2nd season in franchise history
The 1971–72 Vancouver Canucks season was the Canucks' second season in the NHL. They finished 7th, last, in the East Division . Hal Laycoe , the team's first head coach, was fired after the season concluded and replaced by Vic Stasiuk .
Regular season
The Canucks opened the season at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 8, 1971. They lost the game 3–2, though Jocelyn Guevremont , the team's first draft choice in the 1971 NHL amateur draft , scored his first goal.[ 1] In their game against the Minnesota North Stars on October 20, the Canucks were shutout for the first time, losing 7–0.[ 2] One week later the Canucks played the Maple Leafs and drew them 0–0, the first time the team had a shutout of their own; Dunc Wilson was in net for the Canucks, while Bernie Parent was in for the Maple Leafs.[ 2]
During his tour of Canada, Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin and his entourage watched the Canucks play the Montreal Canadiens on October 22.[ 3] They stayed for the first two periods and saw Montreal score four goals en route to winning the game 6–0.[ 4] Frank Mahovlich recorded a hat trick for the Canadiens, while Ken Dryden earned the shutout.[ 2]
With the season concluded, Hal Laycoe was fired as head coach of the team. He was appointed vice-president of player development and scouting, and Vic Stasiuk was named the new coach.[ 5]
Standings
Divisional standings
Record vs. opponents
Vs. East Division
1971–72 NHL records[ 7]
Team
BOS
BUF
DET
MTL
NYR
TOR
VAN
Total
Boston
—
3–1–2
5–1
2–3–1
5–1
4–1–1
6–0
25–7–4
Buffalo
1–3–2
—
0–4–2
1–4–1
0–6
1–5
2–3–1
5–25–6
Detroit
1–5
4–0–2
—
3–3
1–4–1
3–3
5–0–1
17–15–4
Montreal
3–2–1
4–1–1
3–3
—
1–3–2
4–1–1
6–0
21–10–5
New York
1–5
6–0
4–1–1
3–1–2
—
2–2–2
5–1
21–10–5
Toronto
1–4–1
5–1
3–3
1–4–1
2–2–2
—
2–2–2
14–16–6
Vancouver
0–6
3–2–1
0–5–1
0–6
1–5
2–2–2
—
6–26–4
Vs. West Division
1971–72 NHL records
Team
CAL
CHI
LAK
MIN
PHI
PIT
STL
Total
Boston
4–2
4–1–1
4–1–1
5–0–1
6–0
2–1–3
4–1–1
29–6–7
Buffalo
0–3–3
2–3–1
2–3–1
2–2–2
2–2–2
2–1–3
1–4–1
11–18–13
Detroit
2–2–2
0–5–1
3–2–1
2–4
3–2–1
4–2
2–3–1
16–20–6
Montreal
3–0–3
2–1–3
5–0–1
4–1–1
3–2–1
4–1–1
4–1–1
25–6–11
New York
4–1–1
2–1–3
6–0
1–3–2
6–0
3–1–2
5–1
27–7–8
Toronto
3–2–1
0–4–2
4–1–1
2–2–2
2–2–2
4–2
4–2
19–15–8
Vancouver
4–2
2–3–1
0–5–1
2–3–1
1–5
2–4
3–2–1
14–24–4
Schedule and results
1971–72 Game log
October: 4–7–2 (home: 2–5–1; road: 2–2–1)
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
Record
Pts
1
October 8
Toronto
3–2
Vancouver
0–1–0
0
2
October 10
Los Angeles
4–2
Vancouver
0–2–0
0
3
October 12
Philadelphia
2–3
Vancouver
1–2–0
2
4
October 15
Vancouver
9–6
California
2–2–0
4
5
October 16
Pittsburgh
2–1
Vancouver
2–3–0
4
6
October 19
Vancouver
3–1
St. Louis
3–3–0
6
7
October 20
Vancouver
0–7
Minnesota
3–4–0
6
8
October 22
Montreal
6–0
Vancouver
3–5–0
6
9
October 24
Boston
4–3
Vancouver
3–6–0
6
10
October 27
Vancouver
0–0
Toronto
3–6–1
7
11
October 28
Vancouver
2–3
Philadelphia
3–7–1
7
12
October 30
Buffalo
4–4
Vancouver
3–7–2
8
13
October 31
Chicago
2–6
Vancouver
4–7–2
10
November: 3–7–2 (home: 3–2–1; road: 0–5–1)
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
Record
Pts
14
November 5
Pittsburgh
2–4
Vancouver
5–7–2
12
15
November 6
New York
3–1
Vancouver
5–8–2
12
16
November 10
Vancouver
1–3
Pittsburgh
5–9–2
12
17
November 11
Vancouver
3–4
Philadelphia
5–10–2
12
18
November 13
Vancouver
2–2
Toronto
5–10–3
13
19
November 14
Vancouver
1–6
New York
5–11–3
13
20
November 17
Vancouver
0–3
Chicago
5–12–3
13
21
November 18
Vancouver
0–5
Boston
5–13–3
13
22
November 21
Detroit
2–2
Vancouver
5–13–4
14
23
November 23
Minnesota
2–1
Vancouver
5–14–4
14
24
November 27
Buffalo
2–5
Vancouver
6–14–4
16
25
November 30
Chicago
2–4
Vancouver
7–14–4
18
December: 2–8–0 (home: 2–3–0; road: 0–5–0)
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
Record
Pts
26
December 4
Vancouver
0–7
Montreal
7–15–4
18
27
December 5
Vancouver
3–6
New York
7–16–4
18
28
December 7
St. Louis
1–2
Vancouver
8–16–4
20
29
December 11
Boston
6–2
Vancouver
8–17–4
20
30
December 14
Detroit
4–3
Vancouver
8–18–4
20
31
December 17
Monreal
6–2
Vancouver
8–19–4
20
32
December 19
Vancouver
1–5
Buffalo
8–20–4
20
33
December 22
Vancouver
0–3
Detroit
8–21–4
20
34
December 26
California
2–6
Vancouver
9–21–4
22
35
December 29
Vancouver
1–3
Los Angeles
9–22–4
22
January: 5–6–1 (home: 3–2–1; road: 2–4–0)
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
Record
Pts
36
January 2
Los Angeles
6–3
Vancouver
9–23–4
22
37
January 5
Vancouver
4–6
Montreal
9–24–4
22
38
January 8
Vancouver
5–1
Minnesota
10–24–4
24
39
January 11
Minnesota
2–2
Vancouver
10–24–5
25
40
January 14
Vancouver
3–5
California
10–25–5
25
41
January 15
California
3–4
Vancouver
11–25–5
27
42
January 19
Vancouver
6–1
Pittsburgh
12–25–5
29
43
January 20
Vancouver
0–1
Buffalo
12–26–5
29
44
January 22
New York
2–5
Vancouver
13–26–5
31
45
January 27
Vancouver
0–4
Chicago
13–27–5
31
46
January 29
Toronto
2–5
Vancouver
14–27–5
33
47
January 30
California
2–0
Vancouver
14–28–5
33
February: 2–12–1 (home: 1–5–0; road: 1–7–1)
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
Record
Pts
48
February 2
Vancouver
5–1
California
15–28–5
35
49
February 4
Chicago
6–2
Vancouver
15–29–5
35
50
February 6
Montreal
4–2
Vancouver
15–30–5
35
51
February 8
Philadelphia
3–1
Vancouver
15–31–5
35
52
February 10
Vancouver
1–9
Boston
15–32–5
35
53
February 12
Vancouver
4–5
St. Louis
15–33–5
35
54
February 13
Vancouver
4–6
Pittsburgh
15–34–5
35
55
February 15
New York
5–1
Vancouver
15–35–5
35
56
February 18
St. Louis
2–5
Vancouver
16–35–5
37
57
February 19
Vancouver
3–5
Los Angeles
16–36–5
37
58
February 22
Boston
4–3
Vancouver
16–37–5
37
59
February 24
Vancouver
0–2
Detroit
16–38–5
37
60
February 26
Vancouver
1–7
Toronto
16–39–5
37
61
February 27
Vancouver
3–3
Chicago
16–39–6
38
62
February 29
Vancouver
2–8
Detroit
16–40–6
38
March: 3–10–2 (home: 2–3–1; road: 1–7–1)
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
Record
Pts
63
March 2
Vancouver
3–7
Boston
16–41–6
38
64
March 4
Vancouver
0–5
Montreal
16–42–6
38
65
March 5
Vancouver
1–6
New York
16–43–6
38
66
March 8
Philadelphia
6–5
Vancouver
16–44–6
38
67
March 10
Buffalo
2–3
Vancouver
17–44–6
40
68
March 14
Pittsburgh
7–4
Vancouver
17–45–6
40
69
March 16
Vancouver
2–6
Minnesota
17–46–6
40
70
March 17
Vancouver
6–2
Buffalo
18–46–6
42
71
March 19
St. Louis
3–3
Vancouver
18–46–7
43
72
March 21
Detroit
7–5
Vancouver
18–47–7
43
73
March 24
Toronto
3–5
Vancouver
19–47–7
45
74
March 26
Vancouver
1–4
Philadelphia
19–48–7
45
75
March 28
Vancouver
1–2
St. Louis
19–49–7
45
76
March 29
Vancouver
2–4
Los Angeles
19–50–7
45
77
March 31
Los Angeles
4–4
Vancouver
19–50–8
46
April: 1–0–0 (home: 1–0–0; road: 0–0–0)
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
Record
Pts
78
April 2
Minnesota
1–4
Vancouver
20–50–8
48
Player statistics
Skaters
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
† Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Vancouver. Stats reflect time with the Canucks only.
*Denotes player traded by Vancouver midway through the season. Stats reflect time with Canucks only.
Goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Regular season
Playoffs
Player
#
GP
Min
W
L
T
GA
SO
GAA
GP
Min
W
L
GA
SO
GAA
Dunc Wilson
1
53
3870
16
30
3
173
1
3.61
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Ed Dyck
–
12
573
1
6
2
35
0
3.66
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
George Gardner
30
24
1237
3
14
3
86
0
4.17
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Awards and records
Trophies and awards
Records achieved in the season
Canucks team records
Fewest points overall: (48) – repeated in 1994–95
Fewest road points: (15) – repeated in 1972–73
Fewest wins overall: (20) – (18 in shortened 1994–95 season)
Most losses overall: (50)
Most road losses: (30)
Fewest ties overall: (8) – repeated in 1970–71 , 1986–87 , 1988–89
Most shutouts against: (12)
Transactions
The Canucks were involved in the following transactions during the 1971–72 season.[ 8]
Trades
Draft picks
Vancouver's picks at the 1971 NHL amateur draft , held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal .
See also
Notes
References
Player stats: 2006–07 Vancouver Canucks Media Guide – 1970–71 stats, pg. 150.
Game log: 2006–07 Vancouver Canucks Media Guide – 1970–71 stats, pg. 150.
Team standings: 2007–08 NHL Official Guide & Record Book, pg. 150.
Team records: 2006–07 Vancouver Canucks Media Guide – Canucks all time team & individual records, pp. 225–237
Boyd, Denny (1973), The Vancouver Canucks Story , Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, ISBN 0-07-077631-8
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