West Coast Express (ice hockey)
The West Coast Express was an ice hockey line that played for the National Hockey League's (NHL) Vancouver Canucks from 2002 to 2006. 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. The West Coast Express was a high scoring line that was considered to be one of the best lines in hockey during its tenure.
Each player was acquired by the Canucks through various trades. Once each member arrived in Vancouver it took two years before the line played together regularly. Once they did, they helped to set a Canucks franchise record for points in 2002–03 season (later surpassed), a season in which the West Coast Express accounted for 45% of the team's goal production. All three players recorded their most individually recognized and best statistical seasons while playing on the line. 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 line was disbanded when Bertuzzi was traded to the Florida Panthers after the 2005–06 season. Both Morrison and Naslund played through the 2007–08 season with the Canucks before leaving the organization via free agency.
History
Player acquisitions
The Vancouver Canucks made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994, but proceeded to regress as a franchise progressively finishing worse each season.[1] As such they began attempting to add skill players to the line-up through trades.[2] The Canucks made various deals to "move the program forward and in a different direction".[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.[4] Naslund struggled to start his Canucks career and during the 1997–98 season he requested to be traded.[5] It was not until the 1998–99 season that Naslund emerged as an offensive leader with the Canucks, leading them in goals (36) and points (66).[6][7]
Express years
Although the three did not begin playing together immediately, Bertuzzi and Naslund regularly played together on the top line with centres
The 2002–03 season was the West Coast Express' best season, as each member of the line again increased their point total to career highs. Naslund finished the year with 48 goals and 104 points again ranking him second in the league in points and goals. The fourth highest point total in franchise history to that point in time.[20][21] Bertuzzi recorded 46 goals and 97 points, his goal total ranked him third in the league in goal scoring.[22] Morrison's 71 points remains a career high which he has not gotten within 11 points of since.[19] During the year Naslund scored a career-high four goals in a 6–3 win over the Edmonton Oilers, tying a Canucks record for most goals in a single game.[23] In the game Bertuzzi added a goal and two assist while Morrison notched two assists of his own giving the line nine points in the game.[24] Later in the season the West Coast Express helped the Canucks go on a 14-game unbeaten streak highlighted by back to back blowout wins to close out the streak.[25] In the 13 game of the streak, a 7–2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the line registered 5 goals and 12 points.[26] The following game the trio increased their output to 5 goals and 14 points. In the contest both Bertuzzi and Morrison registered two goals and two assists.[27] Naslund scored a goal and added five assists for a career-high six point night.[28] The Canucks finished the season with 104 points, a franchise record at the time.[1] The West Coast Express accounted for 45% of the Canucks' 264 goals during the season.[29] Finishing fourth in the Western Conference, the Canucks faced the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs.[30] They fell behind St. Louis 3–1 in the series, but rallied back to force a game seven. In the deciding game, Naslund scored for the fourth consecutive game in the series and Morrison added the eventual game winner as the Canucks advanced to the second round.[31] Facing off against the Minnesota Wild in game one of round two, the Canucks trailed late in the game. 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.[32] Vancouver took a 3–1 series lead before the Wild rallied to tie the series and force a game seven. The Canucks took a 2–0 lead in the game after Bertuzzi scored twice in the second period.[33] Following his second goal, Bertuzzi skated by the Wild bench and said "Get your golf clubs out, boys, its over."[34] The Canucks then surrendered four consecutive goals, losing the game 4–2 and eliminating them from the playoffs.[33] It was the last playoff game the trio would play together. In the off season Bertuzzi and Naslund were named to the NHL first All-Star team.[4][35] Additionally Naslund was awarded the Lester B. Pearson Award (since renamed the Ted Lindsay Award), given to the league's best player as voted by the NHL Players' Association.[36][37]
End of the Express
The
Following the cancellation of the 2004–05 season due to a
Legacy
During its time, the West Coast Express was widely considered one of the most dominant line combinations in the league.[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.[56][57] The emphasis on defensive has been blamed for diminishing fan interest.[58][59][60] When Naslund was traded to Vancouver in 1996 the Canucks often played in a half empty arena and there were rumors about the franchise moving.[61] The line's offense first style helped to popularize the franchise. They began to sell out home games on a regular basis and started to have a following on the road.[57][61] In the 2002–03 season the Canucks 264 goals was the highest total for the franchise in nine years. It remained unsurpassed by another Canucks team until the 2009–10 team, which featured the NHL's leading scorer, Henrik Sedin.[1][62] The franchise record for points they set that same season stood for only two seasons until it was surpassed in 2006–07 season. During which Roberto Luongo set a franchise record for goaltender wins with 47, a single season win total that is also tied for second most all-time in NHL history.[63][64]
Career statistics
Regular season
Markus Naslund | Brendan Morrison | Todd Bertuzzi | Combined Totals | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
2001–02 | 81 | 40 | 50 | 90 | 50 | 82 | 23 | 44 | 67 | 26 | 72 | 36 | 49 | 85 | 110 | 235 | 99 | 143 | 242 | 186 |
2002–03 | 82 | 48 | 56 | 104 | 52 | 82 | 25 | 46 | 71 | 36 | 82 | 46 | 51 | 97 | 144 | 246 | 119 | 153 | 272 | 230 |
2003–04 | 78 | 35 | 49 | 84 | 58 | 82 | 22 | 38 | 60 | 50 | 69 | 17 | 43 | 60 | 122 | 229 | 74 | 130 | 204 | 240 |
2005–06 | 81 | 32 | 47 | 79 | 66 | 82 | 19 | 37 | 56 | 84 | 82 | 25 | 46 | 71 | 120 | 245 | 76 | 130 | 206 | 270 |
Totals | 322 | 155 | 202 | 357 | 226 | 328 | 89 | 167 | 254 | 196 | 305 | 124 | 189 | 313 | 496 | 955 | 368 | 558 | 926 | 926 |
Playoffs
Markus Naslund | Brendan Morrison | Todd Bertuzzi | Combined Totals | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
2001–02 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 22 |
2002–03 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 60 | 42 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 96 |
2003–04 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | 14 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 10 |
Totals | 27 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 22 | 27 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 32 | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 74 | 74 | 18 | 35 | 53 | 128 |
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Further reading
- Douglas, Greg; Kerr, Grant; Hughson, Jim (2010). Canucks at Forty: Our Game, Our Stories, Our Passion. Mississauga, Ontario: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-470-67916-6.