Stan Smyl Stanley Philip Smyl ( born January 28 , 1958 in Glendon , Alberta , Canada ) is a Canadian former player . He was a member of the NHL ' s Vancouver Canucks for his entire career , until he retired in 1991 . His number 12 was the first retired number in Canucks ' history ( Trevor Linden ' s number 16 was retired on December 17 , 2008 ) , currently hanging from the rafters of General Motors Place in Vancouver ( initially raised at the Pacific Coliseum ) . A long - time team captain and nicknamed " the Steamer " , he is considered one of the most popular Canucks of all time . Until the 2003 – 04 NHL season , he held many offensive scoring records on the team . Playing career . Junior career . Smyl played junior hockey for the Western Canada Hockey League ( WCHL ) ' s New Westminster Bruins , beginning in 1975 , when he debuted in 3 playoff games for the Bruins . The following season , Smyl put up 74 points in 72 games as the Bruins captured the President ' s Cup as WCHL champions . Earning a spot in the 1976 Memorial Cup , they lost the Canadian Major Junior title to the Hamilton Fincups . In 1976 – 77 , New Westminster repeated as President ' s Cup champions as Smyl posted 66 points in the regular season , then 13 points in 13 playoff games . Returning to the Memorial Cup , the Bruins defeated the Ottawa 67 ' s in the championship game . After winning his third consecutive President ' s Cup with the Bruins , Smyl was named the Memorial Cup MVP and received tournament All - Star Team honours as the Bruins captured their second consecutive Memorial Cup . After a decorated season with the Bruins , his final year of junior , Smyl was in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft by the Vancouver Canucks 40th overall in the 3rd Round . Vancouver Canucks . Upon being drafted , Smyl played 3 games for the Central Hockey League ' s Dallas Black Hawks in 1978 – 79 . After being promoted to the Canucks , he scored 14 goals and 38 points in 62 games as a rookie on a line that included fellow rookies Thomas Gradin and Curt Fraser . He also proved to be physical , earning 89 penalty minutes as well . After posting 78 points in 1981 – 82 , Smyl and the Canucks entered the playoffs with a losing record . However , joined by stars Thomas Gradin and Richard Brodeur , Smyl and the Canucks embarked on a run to the Stanley Cup Finals – the franchise ' s first finals appearance – against the New York Islanders dynasty . Despite forcing game one to overtime , the Canucks were swept by the Islanders . Smyl accumulated 19 points in 18 playoff games , second in team scoring to Thomas Gradin . The next season , in 1982 – 83 , Smyl was named captain of the Canucks ( succeeding Kevin McCarthy ) , a position he held for the next eight years . He registered a club record and career - high 88 points that season , though it was broken by Patrik Sundstrom ' s 91 points in 1983 – 84 . The Canucks would make the playoffs the following two seasons after their Stanley Cup run in 1982 , but would fail to make it past the first round . After recording eight consecutive 20 - plus goal seasons , Smyl ' s production dipped to 12 goals and 37 points in 1987 – 88 ( however , Smyl only played in 57 games ) . The following year , Smyl appeared in his last playoffs with the Canucks , as well as his first in five years . The Canucks were eliminated by the Calgary Flames in the first round in seven games . Smyl was held goalless in the series , but he had two glorious chances to win the series for the Canucks in overtime of the seventh game . He hit the goalpost on a wrap - around attempt and later was stopped by Mike Vernon on a breakaway . In 1989 – 90 , Smyl played his last season as team captain and recorded 16 points in 47 games . At the start of the next season , Smyl resigned his captaincy and it was split throughout the season between Dan Quinn , Doug Lidster and Trevor Linden ( the captaincy would be retained by Linden ) . After managing 14 points in 45 games , Smyl retired at the end of the 1990 – 91 season . Smyl retired with Canucks franchise records in virtually every statistical category – games , goals , assists , and points . His records would stand for more than a decade until Trevor Linden surpassed Smyl ' s goals mark in 2002 – 03 , his points and games played marks in 2003 – 04 , and his assists mark in 2006 – 07 ( Markus Näslund would , in turn , surpass Linden ' s marks in goals and points ) . Post - playing career . The day of his retirement , July 3 , 1991 , also marked the start of a 13 - year coaching career , as he was named assistant coach of the Canucks . He would hold this position until the 1999 – 00 season , when he was hired as head coach of the Canucks ' minor league affiliate , the American Hockey League ' s Syracuse Crunch . During his time as an assistant coach , the Canucks would stage another Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Finals , in 1994 , which was captained by Trevor Linden , but fell in 7 to the New York Rangers . The series brought both Smyl and former teammate Rangers Assistant Coach Colin Campbell , who like Smyl , was part of the Canucks ' Cinderella run of 1982 . After a . 500 season with the Crunch , he was moved to the International Hockey League to coach the Kansas City Blades , also a Canucks affiliate . When the IHL folded following Smyl ' s first season with the Blades , he was moved to the American Hockey League to coach the Manitoba Moose . He remained with the Moose for three seasons and coached them to the second round in 2002 – 03 . He later returned to the Canucks as Director of Player Development . After general manager Mike Gillis took over from Dave Nonis after the 2007 – 08 season , Smyl ' s position was taken over by former Canuck player Dave Gagner and Smyl was re - assigned as Director of Collegiate Scouting . However , before the 2008 – 09 season began , on September 11 , 2008 , Smyl was re - positioned once more as Senior Advisor to Gillis .