The Vancouver Canucks are retiring Pavel Bure’s No. 10 jersey and hanging it from the rafters at Rogers Arena, the team announced Tuesday.
The “Russian Rocket” will become only the fourth player in franchise history to receive the honour, joining former captains Stan Smyl, Trevor Linden and Markus Naslund.
“It’s a huge honour. I’m just really proud and happy to be next to Stan Smyl, who I just saw today and we were talking [about] how we start together,” Bure said at a news conference Tuesday.
He played with the Canucks from 1991 to 1999, and still holds team records for most points scored by a rookie and most career shorthanded goals.
The 42-year-old also became the first player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Vancouver Canuck last year.
The team has not yet announced a date for the retirement ceremony.
Gillis optimistic about Luongo's return
In the same news conference, Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis said he visited Roberto Luongo in Florida last week and that the pair had a positive discussion, indicating the goaltender is looking forward to returning to the Canucks after he spent the past year expecting to be dealt
“It was fun, it was amiable, it wasn’t stressful or anything,” he said. “I have full confidence in him, I have full confidence that he’ll be here.”
Many have criticized Gillis’ handling of Vancouver's goaltending situation, which resulted in Cory Schneider's trade to the New Jersey Devils after the Canucks could not move Roberto Luongo and his mammoth contract.
Gillis defended his decision to trade Schneider and keep Luongo as the starting goaltender.
"We made our choice and our choice was to go with Roberto," Gillis said.
With files from The Canadian Press
