At the beginning of the 1982 season, the idea of the 12-year-old Canucks winning the Western Conference and making it to the Stanley Cup was almost laughable. Not only were the Canucks thin on talent, but throughout the first 12 years of their existence they had only won three playoff games altogether. However, as the spring of 1982 progressed, Canucks fans saw improbable series wins against the Flames, Kings, and Blackhawks, along with the famous invention of Towel Power. The Canucks powered through three rounds of grinding, taxing NHL playoff hockey, and found themselves in the finals against the New York Islanders. Even though the final round did not go as planned, the ‘82 Canucks will forever be remembered. 

The Regular Season

The Canucks began their regular season with a 2-0-2 record in their first four games. After that, they had a very up-and-down season. This up-and-down play was highlighted in the last few games of the season. After a five-game losing streak in the last stretch of regular season games, the Canucks responded with their playoff hopes on the line with an excellent 6-0-3 record in the last nine games of the season. Those last nine games were key for the Canucks, as they pushed Vancouver’s squad over the hump, and into one of the last playoff spots. Their placing in the standings put them head-to-head against the Calgary Flames for their first round of the playoffs. 

The Playoffs

Flames

During the 1981-82 regular season, the Canucks finished just one win ahead of the Flames, giving them the treasured home advantage. A fight between Willie Plett and Canuck’ Curt Fraser seconds into Game 1 set the tone for a hard fought, grinder of a series. Each game of the series was a close one, and was highlighted by a Game 2 overtime finish, with Tiger Williams finding the back of the net for the win. The OT winner by Tiger Williams powered the Canucks to a sweep over their division rival. While the Canucks offense shone brightly in the opening round, the Canucks hero was their goaltender Richard Brodeur, who shut the door on the Flames, putting on a show with a sparkling .976 save percentage in the last two games. (The average save percentage at that time was .871). 

Kings

The Kings were next up in the Canucks run to the finals. The Kings had shockingly knocked out the stacked Oilers who had the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, and Paul Coffey on their talent-heavy roster. A huge 6-5 win for the Kings after being down 5-0 was the turning point of the series in Game 3. However, the Canucks were wise to the Kings tactics unlike the Oilers, as they downed the Kings with a close 3-2 victory in the opening game. In the rest of the series, while getting constant supply of production from stars like Darcy Rota, Thomas Gradin, Stan Smyl, Ivan Hlinka, and Tiger Williams, the Canucks also got timely goals from depth players. Stay-at-home defenseman, Colin Campbell lit the lamp twice in Game 3, most importantly in overtime to give the Canucks a 2-1 series lead. This was arguably the most important win in the series, as the Canucks regained momentum after losing Game 2 in overtime in a heartbreaker. The Canucks, powered by Campbell’s goals, marched on to win the next two games, clinching the series with a 5-2 victory at home. The key players for the Canucks were Rota, Gradin, Smyl, Hlinka, Williams, and Brodeur in goal, but without the key goals by Colin Campbell, who knows if the Canucks would have advanced past the Kings.

Blackhawks

The Canucks entered the Conference Final against the Blackhawks looking to book the first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in Canucks history. After taking care of Game 1, the Canucks found themselves on the wrong side of a badly officiated game. A terrible call put Canucks head coach Roger Neilson over the edge. Raising a white towel on his stick in terms of surrender, he showed that he and his team were done with the refs. Roger Neilson left with an ejection, a large fine, and a blowout loss, but the effect of his “surrender” would leave a lasting mark on the Canucks and the NHL playoffs. Returning home, the Canucks were greeted with white towels being waved around the stadium. “I was caught totally off-guard,” recalled Canucks player Darcy Rota. The newly-created tradition powered the Canucks past the powerful Blackhawks who were led by superstars and future Hall of Famers, Denis Savard and Tony Esposito. With a convincing series clinching 6-2 victory, the Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against the New York Islanders. 

Islanders

While the Canucks themselves were amazed by their success in the playoffs on the way to Long Island, the fans back at home were showing their appreciation for the playoff run. “They’ve worked so hard, so I’m going to come down to cheer for them,” said one fan of the Canucks. Meanwhile, in New York, the Canucks were facing adversity for the first time this playoffs. Dropping nail-biting Games 1 and 2 against the Islanders, where the Canucks had the lead multiple times, the Canucks came home to Vancouver down 2-0 for the first time in the playoffs. While the Canucks had overcome hurdles before, they had never encountered a powerhouse like the Islanders before. Led by Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, and hotheaded goalie Billy Smith, the upstart Canucks were unable to find an answer for the Islanders offense and stifling defense. The Canucks were swept in the final round of the playoffs. 

From ending the season with a sub .500 record to making the Stanley Cup Final, the Canucks overcame the odds, and stomped their way to being the second best team. They showed that with effort and belief, anything can happen. They gave their heart’s effort, and came so close to winning it all. 

This is not the end of the story however. Over forty years later, in 2024, this year, the Canucks are basking in the delight of winning, being a legitimate Cup contender for the playoffs in April. Hopefully, with a little luck, and the will to win like the ‘82 Canucks, the Canucks will ascend the mountain of the NHL in 2024. 

Sources: Vancouver Canucks The First Twenty Years (Book), Hockey Reference (Website), Official Site of the National Hockey League (Website) CBC (Website), Vancouver Sun, (Website), StatMuse (Website)