So where do the Canucks go from here?
A fair question — but one they may not be able to answer right away.
Markus Naslund is gone and a new captain must be crowned in Vancouver.
More on that in a minute — but first, to Naslund’s tenure with the Canucks.
It’s safe to say that no one knew what they were getting from Pittsburgh the day Naslund was shipped west for Alex Stojanov. Turns out it was a steal of a deal — the hockey gods getting even for the Cam Neely-Barry Pederson swap.
At first, no one noticed Naslund because he didn’t play all that much. But the young sniper did show some promise — a player with a deadly accurate wrist shot and lightning quick speed.
With more ice time and maturity, Naslund blossomed into one of the top snipers in the league — anchoring the West Coast Express and winning the Lester B Pearson award.
He turned Todd Bertuzzi’s career around and he had the Canucks on what appeared to be a path to post-season glory — before a Steve Moore cheap shot changed his game and the fortunes of those around him.
A deep thinker and somewhat reluctant hero, Naslund never really seemed all that comfortable wearing the “C,” but he handled it with class and dignity, making him one of the best players—if not the best—player in franchise history.
True, his leadership was questioned and it was a lightning rod for water cooler banter. But what you can’t question is all that Naslund did for the team both on and off the ice.
He is a player that will be truly missed by those who got to know him.
So now that Naslund is a headliner on Broadway, who will wear the “C” for the Canucks?
Willie Mitchell?
Kevin Bieksa?
Ryan Kesler?
Hard to say who’s the right man for the job.
A tough question to answer, but one that must be tackled in this now “new era” of Canucks hockey.