Remembering the ‘RUSSIAN ROCKET”

In his first shift, Bure made the Winnipeg Jets look like an amateur team as he used his sensational speed to explode into the attacking zone. It was a preview of the thrilling excitement he would bring to the NHL.

Bure’s amazing combination of elite speed, shooting accuracy, hands and athleticism allowed him to become on the best goal scorers hockey fans have ever seen.

Very few, if any, players who played at the same time as Bure were more fun to watch. He was worth the price of admission every night. He was an incredible talent with a skill set that no player has brought to the NHL since Bure retired after the 2002-03 season.

He was an incredible talent with a skill set that no player has brought to the NHL since Bure retired after the 2002-03 season.

Current stars such as Alexander Ovechkin are Marian Gaborik have similar skills, but neither of them have the unbelievable offensive talent that Bure displayed throughout his career.

Bure was able to perform unreal moves with the puck at such a high rate of speed, moves that many of the best players in the NHL right now would have a very difficult time doing at regular speed.

Not many players in NHL history have been able to grab the puck, accelerate toward the attacking zone with great speed, then score with a beautiful deke or a deadly-accurate wrist shot as well as Bure. If he was just a half step ahead of you, there was no way you were going to catch him.

Even though Bure was a great offensive player, he wasn’t “soft” by any means. Opponents made sure they were physical with him, and Burewasn’t afraid to fight back with his own level of toughness. If he played after the 2004-05 lockout, he might have been able to score 70 goals in one season.

Many of Bure’s best moments with Vancouver happened during the 1993-94 season, when the Canucks advanced all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final before losing 3-2 to the New York Rangers. Unfortunately for Bure, he would never make it back to a Stanley Cup Final.

He led the Canucks in scoring during the ’94 playoffs, and finished his playoff career with 35 goals and 35 assists in 60 games.

One thing that may have prevented Bure from getting into the Hall of Fame sooner was his lack of longevity. He doesn’t have the stats that players like Adam Oates racked up over 15-plus years, but if injuries didn’t derail his career, Bure could have achieved incredible scoring totals.

In 702 games during his 12 NHL seasons, Bure scored 437 goals with 342 assists for 779 career points. He scored 50-plus goals in a season five times and 30-plus goals seven times. If players like Cam Neely are in the hall of fame without a lot of longevity, there’s no reason to keep Bure waiting for induction.

Bure is one of the best goal scorers ever and arguably the best Canucks player in team history. As one of the best players of his generation, Bure’s induction into the Hall of Fame is well-deserved.

By Nicholas Goss, Correspondent
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