Welcome Matt: It's been three years since the Canucks' bubble playoff triumph
Three years ago today, the Canucks beat the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the bubble playoffs to advance to the Western Conference semi-finals.
At the time, there was great excitement about the teamâs future, especially after they extended the Vegas Golden Knights to seven games in the next round, losing 3-0 in the clincher with two empty-netters against.
At different points in that postseason run, Bo Horvat and Thatcher Demko looked like difference-makers, and the market was excited.
STILL STANDING đ pic.twitter.com/ME3s38pCG9
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) August 22, 2020
Then came the letdown.
Ownership turned off the taps that offseason to guard against low pandemic revenues and Canucks fans watched Chris Tanev, Jacob Markström, Tyler Toffoli leave for nothing in free agency.
The cruel irony for fans being that just when the Canucks were showing signs of competing, ownership threw a wet blanket on the progress.
That was after management and ownership were fooled by the 2014-15 playoff appearance, which made it look like the Canucks still had some run left with some of the 2011 players.
(Narratorâs voice: they didnât.)
They zig when they should zag. They zag when they should zig.
Itâs tough being a Canucks fan.
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In the years since, many have cast shade at those bubble playoffs. Blues head coach Craig Berube admitted his team didnât think them equivalent to their run the previous spring, and Canucks GM Patrik Allvin was also dismissive of those proceedings.
But in the moment, even in late-August with no fans in the building and no gathering in indoor spaces (allegedly), Canuck Nation was shining.
Weâve havenât had that feeling since. Three years of the blues after dispatching them.
But that victory remains the highlight of this decade, and it may be awhile yet before the Canucks win two postseason rounds.