(This month, Puck Daddy asked bloggers for every NHL team to tell us The Essentials for their franchises — everything from the defining player and trade, to the indispensable fan traditions. Here's our own Harrison Mooney, giving us The Essentials for the Vancouver Canucks.)

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If we're being fair, the most essential aspects of Canuck fandom are pessimism and self-loathing. In the 41 years of this franchise, very little has gone our way and it's gotten to us. We've become oversensitive. Our fuse is short. It can make us our own worst enemy, such as that one time we rioted.

And also that other time.

Our ever-increasing pessimism has made us a tough fanbase to please. Mark Messier, Canadian hero? We hate him. Nevermind that he was voted the Canucks' most valuable player in 1999-2000. He's the worst. Roberto Luongo, the best goalie to ever play for the Canucks? Get him out of here. The 2010-11 team that went to the Cup Final? Blow it up.

But there's a bright side to our blind pessimism. The moment something manages to wriggle out from under it, we love it unconditionally. We deify it. So help us if you ever say an unkind word about that thing. Don't even think about it, or we'll mess you up. We're crazy, remember. We destroyed our own city once twice.

And you stay away from Trevor Linden.

Player

Did I mention we love Trevor Linden? Because we love Trevor Linden. And not just for his hockey ability. He's also a stud. Our men tell our women they're looking "Trevor Linden good" -- that's how much we love Trevor Linden.

Vancouver's love for Trevor Linden goes beyond hockey for a number of reasons, foremost of which is that hockey alone couldn't earn him that special place in our hearts. Linden was excellent -- a heart and soul guy -- and he very nearly dragged the Canucks to a Stanley Cup Final in 1994. But he's hardly the franchise's best player. Markus Naslund is the Canucks' all-time leading scorer. Linden's third on that list, and he'll be fourth by the end of next season (if it happens).

Even at his prime, Linden wasn't the best. In terms of pure skill, Pavel Bure was way beyond him. But there's a reason Linden's jersey is retired and Pavel's isnt.

Linden just clicked with this city. He was and still is active in the community. He played a rugged, two-way game. He gave his all every night. He put Jeff Norton through a pane of glass. He played 16 seasons for the Canucks, bleeding blue and green and white and red and black and maroon and darker blue. When it comes to essential players, there is no other choice.

Season

This one's going to raise a few eyebrows, what with its recency and the sour taste it still leaves in people's mouths, but the 2010-11 season had it all.

Daniel Sedin won the Art Ross, Ryan Kesler won the Selke, Alain Vigneault was nominated for coach of the year, Mike Gillis was GM of the year, Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider won the Jennings, the Canucks led in almost every team category, the team won the Presidents' Trophy, and they came within a game of winning the Stanley Cup. That's a damn good year, and the fact that this selection is going to be met with criticism is absurd.

Sure, there's 1994 to consider, a year that's had just enough time to go from "thing that happened" to "legend", but that Canuck team went on a flukey run. For most of the season, they were a middling, unimpressive team. When it comes to a whole season, nothing beats 2010-11.

Granted, there was a bit of a ruckus afterwards, but technically that happened after the season was over. So it doesn't count.

Game

Saturday, June 11th, 1994. It was Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, and with the Rangers leading 3-2, the Canucks needed the win. Lucky for them, everything went their way. Jeff Brown scored the first goal. Early in the third, he scored the third, giving the Canucks a 3-1 lead. Then, late in the third, Geoff Courtnall scored, but the play continued, and the Rangers scored to make it 3-2. After review, Courtnall's goal was counted, and the score suddenly changed to 4-1.