October 28, 2026
October 28, 2026
2011-2012 Vancouver Canucks: Best in the West
The Vancouver Canucks quickly became one of the best teams in the National Hockey League, and their rise to the top of the Western Conference became more evident once the Sedin brothers, Henrik and Daniel, got together to tear through the competition. The 2011-2012 Vancouver Canucks campaign was a definite success in the regular season, as the team finished as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, making them the best in the West.
The 2011-2012 Vancouver Canucks went 51-22-9 with 111 points, finishing 21 points ahead of the Calgary Flames to claim the Northwest Division, according to Hockey-Reference. The Canucks went 27-10-4 on home ice at Rogers Arena and 24-12-5 on the road. Though October was a shaky first month for the team, the Canucks played solid hockey every other month of the regular season, going 9-4 in November, 10-4-1 in December, 7-2-2 in January, 9-1-4 in February and 9-5-1 in March.
In head-to-head play, the Canucks went 6-0 against the Colorado Avalanche, 5-1 against the Edmonton Oilers, 4-2 against the Minnesota Wild, 3-0-1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets and San Jose Sharks, 3-2-1 against the Calgary Flames, 2-1-1 against the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Phoenix Coyotes, 2-2 against the Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, and 2-0 against the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Left winger Daniel Sedin had 30 goals and 37 assists for 67 points, with 10 power play goals, 15 power play assists and 6 game-winning goals on 229 shots. Left winger Alexandre Burrows had 28 goals and 24 assists for 52 points, with 7 game-winning goals on 198 shots. Center Ryan Kesler had 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 points, with 8 power play goals and 11 power play assists on 222 shots. Center Chris Higgins had 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points, with 7 power play assists and 4 game-winning goals on 165 shots. Left winger Jannik Hansen had 16 goals and 23 assists on 137 shots. Center Cody Hodgson had 16 goals and 17 assists on 103 shots. Left winger David Booth had 16 goals and 13 assists on 145 shots.
Center Henrik Sedin was the team captain, and he had a sharp eye for setting up his teammates to score goals. Sedin had 14 goals and 67 assists for 81 points, with 8 power play goals, 19 power play assists and 6 game-winning goals on 113 shots. Defenseman Alexander Edler had 11 goals and 38 assists for 49 points, with 17 assists, on 228 shots. Left winger Mason Raymond had 10 goals and 10 assists on 125 shots. Defenseman Sami Salo had 9 goals and 16 assists, with 7 power play goals, 7 power play assists and 3 game-winning goals on 136 shots. Center Maxim Lapierre had 9 goals and 10 assists on 103 shots.
Goaltender Roberto Luongo remained a steady piece of the puzzle for the Canucks as he guarded the net to the best of his ability. Luongo went 31-14-8, allowing 127 goals on 1,577 shots in 3,162 minutes, recording 1,450 saves, a .919 save percentage, a 2.41 goals-against average and 5 shutouts. The Canucks’ other goaltender, Cory Schneider, also served the team well, going 20-8-1 and allowing 60 goals on 945 shots in 1,833 minutes, recording 885 saves, a .937 save percentage, a 1.96 goals-against average and 3 shutouts.
Throughout the regular season, the Vancouver Canucks developed a habit of sending games into overtime and even deeper into shootouts. In games that went to overtime or shootouts, the Canucks went 16-9, and from the middle of January to the middle of February alone, the Canucks played in 10 games that went to overtime or a shootout.
Despite being the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference when the playoffs began, the Vancouver Canucks were simply not prepared for their first-round opponent, as they were upset by the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, 4 games to 1. The only game of the series the Canucks managed to win was Game 4 on April 18 at the Staples Center by a score of 3-1. Los Angeles struck first when center Anze Kopitar scored 13:00 into the 1st period. However, Vancouver took control of the game and didn’t look back. At 4:07 of the 2nd period, Alexander Edler scored a power play goal, and at 8:36, defenseman Kevin Bieksa scored a goal. Henrik Sedin added another power play goal 5:45 into the 3rd period.
Even though the early playoff exit wasn’t in their plans, the 2011-2012 Vancouver Canucks still had a season filled with positive moments. Henrik Sedin played in his 500th consecutive career game in the season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 6. Henrik was also named the NHL’s Third Star of the Month for January. His brother Daniel Sedin scored his 10th overtime goal, the most overtime goals in Canucks franchise history.
Cory Schneider was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Month for November. Cody Hodgson was named NHL Rookie of the Month for February. Roberto Luongo finished the regular season with 212 wins, the most by a goaltender in Canucks franchise history. Head coach Alain Vigneault reached 247 wins, the most by a coach in franchise history.
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