A quick post for your Sunday reading enjoyment today. The end of summer is definitely in the air—get out and enjoy the day!
As Vantel mentioned yesterday, Ryan Kesler may have drawn inspiration from his old teammate Roberto Luongo when he did the Ice Bucket Challenge—not in wardrobe or approach, but definitely in his challenges. He picked all three of his old Canucks coaches: Marc Crawford, Alain Vigneault and John Tortorella. I'd love to see those three do it together!
Who Wore It Best?
We're into the last week of Who Wore It Best. Thankfully, I've been vindicated from overlooking Curt Fraser yesterday at No. 24. Scott Walker won our poll and was also the choice at
Canucks.com. They give him bonus points for being the first NHL player ever to score a goal outside North America, when the Canucks and Ducks visited Japan to kick off the 1997-98 season ahead of the first Olympics featuring NHL players.
With the success he's had as an OHL coach in Guelph, I wouldn't be surprised to see Walker jump to the NHL coaching ranks in the not-too-distant future. I wonder if the Predators gave him any consideration after they dismissed Barry Trotz this spring?
Now, on to No. 25. Always tough to compete against a Ring of Honour member, but here are your nominees:
Andrew Cassels: Andrew Cassels was signed as a 30-year-old free agent by the Canucks in the summer of 1999, when the team was at its absolute worst. A playmaking centre, Cassels led the Canucks in assists in his first two years with the team as they began working their way back to respectability. He played well with Bertuzzi and Naslund as younger centres Brendan Morrison and Henrik Sedin developed their games.
Cassels spent three seasons in Vancouver, recording 40 goals and 168 points in 198 games. He's also the father of current Canucks' prospect Cole Cassels.
Orland Kurtenbach: The Canucks' first captain, Orland Kurtenbach was a tough veteran when he was acquired in the 1970 expansion draft. Already 34 years old, Kurtenbach spent four seasons with Vancouver and recorded his career-best 24 goals and 61 points in 1971-72. All told, he put up 62 goals and 163 points in 229 games with Vancouver, as well as 200 penalty minutes.
Kurtenbach was the first player inducted into the Canucks' Ring of Honour in 2010. Now 77 years old, he still lives in Vancouver and often attends Canucks games in the Alumni box.
Kevin McCarthy: Originally a first-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Flyers, tough-as-nails defenseman Kevin McCarthy was traded to Vancouver in December of 1978 for Dennis Ververgaert. He played just one game with the Canucks before it was discovered that he needed surgery to correct a pre-existing hip condition, knocking him out of the lineup for the rest of the year.
In 1979-80, McCarthy came back to the Canucks in good health and became one of their key defensemen as the team built towards the 1982 Stanley Cup run. He played in the 1981 All-Star Game midway through the best season of his career, where he recorded 16 goals and 53 points. McCarthy did not play in the 1982 playoffs after suffering a broken ankle near the end of the season.
In January of 1984, McCarthy was traded to Pittsburgh. He retired in 1988. During his six years in Vancouver, McCarthy had 51 goals and 199 points in 352 games.
In recent years, McCarthy has served as an assistant coach to Peter Laviolette. He worked with him in Carolina and Philadelphia and has now been hired on to join him in Nashville.
Other Canucks who wore No. 25 over the years include Andrew Ebbett, Nathan Lafayette, Sergei Shirokov and Steve Staios.
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