixth round of the 2006 NHL entry draft.

Trades On August 28, 2009, general manager Mike Gillis traded prospects centre Patrick White and defenceman Daniel Rahimi to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defencemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich.

Preseason As part of the Kraft Hockeyville promotion, the Canucks played the New York Islanders in Terrace, British Columbia, for their first preseason game. The Canucks won by a score of 2–1.

On September 2, Mike Gillis announced that starting goaltender Roberto Luongo had signed a new 12-year, $64 million contract with the team. With Luongo being 30 years old at the time of the extension, the contract effectively ensured that Luongo would be with the Canucks for the remainder of his career. The contract included a modified no-trade clause (NTC): in the fifth year of its term, Luongo would be able to request a trade, and in the seventh year of its term, the Canucks would obtain the right to trade Luongo without his consent.

On September 24, 2009, Mike Gillis signed head coach Alain Vigneault to a new three-year contract. The extension will keep Vigneault behind the bench through the 2012–13 season. Vigneault joined the club in the 2006–07 season and led the Canucks to their two Northwest Division titles in the previous three seasons.

Regular season The 2010 Winter Olympics took place in Vancouver—the first Winter Olympics in an NHL market since the NHL began to allow its players to compete in Olympic competition. As a result, the Canucks undertook the longest road trip in NHL history, with 14 games over six weeks, from January 27 to March 13, 2010, to allow General Motors Place to be used for ice hockey during the games. GM Place was renamed "Canada Hockey Place" during the games, as the International Olympic Committee doesn't allow corporate sponsorship for venues. The Canucks' former arena, Pacific Coliseum, was also a venue during the games, hosting figure skating and short track speed skating.

On March 19, 2010, forward Ryan Kesler signed a new six-year contract worth $30 million.

On the NHL trade deadline day, March 3, the Canucks acquired defenceman Andrew Alberts from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft.

On March 17, 2010, the Canucks signed their first-round draft pick from the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Jordan Schroeder. The deal was a standard entry-level contract for three years. The contract was for the entry-level maximum of US$900,000 per season along with a $270,000 signing bonus. However, because the contract was signed after the NHL trade deadline, Schroeder was ineligible to play for the Canucks for the remainder of the season. As a result, Schroeder signed an amateur tryout contract with the Canucks' American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

The Canucks clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive year with a shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks on April 2. The Canucks also managed to clinch a second consecutive Northwest Division title when they defeated the Minnesota Wild in overtime on April 4. The win secured the Canucks a top three seed in the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs and home ice advantage in the first round.

On April 18, 2010, the Canucks signed their 2009 third-round draft pick, Kevin Connauton. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, like Schroeder, Connauton was ineligible to play for the Canucks as his contract was signed after the NHL trade deadline.

The Canucks finished the regular season third overall in the Western Conference. They were the second highest scoring team, with 268 goals for, averaging 3.27 goals per game.

Playoffs The Canucks entered the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference. This was the first time the Canucks made the playoffs in consecutive seasons since the 2004–05 NHL lockout. In the first round, the Canucks defeated the Los Angeles Kings in six games. The Canucks lost the following round, the Conference Semi-finals, to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

Schedule and results

Pre-season

2009 pre-season game log: 7–0–2 (home: 4–0–1; road: 3–0–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record 1 September 14 NY Islanders 1–2 Vancouver Schneider 1,200 1–0–0 2 September 17 Vancouver 3–0 Anaheim Luongo 14,528 2–0–0 3 September 18 Vancouver 6–2 San Jose Raycroft 15,782 3–0–0 4 September 19 Edmonton 1–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,630 4–0–0 5 September 21 Calgary 4–5 Vancouver SO Schneider 18,630 5–0–0 6 September 23 San Jose 3–4 Vancouver SO Luongo 18,630 6–0–0 7 September 24 Anaheim 3–2 Vancouver OT Raycroft 18,630 6–0–1 8 September 26 Vancouver 2–1 Calgary SO Luongo 19,289 7–0–1 9 September 27 Vancouver 4–5 Edmonton OT Schneider 16,839 7–0–2

1. Game played in Terrace, British Columbia as part of Kraft Hockeyville promotion

Regular season 2009–10 game log October: 7–7–0 (home: 5–2–0; road: 2–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 1 October 1 Vancouver 3–5 Calgary Luongo 19,289 0–1–0 0 2 October 3 Vancouver 0–3 Colorado Luongo 13,416 0–2–0 0 3 October 5 Columbus 5–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 0–3–0 0 4 October 7 Montreal 1–7 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 1–3–0 2 5 October 11 Dallas 3–4 Vancouver SO Luongo 18,810 2–3–0 4 6 October 16 Vancouver 3–5 Calgary Luongo 19,289 2–4–0 4 7 October 17 Minnesota 1–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 3–4–0 6 8 October 19 Vancouver 1–2 Edmonton Luongo 16,839 3–5–0 6 9 October 21 Vancouver 3–2 Chicago Luongo 20,077 4–5–0 8 10 October 24 Toronto 1–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 5–5–0 10 11 October 25 Edmonton 0–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 6–5–0 12 12 October 27 Detroit 5–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 6–6–0 12 13 October 29 Vancouver 2–1 Los Angeles SO Raycroft 16,838 7–6–0 14 14 October 30 Vancouver 2–7 Anaheim Raycroft 14,756 7–7–0 14 November: 7–5–0 (home: 5–2–0; road: 2–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 15 November 1 Colorado 0–3 Vancouver Raycroft 18,810 8–7–0 16 16 November 3 NY Rangers 1–4 Vancouver Raycroft 18,810 9–7–0 18 17 November 5 Vancouver 5–2 Minnesota Raycroft 18,105 10–7–0 20 18 November 6 Vancouver 1–2 Dallas Schneider 17,235 10–8–0 20 19 November 10 Vancouver 1–6 St. Louis Raycroft 17,175 10–9–0 20 20 November 12 Vancouver 1–3 Detroit Luongo 20,066 10–10–0 20 21 November 14 Vancouver 8–2 Colorado Luongo 15,823 11–10–0 22 22 November 20 Colorado 2–5 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 12–10–0 24 23 November 22 Chicago 1–0 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 12–11–0 24 24 November 26 Los Angeles 1–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 13–11–0 26 25 November 28 Edmonton 3–7 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 14–11–0 28 26 November 29 San Jose 4–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 14–12–0 28 December: 10–4–1 (home: 6–2–0; road: 4–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 27 December 2 Vancouver 5–2 New Jersey Luongo 13,586 15–12–0 30 28 December 3 Vancouver 3–0 Philadelphia Luongo 18,892 16–12–0 32 29 December 5 Vancouver 3–5 Carolina Raycroft 14,990 16–13–0 32 30 December 8 Vancouver 2–4 Nashville Luongo 12,565 16–14–0 32 31 December 10 Atlanta 2–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 17–14–0 34 32 December 12 Minnesota 3–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 18–14–0 36 33 December 14 Los Angeles 1–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 19–14–0 38 34 December 16 Anaheim 3–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 19–15–0 38 35 December 18 Washington 2–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 20–15–0 40 36 December 20 St. Louis 3–1 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 20–16–0 40 37 December 22 Nashville 1–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 21–16–0 42 38 December 26 Edmonton 1–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 22–16–0 44 39 December 27 Vancouver 5–1 Calgary Luongo 19,289 23–16–0 46 40 December 29 Vancouver 2–3 Phoenix SO Luongo 13,976 23–16–1 47 41 December 31 Vancouver 4–3 St. Louis OT Luongo 19,150 24–16–1 49 January: 10–2–1 (home: 7–1–1; road: 3–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 42 January 2 Vancouver 3–1 Dallas Luongo 17,059 25–16–1 51 43 January 5 Columbus 3–7 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 26–16–1 53 44 January 7 Phoenix 0–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 27–16–1 55 45 January 9 Calgary 3–2 Vancouver SO Luongo 18,810 27–16–2 56 46 January 11 Nashville 3–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 27–17–2 56 47 January 13 Vancouver 2–5 Minnesota Luongo 18,356 27–18–2 56 48 January 16 Pittsburgh 2–6 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 28–18–2 58 49 January 20 Vancouver 3–2 Edmonton OT Luongo 16,839 29–18–2 60 50 January 21 Dallas 3–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 30–18–2 62 51 January 23 Chicago 1–5 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 31–18–2 64 52 January 25 Buffalo 2–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 32–18–2 66 53 January 27 St. Louis 2–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 33–18–2 68 54 January 30 Vancouver 5–3 Toronto Raycroft 19,534 34–18–2 70 February: 3–4–0 (home: 0–0–0; road: 3–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 55 February 2 Vancouver 2–3 Montreal Luongo 21,273 34–19–2 70 56 February 4 Vancouver 1–3 Ottawa Raycroft 18,803 34–20–2 70 57 February 6 Vancouver 3–2 Boston SO Luongo 17,565 35–20–2 72 58 February 9 Vancouver 1–3 Tampa Bay Luongo 14,226 35–21–2 72 59 February 11 Vancouver 3–0 Florida Luongo 13,787 36–21–2 74 60 February 12 Vancouver 4–3 Columbus Raycroft 16,564 37–21–2 76 61 February 14 Vancouver 2–6 Minnesota Luongo 19,342 37–22–2 76 March: 9–4–2 (home: 5–1–1; road: 4–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 62 March 2 Vancouver 4–3 Columbus OT Raycroft 14,513 38–22–2 78 63 March 3 Vancouver 6–3 Detroit Luongo 19,536 39–22–2 80 64 March 5 Vancouver 3–6 Chicago Luongo 22,235 39–23–2 80 65 March 7 Vancouver 4–2 Nashville Luongo 16,096 40–23–2 82 66 March 9 Vancouver 6–4 Colorado Luongo 12,861 41–23–2 84 67 March 10 Vancouver 3–4 Phoenix SO Raycroft 15,883 41–23–3 85 68 March 13 Ottawa 1–5 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 42–23–3 87 69 March 14 Calgary 1–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 43–23–3 89 70 March 16 NY Islanders 5–2 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 43–24–3 89 71 March 18 San Jose 2–3 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 44–24–3 91 72 March 20 Detroit 4–3 Vancouver OT Luongo 18,810 44–24–4 92 73 March 23 Vancouver 2–3 Edmonton Luongo 16,839 44–25–4 92 74 March 24 Anaheim 1–4 Vancouver Raycroft 18,810 45–25–4 94 75 March 27 Vancouver 2–4 San Jose Luongo 17,562 45–26–4 94 76 March 30 Phoenix 1–4 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 46–26–4 96 April: 3–2–1 (home: 2–0–1; road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 77 April 1 Vancouver 3–8 Los Angeles Luongo 18,118 46–27–4 96 78 April 2 Vancouver 5–4 Anaheim SO Raycroft 16,534 47–27–4 98 79 April 4 Minnesota 3–4 Vancouver OT Luongo 18,810 48–27–4 100 80 April 6 Colorado 4–3 Vancouver SO Luongo 18,810 48–27–5 101 81 April 8 Vancouver 2–4 San Jose Raycroft 17,562 48–28–5 101 82 April 10 Calgary 3–7 Vancouver Luongo 18,810 49–28–5 103Legend:

Playoffs