With Christmas on the horizon and the decade coming to a close, it is the perfect time to count down the best Canucks of the 2010s. This is the Canucks Advent Calendar.
Each day until Christmas I will rank one player until we have the top 25 of the 2010s. These Vancouver icons will be ranked based on their statistics, impact on the city and overall play during their time with Vancouver. Rankings will be based on the player’s Canucks tenure during the 2010s only. Prior seasons with the team will have little impact on the rankings. Here is the 25th greatest Canuck of the 2010s!
25. Chris Higgins (2011 – 2016)
Statistics: 314 GP, 62 G, 80 A, 142 PTS
Chris Higgins was a mainstay on Vancouver’s forward group during their greatest seasons of the decade. During the 2011 Trade Deadline, Chris Higgins was dealt to Vancouver just in time for their run to the Cup finals. Vancouver only gave up Evan Oberg and a 2013 third-rounder for a player who would become a Canucks leader. Higgins brought a veteran presence and was a reliable second/third-line forward during his tenure.
During the 2011 playoffs, Higgins managed to stay healthy and played all 25 games during Vancouver’s run to the finals. Higgins recorded 8 points and had a positive plus/minus rating during the 2011 post-season. His performance in the playoffs would earn him a 2-year, $3,800,000 contract during the off-season. Higgins would sporadically miss games due to Staph infection, however, he still recorded an impressive 43 points during the 2011-12 season.
Fans would see Higgins’ stats steadily decline along with Vancouver’s overall play for the next several years. Higgins would play his last 33 games in the NHL during the 2015-16 season where he would score four points as Vancouver missed the playoffs.
Although Chris Higgins had an underwhelming end to his tenure in Vancouver, it is undeniable that he left an impact. Higgins was a key piece in Vancouver’s greatest playoff run and gave five hard-fought years to the Vancouver organization. During the fall of 2019, it was announced that Higgins was returning to the Canucks family in a player-developmental role. It will be interesting to see how he can impact the team in this upcoming decade.
Who’s Next?
I hope that you have enjoyed this installment of the Canucks Advent Calendar! Be sure to check back tomorrow for the next player on the list!
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