This is all we can think about today.
As the 2011 Vancouver Canucks start their first Stanley Cup final series since 1994, we thought we’d take a look at some of the historical hockey images and video we have at the Archives, including Vancouver’s many past champions. We’ve put up a Flickr set of early hockey images taken by photographer Stuart Thomson, where you can see some of his images in higher resolution.
Frank Patrick was an important figure in Vancouver hockey.
This graphic, with Frank, his brother Lester, Edward Savage (manager of the Portland Rosebuds) and Pete Muldoon (manager of the Seattle Metropolitans), recognizes leadership in the business of hockey on the west coast. The Patrick brothers founded the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) in 1911, built arenas (including Vancouver’s old Denman arena) and improved the local teams with established National Hockey Association players.
During their 1914-15 Stanley Cup season, Frank not only played for the Vancouver Millionaires on defense but was president, manager and coach. He also owned the Vancouver Amazons, a women’s hockey team that won the 1922 Alpine Cup.
Frank Patrick also coached the Boston Bruins for two seasons (1934-36).
Fred “Cyclone” Taylor was a high-scoring member of the Cup-winning Vancouver Millionaires, who won five PCHA scoring titles. The full image of the detail below is available on Flickr.
In 1922, the Vancouver Towers won the Savage Cup, still the trophy awarded to the best B.C.’s senior men’s team.
Vancouver Lions, a minor-league team, won the PCHL five times: 1929-1931, 1940 and 1941. Sam McAdam played on the 1929 and 1930 championship teams. This image is also on Flickr.
The Vancouver Canucks minor-league team won the Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) championship in both 1946 and 1948. Here are the players with their 1946 trophy.
And a couple of players conferring with their coach:
Finally, we have excerpts from Vancouver-Pacific Celebration, a film that we have just acquired and are still processing. It was created by Yaletown Productions and shows the Canucks playing the Habs just a few years after they joined the NHL.
We are trying to figure out what year this was shot. The film was released in 1976, and the producer thinks the hockey footage was shot 2-3 years before. We can see Ken Dryden playing goal (that’s his mask!), and we know he didn’t play for Montreal in the 1973-4 season. Please help! (Leave your guess in the comments below.)
We wish this year’s Canucks the best of luck in creating their place in hockey history.
You’re right, Dryden didn’t play in 1973/74 (he was finishing his law degree, of all things), and in previous seasons he wore a different style mask. Maybe the clip is from the 1975 playoffs?
Trivia: The PCHL/WHL Canucks were Montreal’s minor-league affiliate in the 60s – one reason why Habs fans often seemed to outnumber Canucks fans at the Coliseum in the 70s and 80s.
Let’s see who we can identify by sweater number.
After the face-off, the big hit is delivered by Canucks #3 (Bob Dailey) against Canadiens #11 (Yvon Lambert).
The helmeted skater jumping is Canadiens #8 (Doug Risebrough), later seen making the turn along with teammate #14 (Mario Tremblay). At the beginning of that segment, one can briefly spot on the far left side Canucks #17 (Ron Sedlbauer).
The player churning up ice with big strides is Canadiens #17 (Murray Wilson).
The concluding slapshot is by Canucks #12 (Leon Rochefort). The save is made by Ken Dryden with #5 (Guy Lapointe) to the side.
Alas, all of those players were on the Canucks or Canadiens rosters in both 1974-75 and 1975-76.
But.
If you stop the film just before the Risebrough jump, at about the 0:03 mark, you can catch a glimpse of Canadiens #21. That number was worn by Glen Sather in 1974-75 and by Doug Jarvis the following season. The figure slips by too quickly for anything but a cursory glimpse. One difference between those two players — Sather didn’t wear a helmet, while Jarvis did.
I can’t tell if the figure is wearing a helmet, or not.
The game is being played at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. You can see the old stick-in-rink logo painted on the ice.
Montreal played four games at the Coliseum in 1974-75: Dec. 20, 1974 (Canadiens 6, Canucks 1), Jan. 28, 1975 (Canadiens 3, Canucks 1), and, in the playoffs, April 17, 1975 (Canadiens 4, Canucks 1) and April 19, 1975 (Canadiens 4, Canucks 0).
The Canadiens visited Vancouver twice the following season: Dec. 20, 1975 (Canadiens 2, Canucks 2) and Jan. 27, 1976 (Canadiens 2, Canucks 2).
Would love to see more video.
Great analysis, Tom! It would be wonderful to show more hockey video, but, although we’re still going through this donation, we don’t think there’s any more.