History of the Vancouver Canucks The history of the Vancouver Canucks begins when the team joined the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Founded as an expansion team in 1970 along with the Buffalo Sabres , the Vancouver Canucks were the first NHL team to be based in Vancouver . The Canucks adopted the name of the minor professional hockey team that had existed in Vancouver since 1945 . After initially struggling as an expansion team in the NHL , the Canucks won their first division title in 1975 , then proceed to set a record for North American professional sports , with fifteen consecutive losing seasons . In 1982 , they made an appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals , losing in four straight games . After acquiring several key players , they would win consecutive division titles in 1992 and 1993 , and made a second appearance in the Stanley Cup Final in 1994 , losing in the seventh and deciding game . They then went back to several years of mediocre play , before improving in the early part of the 21st century . They would win the title twice in three years between 2004 and 2007 . During the 2009 - 10 season , the Canucks will be faced with the longest road trip in NHL history , with 14 games over 6 weeks , as a result of Vancouver hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics . Background . In the early 20th century , the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association ( PCHA ) became the first major professional team in Vancouver . They were active from 1911 until folding in 1925 . The Millionaires , known as the Vancouver Maroons from 1922 until 1926 , appeared in four Stanley Cup Finals , winning the Cup in 1915 . After the team folded , it marked the end of major professional hockey in Vancouver for the next 40 years . The minor professional Pacific Coast Hockey League expanded to Vancouver in 1945 , admitting the Vancouver Canucks . When the PCHL merged with the Western Canada Senior Hockey League to become the Western Hockey League , the Canucks became a member of the WHL . The Canucks would win their league title six times . With the WHL becoming an increasing threat to the NHL , and looking to become a major professional league , the NHL looked into adding more teams . In 1967 , the NHL doubled , adding another 6 teams . While Vancouver was seen as a possible city for an NHL team , the new teams were all located in the United States . Canucks join the NHL . By 1970 , the NHL decided to expand again . Vancouver , along with Buffalo , New York , was selected as an expansion city . The minor league Canucks and their facility , the Pacific Coliseum , were purchased by a group led by Thomas Scallen , a Minnesota businessman and chairman of Medicor , and joined the NHL . Bud Poile was named the first general manager of the Canucks . Unlike 1967 , when the expansion team fee was $ 2 million , the Canucks and Sabres had to pay the NHL $ 6 million . In order to stock the teams with players , the NHL held an expansion draft , similar to the previous expansion . Each of the 12 established teams were allowed to protect several players , with the rest being exposed for selection by the two expansion teams . The Canucks , picking second , selected defenceman Gary Doak , making him the first Canucks player . For the amateur draft , the Canucks and Sabres used a spinning wheel to decide who would select first and second overall in the draft . The Sabres won the spin , and selected forward Gilbert Perreault first overall . Picking second , the Canucks chose defenceman Dale Tallon second . 1970s . The Canucks played their first NHL game on October 9 , 1970 against the Los Angeles Kings . Defenceman Barry Wilkins scored the first goal for the Canucks in the game , a 3 - 1 loss . Their first win would come two days later against the Toronto Maple Leafs .