The Top 10 Assists By A Defenceman In Canucks Franchise History

With eight assists in the past four games, Quinn Hughes tied, and has now passed, Alex Edler’s record for most assists by a defenceman in Vancouver Canucks history. He is now at the top of the list with 313 assists and counting. Here is the revised list of the Canucks franchise’s top 10 defencemen in assists.

1. Quinn Hughes (313A in 388GP and counting)

The current Canucks captain is now the franchise leader in assists by a defenceman, a journey that started back when Vancouver drafted him seventh overall in 2018. Hughes registered his first assist in his NHL debut against the L.A. Kings on March 28, 2019. He wowed fans by grabbing 45 assists in 68 games during his rookie season, a campaign that earned him runner-up honours for the Calder Memorial Trophy. Last season, he broke his own record for most assists by a defenceman in one season with 75 in 82 games.

2. Alex Edler (310A in 925GP)

The longest-tenured defenceman in Canucks history with 925 games played, Alex Edler has been a consistent figure within Vancouver lore ever since he joined the organization. Drafted 91st overall in 2004 by Vancouver, Edler is the Canucks’ current leader in goals and total points by a defenceman with 99 and 409 respectively. In the 2011–12 regular season, he scored 11 goals and 38 assists in 82 games played, an effort that led him to be named an NHL All-Star in 2012.

3. Dennis Kearns (290A in 677GP)

Dennis Kearns played for the Canucks from the 1971–72 season to 1980–81, putting up a total of 321 points within that span. He notched his highest point count in a single season in 1976–77 with five goals and 55 assists in 80 games, which was the highest amount of assists tallied by a Canucks defenceman in one season pre-Hughes. Kearns spent his entire NHL career with Vancouver.

4. Doug Lidster (242A in 666GP)

With a decade spent in Canucks colours, Doug Lidster put up the fourth-most assists by a defenceman in Vancouver’s history. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1980 NHL Draft and was picked 133rd overall. 307 of his 343 career NHL points were recorded as a member of the Canucks, with 63 points being his highest total registered in a single season (also a pre-Hughes franchise record). After leaving Vancouver, he spent time with the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, and Dallas Stars.

5. Jyrki Lumme (238A in 579GP)

Drafted in the third round of the 1986 NHL Draft by the Montréal Canadiens, Jyrki Lumme spent two seasons with the team that drafted him before being traded to Vancouver. In his nine seasons with the Canucks, he put up 321 points, tying him with Dennis Kearns for fourth in franchise history. In the 1993–94 regular season, he potted 13 goals and 42 assists for a total of 55 points. Later on, he played three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, one season with the Stars, and two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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6. Mattias Öhlund (232A in 770GP)

The 13th overall pick in the 1994 NHL Draft, Mattias Öhlund played 770 games for the Canucks, which is the third-most by a defenceman in franchise history. A consistent above-30 point producer, Öhlund spent 11 seasons with the Canucks and was named to the organization’s Ring of Honour five years after his final season in the NHL. He is currently second in goals by a defenceman in Canucks history with 93.

7. Kevin Bieksa (185A in 597GP)

Hard-nosed defenceman-turned media personality, Kevin Bieksa has been a Vancouver fan-favourite since stepping onto the ice as a member of the Canucks. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2001 NHL Draft and spent 10 seasons with Vancouver before rounding out his career with the Anaheim Ducks. Of his 278 career points, he scored 241 of them with Vancouver. He signed a one-day contract and retired as a Canuck on November 3, 2022.

8. Ed Jovanovski (177A in 434GP)

Ed Jovanovski split his 500 career points between the Florida Panthers, Coyotes, and Canucks. The first overall pick of the 1994 NHL Draft, Jovanovski was traded to Vancouver in a blockbuster trade that sent Canucks legend Pavel Bure to the Panthers. In his seven seasons in Vancouver, Jovanovski recorded 177 assists, putting him eighth on this list.

9. Rick Lanz (171A in 417GP)

A Canuck for seven seasons, Rick Lanz was picked seventh overall by Vancouver in the 1980 NHL Draft. He currently has the franchise record for power-play goals scored in a season by a defenceman with 14, something he accomplished in 1983–84. In 417 total games with the Canucks, Lanz tallied 227 points. He wrapped his career up with stints with the Maple Leafs and the Chicago Blackhawks.

10. Sami Salo (162A in 566GP)

Rounding out the list of most assists by a Canucks defenceman is Sami Salo, who provided 162 in 566 games with Vancouver. Salo was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 1996, selected in the ninth round with the 239th overall pick. He was traded to the Canucks in 2002 and played nine seasons for the team before moving on to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s currently the Canucks’ franchise leader in power-play goals by a defenceman with 48 and is fourth in goals scored by a Canucks defenceman with 74.