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The 10 biggest hits in Vancouver Canucks history (videos included)

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Jason Jhutti
3 years ago
Players can provide their team with a jolt of energy when they deliver a solid body check.
It can light up the crowd, create bitterness between the two sides, and they’re just flat out fun to watch.
In 50 seasons of Vancouver Canucks hockey, players and fans alike have stood on their feet cheering great hits on the ice.
Here are the ten best bone-crushing hits Canucks players have laid upon their opponent.

10. Kesler welcomes Kane to the show

Two years before the hate-filled rivalry between the Chicago Blackhawks started, the emotions were brewing.
In 2007, Ryan Kesler gave rookie Patrick Kane his welcome to the NHL moment.

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Sending Kane to an unexpected line change, this Kesler hit is the best one during his time in a Canucks sweater.

9. Hammer goes with the hip

The first of two hip-checks that Dan Hamhuis brings to the top ten comes in at number nine. 
Hamhuis’ hit on Vancouver native Milan Lucic in the Stanley Cup Finals was one of the best hits in that series. 

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Taking the end game out of it and just living in that exact moment when Hamhuis laid the hammer on Lucic was a great moment in the series and a great hit.

8. The eagle lands

Alex Edler doesn’t have many highlight reel-hits, but this hit on Doughty was unexpected, making it that much better and he also laid him out. 

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One of the things everyone playing hockey got taught at a young age was to never keep your head down because the end result will be similar to what happened to Doughty.

7. Ballard joins the hit parade

Another hip-check ranks in the top ten, but this time, it comes courtesy of Keith Ballard.

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In the second round of the 2011 playoffs, Ballard gives Jordin Tootoo air in a posterized hit. Ballard was well known for his ability to catch the opponent off guard with a big hip check, and this one was one of his best.

6. Virtanen and the young star

Ok, so technically, this isn’t an NHL game, but hey, it still counts as one of the best hits we’ve seen.
In Jake Virtanen’s second Young Stars Tournament, he gave everyone in Penticton something to cheer about when he welcomed phenom Connor McDavid to the tournament.

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McDavid going for the puck didn’t notice the pickup truck that is Virtanen was headed right for him.

5. Bure shows his mean streak

Yup, you read that headline right: Pavel Bure makes the top five with his it on Bryan Marchment.

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Bure decided to take matters into his own hands when Marchment went to hit him. A hit that ended up being a knee on knee, which he and teammate Sergio Momesso didn’t like. Momesso tried to fight Marchment, but the refs broke them up before the two could throw hands. Fast forward to 48 seconds of the clip; Bure gets his revenge with a wicked hit, and a cross-check to the back to boot.

4. Hamhuis goes shark hunting

The last hip-check of the list is evidently Hamhuis’ second appearance. Hamhuis lays a thunderous hit on San Jose Sharks defenceman Douglas Murray.

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Hamhuis hit on Murray is one of the best when you consider how big Murray is. Hamhuis takes no prisoners when laying a massive hit, which flipped Murray all over the place.

3. Bertuzzi shows no remorse

Todd Bertuzzi comes in at number three with his massive hit on BC native Barret Jackman.

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Jackman didn’t see the freight train coming when he went behind the net. Bertuzzi lowers his shoulders and pummels Jackman in an excellent hard-nosed hit.

2. Toews sees stars

Stepping out of the penalty box and stepping in on Johnathan Toews, Willie Mitchell levels Toews with an open-ice hit. 

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It’s safe to say Toews didn’t know Mitchell was out of the box, and he got hit, but this clean hit made Toews enter another dimension.

1. Linden breaks the glass

A hit so good it made the glass shatter.

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The 1995 playoffs weren’t the best, but the most memorable moment came in round one when Trevor Linden sent Jeff Norton through the glass and into the stands. 
The most famous and best bone-crushing in Canucks history, it earns the top spot on this list, and now we will all wait and see what the next 50 years will bring.

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