The 2015–16Vancouver Canucksseason was the
46th season for the
National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.[2] The season began its regular games on October 7, 2015, against the
Calgary Flames with a 5−1 win. On March 25, 2016, the Canucks lost 4−0 to the
St. Louis Blues and were eliminated from playoff contention. The Canucks missed the playoffs for the second time in three years.[3]
Off-season
Off-season changes began in late June at the
2015 NHL Entry Draft. Due to the Canucks having three goaltenders requiring
waivers, goaltender
Eddie Lack was traded to the
Carolina Hurricanes (for a third-round pick at the draft and a seventh-round pick in
2016)[4] to make room on the roster for
Jacob Markstrom. This trade was disliked as fans saw the two draft picks as very little compensation for Lack. The Canucks would draft seven players at the draft. A few days later, long-time Canucks
defencemanKevin Bieksa was traded to the
Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a second-round pick in 2016.[5]
The following day, Hockey Operations Staff Laurence Gilman, Lorne Henning and Eric Crawford were released by the Canucks.[10]
On July 28, the Canucks traded centre
Nick Bonino, defenceman
Adam Clendening, as well as the second-round pick acquired in the Bieksa trade, to the
Pittsburgh Penguins for centre
Brandon Sutter and a conditional third-round pick.[11] One week later, the Canucks resigned Sutter to a five-year contract extension, lasting until the 2020–21 NHL season.[12]
Training camp consisted of various activities, such as power-play drills, strength and conditioning exercises, and intra-squad scrimmages.
Head coach
Willie Desjardins was unable to attend training camp. Desjardins was forced to have surgery on September 8 (a mere 10 days before training camp was due to begin), due to a flare-up of a chronic hip condition. While Desjardins wanted to be in attendance, the Canucks medical staff was unable to give him clearance to head to Prince George. In his place, assistant coach
Glen Gulutzan (former
Dallas Stars head coach) stepped up to run the training camp. Assistant coaches
Perry Pearn and
Doug Lidster were also in attendance.
Source: National Hockey League[15] x – Clinched playoff spot
Schedule and results
The Canucks set a franchise record with a goal drought of 234 minutes and 52 seconds beginning after the Daniel Sedin goal at 12:00 of the first period on March 16 against Colorado and ending with the Bo Horvat goal at 6:52 of the first period on March 24 against Nashville.
Pre-season
Pre-season game log: 4–3–1 (Home: 3–1–1 ; Road: 1–2–0)
†Traded to Canucks mid-season. Stats reflect time with Canucks only.
‡Traded (or lost by waivers) to another team mid-season. Stats reflect time with Canucks only.
a The
Carolina Hurricanes' third-round pick went to the
Vancouver Canucks as the result of a trade on June 27, 2015, that sent
Eddie Lack to Carolina in exchange for a 2016 seventh-round pick and this pick.
The
Vancouver Canucks' seventh-round pick went to the
Minnesota Wild as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014, that sent a third-round pick in
2014 to Tampa Bay in exchange for a third-round pick in 2014 and this pick.[50] Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 27, 2014, that sent a second-round pick in
2014 to Vancouver in exchange for
Jason Garrison, the rights to Jeff Costello and this pick.[51]
c The
San Jose Sharks' seventh-round pick (from New York Islanders via Tampa Bay Lightning) went to the
Vancouver Canucks as the result of a trade on June 27, 2015, that sent
Patrick McNally to San Jose in exchange for this pick.