1997–98 Vancouver Canucks season

The 1997–98 Vancouver Canucks season was the teams 28th season in the National Hockey League. After missing the playoffs the season before, the team responded by signing Mark Messier to a three-year contract. The signing of Messier did little to improve the team as they finished even worse than the year before, costing coach Tom Renney and general manager Pat Quinn their jobs. For the first time in NHL history, regular season games were played outside of North America, with the Canucks playing the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in Tokyo to open up the regular season. Pavel Bure became the last Canuck to score 50 or more goals in a season.
In addition, the team introduced a new logo that would stay in use for over a decade.
==Offseason==
===NHL Draft===
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team
1 	10 	Brad Ference 	 	Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
2 	34 	Ryan Bonni 	 	Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
2 	36 	Harold Druken 	 	Detroit Whalers (OHL)
3 	64 	Kyle Freadrich 	 	Regina Pats (WHL)
4 	90 	Chris Stanley 	 	Belleville Bulls (OHL)
5 	114	David Darguzas 	 	Edmonton Ice (WHL)
5 	117	Matt Cockell 	 	Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
6 	144	Matt Cooke 	 	Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
6 	148	Larry Shapley 	 	Welland (Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League)
7 	171	Rod Leroux 	 	Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
8 	201	Denis Martynyuk	 	HC CSKA Moscow (Russian Pro Hockey League)
9 	227	Peter Brady 	 	Powell River Paper Kings (BCJHL)
==Regular season==
===All-Star Game===
The 48th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, home to the Vancouver Canucks, on January 18, 1998.
==== The International Showdown ====
The 48th game was held in the very same year as the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, providing the NHL to show its players from all over the world. To this extent, the NHL had the all-star teams consist of a team of North Americans playing against a team of stars from the rest of the world. The format change also helped to intensify the game, as national pride would also become a factor. These provisions only applied to the players - coaches would still be selected based on which teams were the best from each conference at the time of the break.
===Final standings===
===Game log===
No.	R	Date 	Score 	Opponent 	Record
1 	W	October 3, 1997 	3–2 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim* (1997–98) 	1–0–0
2 	L	October 4, 1997 	2–3 	@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim* (1997–98)	1–1–0
3 	T	October 9, 1997 	2–2 OT	Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) 	1–1–1
4 	L	October 11, 1997 	3–6 	New York Rangers (1997–98) 	1–2–1
5 	W	October 13, 1997 	3–0 	Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) 	2–2–1
6 	L	October 17, 1997 	0–2 	Boston Bruins (1997–98) 	2–3–1
7 	T	October 19, 1997 	4–4 OT	Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) 	2–3–2
8 	W	October 21, 1997 	5–1 	@ Dallas Stars (1997–98) 	3–3–2
9 	L	October 23, 1997 	1–4 	@ St. Louis Blues (1997–98) 	3–4–2
10 	L	October 25, 1997 	2–3 OT	Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) 	3–5–2
11 	L	October 26, 1997 	1–5 	Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) 	3–6–2
12 	L	October 29, 1997 	0–3 	@ Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) 	3–7–2
13 	L	October 30, 1997 	1–8 	@ New Jersey Devils (1997–98) 	3–8–2
14 	L	November 1, 1997 	6–7 OT	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) 	3–9–2
15 	L	November 3, 1997 	3–5 	@ Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) 	3–10–2
16 	L	November 4, 1997 	1–2 	@ Washington Capitals (1997–98) 	3–11–2
17 	L	November 8, 1997 	2–3 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98) 	3–12–2
18 	L	November 11, 1997	2–8 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) 	3–13–2
19 	W	November 12, 1997	5–2 	@ San Jose Sharks (1997–98) 	4–13–2
20 	T	November 14, 1997	3–3 OT	@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98) 	4–13–3
21 	W	November 16, 1997	4–1 	Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) 	5–13–3
22 	W	November 20, 1997	4–2 	Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) 	6–13–3
23 	L	November 22, 1997	4–5 OT	Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) 	6–14–3
24 	W	November 25, 1997	4–2 	@ New York Rangers (1997–98) 	7–14–3
25 	W	November 28, 1997	5–2 	@ Boston Bruins (1997–98) 	8–14–3
26 	W	November 29, 1997	4–2 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) 	9–14–3
27 	T	December 1, 1997 	3–3 OT	Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) 	9–14–4
28 	L	December 4, 1997 	2–3 	San Jose Sharks (1997–98) 	9–15–4
29 	L	December 6, 1997 	4–6 	@ Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) 	9–16–4
30 	L	December 8, 1997 	1–5 	@ St. Louis Blues (1997–98) 	9–17–4
31 	L	December 9, 1997 	5–7 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) 	9–18–4
32 	L	December 13, 1997	2–5 	Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) 	9–19–4
33 	W	December 15, 1997	7–0 	Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) 	10–19–4
34 	W	December 17, 1997	5–1 	@ Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) 	11–19–4
35 	T	December 18, 1997	0–0 OT	@ San Jose Sharks (1997–98) 	11–19–5
36 	L	December 20, 1997	0–5 	Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) 	11–20–5
37 	L	December 23, 1997	1–3 	Dallas Stars (1997–98) 	11–21–5
38 	T	December 27, 1997	3–3 OT	@ Dallas Stars (1997–98) 	11–21–6
39 	L	December 29, 1997	2–5 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) 	11–22–6
40 	L	December 31, 1997	0–8 	Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) 	11–23–6
41 	L	January 3, 1998 	2–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) 	11–24–6
42 	W	January 5, 1998 	3–2 	Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) 	12–24–6
43 	L	January 7, 1998 	2–3 	St. Louis Blues (1997–98) 	12–25–6
44 	T	January 8, 1998 	4–4 OT	@ Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) 	12–25–7
45 	T	January 10, 1998 	2–2 OT	Florida Panthers (1997–98) 	12–25–8
46 	L	January 12, 1998 	2–3 	@ Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) 	12–26–8
47 	L	January 14, 1998 	0–4 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) 	12–27–8
48 	L	January 15, 1998 	2–6 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) 	12–28–8
49 	L	January 21, 1998 	1–6 	Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) 	12–29–8
50 	L	January 24, 1998 	2–5 	@ Calgary Flames (1997–98) 	12–30–8
51 	L	January 26, 1998 	2–4 	@ Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) 	12–31–8
52 	L	January 28, 1998 	1–6 	@ Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) 	12–32–8
53 	W	January 30, 1998 	3–1 	New Jersey Devils (1997–98) 	13–32–8
54 	W	January 31, 1998 	6–3 	@ Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) 	14–32–8
55 	L	February 2, 1998 	1–2 	Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) 	14–33–8
56 	W	February 6, 1998 	5–4 	Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) 	15–33–8
57 	W	February 7, 1998 	6–3 	San Jose Sharks (1997–98) 	16–33–8
58 	W	February 25, 1998	5–2 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98) 	17–33–8
59 	T	February 27, 1998	4–4 OT	@ Calgary Flames (1997–98) 	17–33–9
60 	W	February 28, 1998	6–4 	Ottawa Senators (1997–98) 	18–33–9
61 	T	March 2, 1998 	2–2 OT	@ Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) 	18–33–10
62 	L	March 5, 1998 	2–6 	Calgary Flames (1997–98) 	18–34–10
63 	W	March 7, 1998 	5–2 	Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) 	19–34–10
64 	L	March 9, 1998 	0–4 	St. Louis Blues (1997–98) 	19–35–10
65 	T	March 11, 1998 	2–2 OT	@ Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) 	19–35–11
66 	L	March 12, 1998 	2–3 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) 	19–36–11
67 	W	March 14, 1998 	6–2 	@ New York Islanders (1997–98) 	20–36–11
68 	W	March 17, 1998 	4–2 	@ Florida Panthers (1997–98) 	21–36–11
69 	L	March 18, 1998 	2–4 	@ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) 	21–37–11
70 	T	March 20, 1998 	1–1 OT	@ Ottawa Senators (1997–98) 	21–37–12
71 	T	March 21, 1998 	1–1 OT	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) 	21–37–13
72 	W	March 24, 1998 	4–3 	New York Islanders (1997–98) 	22–37–13
73 	L	March 26, 1998 	2–5 	Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) 	22–38–13
74 	L	March 28, 1998 	2–3 	Washington Capitals (1997–98) 	22–39–13
75 	W	April 1, 1998 	4–2 	Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) 	23–39–13
76 	W	April 4, 1998 	5–3 	Dallas Stars (1997–98) 	24–39–13
77 	L	April 6, 1998 	2–3 	@ Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) 	24–40–13
78 	W	April 9, 1998 	6–3 	@ Calgary Flames (1997–98) 	25–40–13
79 	T	April 11, 1998 	1–1 OT	@ San Jose Sharks (1997–98) 	25–40–14
80 	L	April 15, 1998 	0–2 	Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) 	25–41–14
81 	L	April 17, 1998 	2–4 	Calgary Flames (1997–98) 	25–42–14
82 	L	April 19, 1998 	1–2 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) 	25–43–14
* At Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
==Player stats==
===Forwards===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Pavel Bure 	82	51	39	90 	48
Mark Messier 	82	22	38	60 	58
Alexander Mogilny	51	18	27	45 	36
Markus Naslund 	76	14	20	34 	56
Brian Noonan 	82	10	15	25 	62
Dave Scatchard 	76	13	11	24 	165
Donald Brashear 	77	9 	9 	18 	372
Steve Staios 	77	3 	4 	7 	134
===Defencemen===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player 	GP	G	A 	Pts	PIM
Jyrki Lumme 	74	9	21	30 	34
Mattias Ohlund 	77	7	23	30 	76
Bret Hedican 	71	3	24	27 	79
Grant Ledyard 	39	2	13	15 	14
Bryan McCabe 	26	1	11	12 	64
Dave Babych 	47	0	9 	9 	37
Dana Murzyn 	31	5	2 	7 	42
Bert Robertsson 	30	2	4 	6 	24
Adrian Aucoin 	35	3	3 	6 	21
Chris McAllister	36	1	2 	3 	106
Jamie Huscroft 	7 	0	1 	1 	0
Enrico Ciccone 	13	0	1 	1 	47
Mark Wotton 	5 	0	0 	0 	6
===Goaltending===
Note: GP= Games played; W= Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals Against
Player 	GP	W 	L 	T	SO	GAA
Arturs Irbe 	41	14	11	6	2 	2.73
Garth Snow 	13	3 	6 	0	0 	3.10
Sean Burke 	16	2 	9 	4	0 	3.51
Kirk McLean 	29	6 	17	4	1 	3.68
Corey Hirsch	1 	- 	- 	-	- 	6.00
==References==
*Canucks on Hockey Database
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Category:Vancouver Canucks seasons
Vancouver Canucks season, 1997–98
Vancouver Canucks season, 1997–98