2011–12 Vancouver Canucks season

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2011–12 Vancouver Canucks season

The Canucks entered the 2011–12 season as the defending Western Conference champions and Northwest Division champions. They played their home games at Rogers Arena and finished with a 51–22–9 record, earning 111 points. They won the Presidents’ Trophy for the second straight year, leading the league in goals per game, goals against per game, and power-play percentage, but they were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Kings.

Season arc
- The Canucks started slowly, hovering around .500 for the first 20 games due to weak defense and a slow start from goaltender Roberto Luongo. They turned things around after November 20, beating the Ottawa Senators 2–1 and then playing their best hockey through February.
- A highlight came on January 7, 2012, in a 4–3 win over the Boston Bruins, a rematch of the previous year’s Stanley Cup Final. It signaled they would be contenders again.
- Despite periods of inconsistency later in the season, the team rode strong goaltending and solid defense to secure the Presidents’ Trophy for the second year in a row.
- They finished with 111 points, one more than the New York Rangers, who finished with 109 in the East.

Playoffs
- Despite finishing first in the West, the Canucks were upset in the first round by the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Offseason notes and organization
- The 2011 NHL Entry Draft yielded eight picks for Vancouver, including Nicklas Jensen (29th overall). The Canucks traded a second-round pick for two later selections; none of the drafted players became regular NHL players for Vancouver, though Frank Corrado played 76 games across three teams.
- The AHL affiliate situation changed when Winnipeg relocated the Manitoba Moose to become the Winnipeg Jets’ affiliate, leaving Vancouver temporarily without an AHL link. The Canucks then signed a two-year affiliation with the Chicago Wolves. They also moved their ECHL affiliation to the Kalamazoo Wings.
- Training camp began on September 16, with a mix of veterans and prospects. Preseason record was 3–5, and several veterans rested due to the short offseason after the previous Cup run.

Team leaders and notable stats
- Goals: Daniel Sedin – 30
- Assists: Henrik Sedin – 67
- Points: Henrik Sedin – 81
- Penalty minutes: Maxim Lapierre – 130
- Plus/minus: Dan Hamhuis – +29
- Wins (goalie): Roberto Luongo – 31
- Goals-against average (goalie): Cory Schneider – 1.96

Season results at a glance
- Overall record: 51–22–9
- Home: 27–10–4
- Road: 24–12–5
- Goals for: 249
- Goals against: 198

The 2011–12 season was a strong, high-scoring year for Vancouver that ended in disappointment in the playoffs, despite earning the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the postseason.