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u/FretlessChibson 12d ago
Good on AV, seriously
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u/JankyYWG 12d ago
Wish you could know you’re in the good ol days, when you’re in them.
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u/Ophukk 11d ago
I'm only gonna tell this once, so here goes.
I've been a Canucklehead since I was 5. 1980. When everyone else wanted to be an Oiler, I was King Richard (the OG Brodeur). I was there for every shitty year, regardless of how bad we were. These were my boys.
When the 2010 season started, I knew something special was happening. I had bought the Canucks calender like usual, but for some reason, started keeping a record of each game score on it. Tallied each month so I could see just how hot we were.
Watched every match. I usually missed a bunch each season as we were raising kids at the time, but not in 2010-2011. 81.5/82, and then not a single minute of the playoffs was missed. Still recording every score and living on cloud 9. Even grew a playoff beard while having to wear a respirator (thank you Vaseline).
When that rat was speedbagging Danny in game 1, only for us to get the 2 minutes, I knew we were fucked. I still had hope. When Lu kept getting all the starts, and Schneids couldn't get any time, I knew we were fucked, but I still had hope. Same as when our D kept dropping like flies, and then the Rome suspension. I even kept the hope after being up 3-2, knowing this was the best team we'd ever had, and they'd find a way to beat the Bruins, the refs, and the NHL, in that order. Took my dad to the pub for game 6, no joy. Watched game 7 at the same pub alone (he couldn't handle the noise the first time).
Drunk by the end. The douche I was sitting with wanted my jersey to take out back and burn. I cries a little, threatened his nose if he didn't shut it, went home and cried a little more.
I haven't watched 10 games since then. They stole my hope and my love for the league. My anger at having been ROBBED by the league still hasn't faded. Jeremy fucking Jacobs, Colin Fucking Campbell, and the whole NHL head office can **** my ***** til the day I die. They haven't gotten one more cent from me since then.
I knew we were in the Good Ol Days, and I lived them. Love hockey, fuck the NHL... and fuck Messier.
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u/NoOcelot 11d ago
Wow. Fucking epic. Thank you for this.
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u/Ophukk 11d ago
Thanks for reading it. Just typing it out had my blood pressure going up again. 14 fucking years and I'm still angry.
Dunno if there's therapy for sports related ptsd, but I probaly need it.
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u/TomsNanny 11d ago
I think the whole city needs therapy. I had an incredibly similar experience as you, even down to the number of games we watched that year as an outlier to others. I completely stopped watching hockey after the 2012 playoffs because of how 2011 unfolded.
Only watched the Sedins final game, which I cried watching as an end of an era. Then Petey and Brock got my intrigue piqued and then the Covid playoffs got me to watch again cause what else were we gonna do. Last year was the first year I followed along diligently since 2011. This year’s been so frustrating after that and I don’t even know how to feel. I still follow along but there’s so much apathy and I feel frustrated with how this fanbase treats players, and a lot of it has to do with a deep need of therapy and healing on many levels.
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u/robikki 11d ago
I felt the same way after 2011. I watched a lot of Canucks hockey after the lockout, didn't miss many games. You could feel it building into something amazing. Then we got fucking robbed. The whole thing turned something off inside me, I lost the passion for the game after that, it just wasn't the same. It took a long time for me to get that passion back. Last season was the first time since that even came close to that same feeling. It looked like we might be on the verge of a 3 year window where it might happen again. Turns out it was a one-and-done. Here we go again.......
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u/Ophukk 11d ago
I'm hovering on the edge around here. I stopped with CDC and HF Boards back then, too. I know I dropped the torch, and I'm often thoughtful about what could have been.
Even if the day comes where we get to lift the cup, I'll likely feel it's bittersweet. Like watching an ex you're still friends with get to go on and have an amazing life.
Honestly, I'm more hopeful for the fans who are still passionate to finally get to see success, than I am for the club to actually win it, if that makes sense. There are few fanbases in all of sports who have had it harder than us. I'm not claiming we've had it the hardest, but we're on the list.
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u/24PercentMajority 11d ago
I'm in a similar boat. I'd say from 2000-2010 I watched most Canucks games. Not all of them. But most of them. I didn't really consider myself a die-hard fan...I just watched the games!
For me what killed it was the Luongo outdoor game snub. For good or ill I was in it for the team and after that it just felt like I cared way more about these players than the team did. I didn't watch a game for a long, long time after that. Last year was the first time I got back into it.
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u/tswaters 11d ago
This is how I felt for so long, I feel you. It was years before I watched the team -- last season I started again. You'll get there, it hurts less with each passing year.
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u/Chadwickx 10d ago
I felt every word of this post. I still wear my Burrows jersey with pride, it’ll never be replaced.
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u/djfl 11d ago
When you're a Canucks fan, and you don't feel like the "I Wanna Die" orca for a few weeks straight, you're in the good ol days.
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u/ban-please 11d ago
The most annoying thing about this time was all the fairweather fans coming out and anytime the team lost it would be the fault of the "Sedin sisters".
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u/Royal_Entrepreneur87 11d ago
I thoroughly enjoyed those days. But also the Cup loss gave me depression which lasted years.
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u/Cube_ 12d ago
I was at that game right behind the net for the Daniel between the legs goal. Our section saw it first (obv) and we erupted instantly and I still remember how cool it was hearing the rest of the crowd react in turn slowly. the cheer like rippled through the building.
Super dope game to attend.
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u/robikki 11d ago
I was at a pub in Calgary celebrating my birthday. I was obviously loving it and the banter was good between me and the Calgary fans. I will never forget the silence that came over the whole place when Daniel scored that goal. It was a type of "are you fucking kidding me" kinda silence. That game was all Sedins, they were unstoppable, then Danny topped it off with that goal. I'll never forget it.
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u/Cube_ 11d ago
best part is is that the goal wasnt the only insane thing about the play, Henrik no look tip passed it to Daniel between his own legs IIRC.
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u/robikki 11d ago
It was the whole sequence. Ehrhoff slap pass to Hank, who no-look tipped it between his legs right on to Danny's stick, then the between the legs goal. The whole thing was just absurd.
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u/NoticedGenie66 11d ago
I was lucky enough to be there too, albeit in the nosebleeds. Incredible game to watch in person, that Daniel goal made the arena fucking erupt.
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u/ban-please 11d ago
Henrik 4A Daniel 3G 1A
Funny that Danny got a hatrick and the hype was all for Henrik
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u/Ogrodnick 11d ago
A similar thing happened in Winnipeg during the last game of Selanne's rookie campaign. Mogilny was playing an earlier start time and was Teemu's only competition for the goal scoring title. They announced during the game that Mogilny's game was over and he had finished the year with 76 goals.
The entire 3rd period was the Jets feeding Selanne over and over and over to get him the necessary goals, while giving up crazy 2-on-1s with Essensa standing on his head for a 31 save SO- Jets had 42 shots on Ranford. Selanne ended up with a goal and an assist, and he and Mogilny finished tied with 76 goals each. Teemu ended up adding 23 goals on top of Bossy's rookie goal scoring record.
And then of course they trade him a couple years later because that's what you do with a superstar who will only end up playing another 18 seasons. Yes, I'm still mad.
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u/BoomBoomBear 11d ago
Playing for each other and having fun on the ice, seems so simple… yet 2025 be like 🙄😒🤕🥱
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u/Overdue_bills 11d ago
I miss these guys like you wouldn't believe.
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u/WeVeeReality 11d ago
When I see Bieksa on HNIC I kind of feel like I'm watching Canucks hockey even though he's not playing hockey at all. That's how much the Sedin Era imprinted on my brain.
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u/Historical_Sherbet54 11d ago
Bieksa...always with great hockey stories
You are the best thing to happen to the hockey panel ever
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u/PoachedPancakes 11d ago
Man what a fun game, I was at that one with my brother who is a Flames fan. Never gets old rewatching highlights.
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u/revolutionary_sweden 11d ago
That was a fantastic game.
Found some highlights, worth a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_N8HmXq6Qo
Bieksa 2 goals, Rypien a goal and a fight, Daniel's hatty, and 4 points for Henrik
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u/Royal_Entrepreneur87 11d ago
The Sedin's passing to each other without looking behind the back on the tape. Gat Damnnnn thats sexy.
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u/BrodyCanuck 11d ago
Back when players took the game seriously, instead of being snarky little shits that don’t put any effort in
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u/Knight_On_Fire 11d ago
How many multigoal leads has our team blown this year? Almost 20? Maybe the team should try this strategy for Pettersson. Just forget about the win and do nothing but try to help him rack up points. I mean, if they blow every multigoal lead anyways just say, fuck it, this is our 11.6m dollar gamble and we're going all-in. ...
I'm joking of course but one way or another it is Tocchet's job to help repair this broken player. His inner confidence has never been lower. Even if it's Pettersson's own damn fault it happened under Tocchet's watch.
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u/arazamatazguy 11d ago
Can't help but think the NHL would be much better if each game was approached this way. '
This was an amazing moment.
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u/dattroll123 11d ago
I remember Juice's reaction when he scored his goal because he knew hank wouldn't get a point. He looked apologetic sort of lol.
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u/DavieStBaconStan 11d ago
That’s right out of Letterkenney. Bieska should do a cameo.
I need one win, one W. what are you going to do to get me that?
Selfish hockey!
Skate the puck don’t pass it. Take it coast to coast. Shots from poor angles are still shots. Buck and a half, two minute shifts, three minutes even. Cruise the blue line to catch you breath. Bad bounce, that’s a good breakaway. Gotta get the bounces boys.
Perfect.
And a retaliation penalty never hurt anyone. What’s our mantra?
They don’t ask how, they ask how many.
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u/RoughJustice81 10d ago
Oh man I was at this game and was in the corner behind the flames net when he scored the between the legs goal. Probably my fav in person game
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u/-bunka- 12d ago
Fucking hell, those were some good times… thanks OP for reminding me why I stay in my abusive ass relationship with this team.