Steve Bozek (NHL 1981-1992, Canucks 1988-1991) | 14 | LW

[Kevin Biestra]

Steve Bozek is a former Canuck from the late 80s and early 90s who is worth a mention as not just a part of Canucks history but of hockey history.  Bozek was a terrific NHL rookie with the Kings (33 goals and 56 points, basically Trevor Linden's numbers when he was 2nd for the Calder Trophy) and Bozek's rookie year also featured one of the most legendary games in NHL history, where he was a significant part of it as well.  He also helped pave the way for the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final that year with his heroics as a Los Angeles King (although we had to face and defeat him and the Kings as a result).

 

In the first round in 1982, the series were best-of-five, so it took only three wins to get to round two.  After two games against Gretzky's powerhouse Edmonton Oilers, the series was tied 1-1, and it was game three that was going to really decide the series, even if another win was required (kind of like how the USA Miracle on Ice against Russia wasn't the gold medal final).  The Kings had won game one by a score of 10-8 by the way.  That was not Grant Fuhr's night, allowing 9 goals and making Mario Lessard look good for allowing eight.

 

In game three, the Oilers were winning 5-0 after two periods.  And that was when history was made...  In the third period, the Kings scored five unanswered goals (again all on Fuhr) to send the game into overtime, which the Kings won.  The Kings and Oilers split the next two games, with the Kings winning the series 3-2 and moving on to face the Canucks and King Richard in round two.

 

That five goal comeback game was called The Miracle on Manchester in the books of hockey history and it was where the mighty Oilers were felled and learned their lessons that would get them to the Cup final the following year.  As for Steve Bozek, he was the one that scored the Kings' fifth goal to sent it to overtime (with five seconds left in regulation) and he also assisted on another of the Kings' goals.

 

Bozek was a consistent 15-goal scorer in his three seasons as a Canuck and he was part of our legendary first round 7th game overtime series in 1989 against the eventual Cup Champion Calgary Flames.

 

Bozek had 164 goals and 331 points in 641 games in his NHL career.

 

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

[Zimmyparttwo]

Boom-Boom!

[Wilbur]

Bozek's 201 games played (regular season + playoff) put him on page 14 of my Canucks binder (196 to 207 GP).  Hard to say who was the most impactful of this cohort...on skates at least....and impactful for the positive, not that guy in the top left.

 

Spoiler

 

Bozek's 90 career points is good for 105th in all-time Canuck scoring.  I remember him as a bit of a little things guy like Loui became (although Eriksson was always expected to do way more offensively).

 

103    Taylor Pyatt    LW    224    49    44    93
104    Rosaire Paiement    RW    147    44    47    91
105    Steve Bozek    LW    191    46    44    90
106    Radim Vrbata    RW    142    44    46    90
107    Loui Eriksson    RW    252    38    52    90