2008 – 09 Vancouver Canucks season The 2008 – 09 Vancouver Canucks season is the Canucks ' 38th season in the National Hockey League . 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 . 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 in 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 will honour Linden in a pre - game ceremony on December 17 , 2008 before a game against the Edmonton Oilers . His jersey number , 16 , will be 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 will be responable for dealing with officials during games , while Ohlund will be responsible for ceremonial faceoff s and other ceremonial duties . Player stats . Skaters . " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; + / - = Plus / Minus ; PIM = Penalty Minutes " Goaltenders . " Note : GP = Games Played ; TOI = Time On Ice ( minutes ) ; W = Wins ; L = Losses ; OT = Overtime Losses ; GA = Goals Against ; GAA = Goals Against Average ; SA = Shots Against ; SV = Saves ; Sv % = Save Percentage ; SO = Shutouts " 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 . Transactions . Draft picks . Vancouver ' s picks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa , Ontario . Farm teams . Manitoba Moose . The Canucks ' AHL affiliate based in Winnipeg , Manitoba . The Moose ' home arena is the MTS Centre . The team has been affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks since the 2000 – 01 AHL season . Victoria Salmon Kings . The Canucks ' ECHL affiliate based in Victoria , British Columbia . The Salmon Kings ' home arena is the Save - On - Foods Memorial Centre . The team has been affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks since the 2006 – 07 ECHL season .