29 jours avant la soirée d’ouverture : Doug Lidster (29e meilleur marqueur de tous les temps)
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Krapshoot
@Canucks de Vancouver
29 jours avant la soirée d’ouverture : Doug Lidster (29e meilleur marqueur de tous les temps)
—
Krapshoot
6 Comments
29. Doug Lidster — 666GP | 65G | 242A | 307P | 1984-1993
Doug Lidster was a right shot defenseman from Kamloops, BC. Growing up, Lidster played minor hockey in Kamloops and then transitioned to junior hockey playing for both the Kamloops and Seattle teams in the WCHL. After an 83-point season in 59-games with the Kamloops Rockets, Lidster opted to pursue the collegiate route and chose to play hockey for the Colorado College Tigers while getting a degree in business administration.
In his first year with the Tigers, Lidster had 43-points in 39-games. He was then selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft in the 7th round at 133rd overall. After being drafted, Lidster opted to stay and complete his collegiate career with Colorado College. Across three more college seasons, Lidster had 131-points in 106-games. He was also recognized as the team’s MVP in 1982-83.
In 1983-84, Lidster represented Canada on the international stage playing in 59-games including the 1984 Olympics. Lidster then joined Vancouver in the tailend of the season playing in just 7-games. In his true rookie season, Lidster played 78-games with 6-goals and 30-points. He was recognized as Vancouver’s Outstanding Defenseman in three consecutive years from 1985-87. He was also recognized as the team’s unsung hero in 1985. In 1986-87, Lidster set a club record for most points by a defenseman with 63-points in 80-games.
Lidster played 10-seasons in Vancouver. He briefly was captain of the team in 1991 when Vancouver boldly chose to rotate the C between Lidster, Trevor Linden and Dan Quinn in the same season. At the time of leaving Vancouver, Lidster left the team as the franchise leader in goals by a defenseman with 63.
After the 1992-93 season, Lidster was traded to the New York Rangers. The reason Vancouver moved Lidster to the Rangers was due to previous future considerations in a trade from June 20th that sent goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck to Vancouver 4 days before the expansion draft. New York was worried about losing Vanbiesbrouck in the expansion draft for nothing so they moved him to Vancouver.
What’s interesting was that Vancouver didn’t protect Vanbiesbrouck either and used him as bait to protect up and coming goalie prospect Kay Whitmore while also using their protection slot on Kirk McLean. Vanbiesbrouck was then selected by the Florida Panthers 1st overall in the expansion draft. Whitmore went on to play just three seasons with Vancouver between 1993-1995. Lidster on the other hand, went on to beat Vancouver in the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals with the New York Rangers, albeit, Lidster only played in 9-playoff games that season. To put icing on the cake, Whitmore was traded in 1996 to the New York Rangers for Joey Kocur—who played 7-games with Vancouver.
Lidster later won a second Stanley Cup as a part of the Dallas Stars in the 1998-99 season. Again, Lidster played in just 4-playoff games that year, but he was a key veteran for the Stars at 38-years old. Lidster retired at the end of the season.
Post playing career, Lidster was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003. He served as Head Coach of the Saginaw Spirit in 2004-05. He resigned from his position as head coach after admitting to poking a finger at the chest of then goaltender Mike Brown in a heated exchange. Lidster showed remorse for his actions and later went on to pursue coaching at the professional level. First, with the Texas Stars as an assistant in 2012, and then with the Canucks as an assistant in 2014 as a part of Willie Desjardin’s staff.
Lidster ranks 29th in all-time scoring for the Vancouver Canucks.
Back in the early 90s, the Canucks stopped at UBC to do some fitness testing and swim in the pool on their way to preseason training (either on Vancouver Island or in Whistler, I don’t remember). My then-girlfriend (now wife) and I were students at UBC at the time, and we were at the pool and got a few autographs. We also saw Lidster in the pool and my wife was very impressed with his physique, to put it politely.
Could have used Odjick instead of Lidster
Doug Lidster was my neighbor in Burnaby growing up. He would play ball hockey with the kids I’m my cul de sac. Different times.
Dougie! One of the few bright lights from that era of Canucks
Dougie! One of the few bright lights from that era of Canucks