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- The 2011–12 Vancouver Canucks season was the 42nd season in the modern Canucks history. The Vancouver Canucks were the defending Western Conference champions and three time defending Northwest Division champions. The Canucks opened the regular season against the Pittsburgh Penguins at home on October 6. Their final regular season game was held at Rogers Arena against the Edmonton Oilers on April 7, 2012. The Canucks entered the season expected to again contend for their first ever Stanley Cup. The Canucks struggled out of the gate, hovering around .500 until roughly the 20 game mark due to weak defensive play and a slow start from Roberto Luongo. The Canucks then rebounded, playing their best hockey of the season from the end of November until the beginning of January. The team dominated much like they did the season prior during this stretch, as goals came in bunches and the offense was backed up by strong goaltending from the tandem of Luongo and Cory Schneider. The peak of the Canucks' season came on January 7, 2012, in a game against the Boston Bruins, a 2011 Stanley Cup Final rematch. The Canucks prevailed 4–3 in a hard-fought playoff atmosphere, and they seemed to state to the hockey world that they would be heard from again come playoff time. The winning ways continued for the rest of the season, but the team did not play with the same heart they played with that January afternoon again. The Canucks often played down to their competition, barely beating some of the weakest teams in the league as the offense seemed to disappear. The Canucks pulled a shocking deal at the trade deadline, trading blue-chip prospect Cody Hodgson to the Buffalo Sabres for a skilled, but unproven prospect Zack Kassian. While Kassian should eventually emerge as a solid NHLer, this deal was probably pulled too soon as the offensive mojo disappeared but the team was lucky to have outstanding goaltending that led them to their second consecutive Presidents' Trophy on the final day of the regular season when they defeated the Edmonton Oilers. Despite entering the playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference, the Canucks were upset in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five games by the eight-seeded Los Angeles Kings. This was the third consecutive season the Canucks lost in the playoffs to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion. (en)
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