West Coast Express (ice hockey)
Named after Vancouver's commuter rail service, the line consisted of captain Markus Näslund at left-wing, Brendan Morrison at centre, and Todd Bertuzzi playing right-wing.Despite regular season success, the Canucks were never able to advance past the second round of the playoffs during the West Coast Express years.The Vancouver Canucks made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994, but proceeded to regress as a franchise progressively finishing worse each season.[3] With the franchise moving in a new direction the first member of the West Coast Express line arrived in Vancouver on March 20, 1996, when left wing Markus Naslund was traded to the Canucks by the Pittsburgh Penguins for Alek Stojanov.The New York Islanders received former Canuck captain Trevor Linden in exchange for right winger Bertuzzi, defenceman Bryan McCabe and a third-round selection in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft (Jarkko Ruutu).Starting with their arrival in 2000, head coach Marc Crawford often moved Bertuzzi to the second line to play with twin brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin to complement their cycling game.Naslund raised his point total by fifteen finishing the year as the league's second leading scorer up thirty-one spots from the previous season.[18] The West Coast Express totaled three goals and nine points in the playoffs before being eliminated in six games by the top seeded Detroit Red Wings.With just 8.7 seconds remaining, Bertuzzi won a critical face-off before Naslund took a shot that resulted in Cooke scoring on the rebound to force overtime, where the Canucks eventually ran out 4–3 winners.[40] Bertuzzi was subsequently suspended indefinitely by the NHL, and the resulting injuries ended Moore's career and left him suffering from concussion symptoms over the following seven years.[44] In game seven the Canucks were again trailing late into the third period in the closing seconds Naslund went around Flames defenceman Jordan Leopold drove the net and put a shot on goal.Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, made the save but Cooke scored on the rebound with just 5.7 seconds remain to force overtime.[47] With the return of all three line mate and new rules designed to increase offensive chances the Canucks entered the year with high hopes.[49] Both Naslund and Morrison played two more years with the Canucks, often together (but not always), before signing as free agents with the New York Rangers and the Anaheim Ducks respectively in the summer of 2008.[11][52][53][54][55] The mid-nineties witnessed the increased popularity of defensive schemes like the neutral zone trap which slowed the game, limiting scoring and offensive chances.
Markus NäslundBrendan MorrisonTodd Bertuzziice hockeyNational Hockey LeagueVancouver CanucksVancouver's commuter rail serviceleft-wingcentreright-wing2002–03 seasonFlorida Panthers2005–06 season2007–08 season2005–06 seasonStanley Cup Finalsleft wingMarkus NaslundPittsburgh PenguinsAlek Stojanov1997–98 season1998–99 seasonNew York IslanderscaptainTrevor Lindenright wingerdefencemanBryan McCabe1998 NHL Entry DraftJarkko RuutuMark MessierAlexander MogilnyStanley CupNew Jersey DevilsDenis Pedersontrade deadlineAndrew CasselsMarc CrawfordHenrikDaniel SedinagitatorMatt Cooke2001–02 seasonTrent Klattpower playDetroit Red WingsCarolina Hurricanescommuter trainsame nameMission, British ColumbiaVancouver, British ColumbiaWestern ConferenceNHL first team All-StarColumbus Blue JacketsSt. Louis Bluesgame sevenMinnesota Wildface-offovertimeLester B. Pearson AwardNHL Players' AssociationRoberto LuongoSteve Moore incidentfollowing seasonColorado AvalancheSteve Mooreconcussionhyper-extendedNorthwest DivisionCalgary FlamesJordan LeopoldMiikka KiprusoffMartin Gelinaslabor disputeAlex AuldBryan AllenLukáš Krajíček2006 NHL Entry DraftSergei ShirokovNew York RangersAnaheim Ducksneutral zone trap2009–10 teamNHL's leading scorer2006–07 seasonSeason2001–022002–032003–042005–06Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewSun JournalAssociated PressThe Sports NetworkThe New York TimesCBS SportsSports IllustratedPittsburgh Post-GazetteFox SportsThe Seattle TimesCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe ProvinceWichita EagleDaily PrincetonianLondon Free PressUSA TodayGeneral managersCoachesPlayersDraft picksexpansion draftSeasonsCurrent seasonHistoryWHL yearsRecordsAward winnersBroadcastersCanucks Sports & EntertainmentFrancesco AquiliniJim RutherfordPatrik AllvinRick TocchetQuinn HughesPacific ColiseumRogers Arena