Vancouver Canucks: 2005 vs 1994

Snipers: Markus Naslund vs Pavel Bure

The two most gifted players in Canucks' history. Bure has scored big playoff goals - Naslund has not. Both capable of 50+ goal seasons, Naslund edges out Bure in Leadership, while Bure is the more explosive of the two. Both are the focal point of the powerplay, and both can score from anywhere. When these guys are on, the team is winning. Naslund has yet to be impactful in the playoffs, and Bure's occasional poor attitude is a small sacrifice for having a player that is so dynamic and game-changing. Very equal in value. Edge: Bure

Power Forward: Todd Bertuzzi vs Trevor Linden (past)
In terms of natural ability, Bertuzzi is by far a superior offensive force. However, Linden is the Canucks' all time greatest Captain. He scored 2 goals in Game 7 vs the Rangers, and the Overtime winner in Game 6 against Calgary. Linden was clutch and diverse in his assets: scoring, hitting, penalty-killing, powerplay, off-ice leadership. With that said, Bertuzzi's A-game is incomparable. He has knocked Al Macinnis out of a series with a hit, he scores behind the back, he fends off the most dominating defencemen with his arm, he scores when it counts, he fights, he is a warrior in front of the net, he has soft hands that no other big man in hockey can claim to have. Like Naslund, an unproven playoff performer, but a pretty sure bet. Edge: Bertuzzi

Rushing Defense: Jovo & Salo vs Brown and Hedican
Jeff Brown is possibly the best powerplay quarterback the Canucks have ever had, and Bret Hedican is one of the NHL's best skaters. Defensively, Brown and Hedican are a bit soft, and lacking in physical presence. Jovo and Salo are both Hulks on D, and Jovanovski can single-handedly dominate a shift on both ends of the ice. Salo's shot is one of the league's hardest and is a deadly asset on the second Power Play unit. Edge: Jovo & Salo

Reliable Defence: Ohlund and Allen vs Lumme and Murzyn
Ohlund, like Murzyn, is a big reliable D-man that gets the puck out and rarely makes a mistake. Allen is developing into a reliable big man, but like the risk-taking Lumme, is prone to the odd blunder. Lumme and Murzyn were a great duo in that they were such different yet complimentary players: Lumme's finesse and playmaking matched with Murzyn's sheer size and physical presence. Ohlund is a goalie's dream as he blocks shots, rubs out attackers, and clears the puck consistently, But Allen is still quite unproven. Edge: Lumme and Murzyn

Grit: Matt Cooke vs Martin Gelinas
Cooke is a persistent pest that can occasionally offer clutch offense. Cooke has had successful time with the big line in Bertuzzi's absence, last season. He also scored a huge tying goal in the last seconds of Game 7 vs. Calgary in '04. On the other hand, Gelinas flat out gets it done. He is everything a coach could ask for in a third line grinder. He does everything that Cooke does except he fights less and scores more. Both players seem to increase their value to the team come playoff time, but Gelinas has the slight edge in experience. Edge: Gelinas

Playmaker: Brendan Morrison vs Cliff Ronning
Both diminuative centres know how to get the puck to the big boys, set up a powerplay, and score some big goals. Ronning has an edge in heart, playing with a broken hand in the '94 playoffs and still making big plays. Morrison is integral to the success of Vanouver's two greatest assets: Naslund and Bertuzzi. Morrison has shown glimpses of clutch playoff goal scoring as well, when he scored in overtime of Game 6 against the Flames in '04. Both can play hero, both can support the hero, though Morrison has proven himself to be a legitimate first line centre: Edge: Morrison

Reliable Scorer: Anson Carter vs Geoff Courtnall
Carter is no slouch but when it came to big goals, Courtnall was clutch. Courtnall was an awkward skater and an overlooked threat, while Carter is highly unproven in NHL playoff hockey. Edge: Courtnall

2nd Line Duo: The Sedin Twins vs Adams & Craven
Greg Adams and Murray Craven were two solid veteran forwards, especially Adams who scored back to back overtime winners in Game 5 vs the Leafs and Game 1 vs the Rangers. "The Twins" are the target of constant criticism for occasionally performing like "The Sisters," but are likely to be a significant threat this season playing with big sniper, Carter. The last 3 months of the '04 regular season were a display of Sedin dominance where each played the best stretch of hockey of their career. Despite many doubters, the Sedins have shown gradul improvement, and though they lack size and quickness, their skill set combined is a valuable commodity. Edge: Sedins

Vetran Forward: Trevor Linden (present) vs Sergio Momesso
Both slower than the more elite forwards of their team, but both add a great sense of leadership and wisdom in the dressing room, as well as grit and size up front, with the ability to score the occasional clutch goal. Linden is all heart and is great on the PK. Serge lacks some natural talent and goes into lulls in output, though he played solid through the '94 run. Edge: Linden

Goalie: Dan Cloutier vs Kirk McLean
Dan is possibly the only player more scrutinized than the Sedins Twins. However, his 2.12 regular is a stellar number, and he did play exceptionally well in his three starts against Calgary before he went down with an injury. McLean is considered by some to be the Canucks greatest all-tim goalie, largely due to his remarkable run, including the most outstanding display of goaltending ever performed by a Canuck keeper in Game 1 vs the Rangers. Neither is a superstar, but both are very solid B+ Goalies, that are occasionally A or A+. McLean's stand up style kept him in position to stop rebounds, while Cloutier is a natural athlete. McLean is soft spoken and always calm while Cloutier is outwardly emotional and intense. Though Dan has a quality skill set and is nearing his prime, he still has a looming shadow over him in the fact that he has never had great playoff success. Edge: McLean

Final Verdict: 2005 vs. 1994
The Canucks of old had a remarkable run considering they entered the playoffs as the lowest seeded team in the Conference. This year, some analysts are ranking the Canucks as high as #1 in the conference, and most consider the team to be a legitimate cup contender. The fact that the nucleus of this team has been able to play together for several seasons, moreso than the '94 team and most teams in the new NHL, gives them a distinct advantage in terms of roles and familiarity of systems and linemates. The '94 team was built around character players with guts, size, and work ethic. Today's Canucks are highly skilled and fast, with wave after wave of offense and an extremely exciting style of play. With Naslund, Bertuzzi, Jovo, and others in the peak of their career, the Canucks are among the top 5 favourites to win the cup. In a league of evened out teams (due to salary cap restructuring), the fact that a solid club like the Canucks has kept their core intact makes them an elite team. However, in the old league of outrageous payrolls, the $60,000,000 1994 New York Rangers were pushed to within a single goal of losing the coveted prize. Edge: '94 Canucks