Orland Kurtenbach

TONIGHT THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS WILL UNVEIL THEIR “RING OF HONOR”…
THE FIRST INDUCTEE WILL BE ORLAND KURTENBACH…THE FIRST CAPTAIN OF THE CANUCKS…
IT’S ALL PART OF A SEASON LONG TRIBUTE TO THE HISTORY OF THIS FRANCHISE…
THE HI-LITE OF WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON DECEMBER THE 11TH…WHEN THE CANUCKS WILL OFFICIALLY RETIRE MARKUS NASLUND’S NUMBER 19…
FROM A MARKETING POINT OF VIEW…THIS IS BRILLIANT…
CELEBRATING YOUR PAST IS JUST GOOD BUSINESS…
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT THAT…SIMPLY LOOK AT THE SUCCESS THE NFL HAS ENJOYED…
THE CHALLENGE FOR GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS IS TO FIND ENOUGH OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS THAT’S TRULY WORTH CELEBRATING…
AFTER JOINING THE LEAGUE IN 1970…THE CANUCKS MISSED THE PLAYOFFS 6 OF THEIR FIRST 8 YEARS…
AND DID NOT WIN THEIR FIRST PLAYOFF ROUND UNTIL 1982…
FROM 1976 UNTIL 1991 THE CANUCKS SUFFERED THROUGH 15 STRAIGHT LOSING SEASONS…
THAT IS STILL AN NHL RECORD…
DESPITE THE FACT THE CANUCKS HAVE MADE IT TO THE STANLEY CUP FINALS TWICE…
THOSE RUNS IN 82 AND 94 ARE THE ONLY TIMES IN FRANCHISE HISTORY…THE TEAM HAS ADVANCED PAST THE SECOND ROUND…
AS FOR THE HALL OF FAME…THERE IS ONLY ONE NAME THAT BEARS A CANUCK LOGO…PLAY BY PLAY MAN…JIM ROBSON…
THAT IS UNLESS YOU WANT TO COUNT…CAM NEELY OR MARK MESSIER….
YES…THERE HAS BEEN SOME INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS…
PAT QUINN AND ALAIN VIGNEAULT BOTH WERE NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR…
PAVEL BURE WON THE CALDER…
AND NASLUND TOOK HOME THE PEARSON…
BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL LAST SEASON…THAT THE CANUCKS WITNESSED THEIR GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT…WITH HENRIK WINNING BOTH THE HART AND THE ART ROSS…
WHICH LEADS TO THE QUESTION…IS IT TOO EARLY TO RETIRE NUMBER 33???
IN FACT…IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THIS TEAM HAS ENJOYED SOME OF ITS GREATEST SUCCESS…WINNING 3 OF 4 DIVISION TITLES…
AND NOW HAS A LIGITMATE SHOT TO WIN A CUP…
AFTER 40 YEARS…THESE ARE “THE GOOD OLD DAYS”…