The West Coast Express was an ice hockey line that played for the National Hockey League's (NHL) Vancouver Canucks from 2002 to 2006. Named after Vancouver's commuter rail service, the line consisted of captain Markus Näslund at left-wing, Brendan Morrison at centre, and Todd Bertuzzi playing right-wing. The West Coast Express was a high scoring line that was considered to be one of the best lines in hockey during its tenure.
Each player was acquired by the Canucks through various trades. Once each member arrived in Vancouver it took two years before the line played together regularly. Once they did, they helped to set a Canucks franchise record for points in 2002–03 season (later surpassed), a season in which the West Coast Express accounted for 45% of the team's goal production. All three players recorded their most individually recognized and best statistical seasons while playing on the line. Despite regular season success, the Canucks were never able to advance past the second round of the playoffs during the West Coast Express years. The line was disbanded when Bertuzzi was traded to the Florida Panthers after the 2005–06 season. Both Morrison and Naslund played through the 2007–08 season with the Canucks before leaving the organization via free agency.
History
Player acquisitions
The Vancouver Canucks made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994, but proceeded to regress as a franchise progressively finishing worse each season. As such they began attempting to add skill players to the line-up through trades. The Canucks made various deals to "move the program forward and in a different direction". With the franchise moving in a new direction the first member of the West Coast Express line arrived in Vancouver on March 20, 1996, when left wing Markus Naslund was traded to the Canucks by the Pittsburgh Penguins for Alek Stojanov. Naslund struggled to start his Canucks career and during the 1997–98 season he requested to be traded. It was not until the 1998–99 season that Naslund emerged as an offensive leader with the Canucks, leading them in goals (36) and points (66). Todd Bertuzzi was the second member of the line to join the Canucks' franchise, when he was acquired by Vancouver via a trade during the 1997–98 season. The New York Islanders received former Canuck captain Trevor Linden in exchange for right winger Bertuzzi, defenceman Bryan McCabe and a third-round selection in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft (Jarkko Ruutu). Bertuzzi began the 1998–99 season playing on a line with Mark Messier at centre and Alexander Mogilny on right wing. Bertuzzi played with the two until he suffered a fractured tibia, an injury that resulted in Naslund gaining increased ice time. The final piece came to the Canucks on March 14, 2000, with the acquisition of Brendan Morrison. In an attempt to improve their team to make a Stanley Cup run, the New Jersey Devils traded Morrison and centre Denis Pederson for Mogilny at the National Hockey League's (NHL) trade deadline. Upon his arrival Morrison did not begin playing with Naslund and Bertuzzi nor did he begin his Canucks' career at centre, instead he began on the wing.