From their time at both the Pacific Coliseum and Rogers Arena, there have been some iconic calls in the history of the Vancouver Canucks.

It didn’t matter what channel the game was on or who the Canucks were playing. Jim Robson and John Shorthouse have both earned themselves legendary status in the broadcast booth.

There have been calls that weren’t delivered by either of them, like when Markus Naslund crashed the net with 10 seconds left and Matt Cooke scored to tie the game late to send the game into overtime, or Brendan Morrison silenced the crowd at the Saddledome. As I said, there have been some great calls that Canucks fans have gotten to hear over the 50 years.

However, the top five calls have a place in the hearts of Canucks fans around the world.

It was a sombre yet joyous few days in the city leading up to the Sedin’s last home game of their legendary careers, and what better way to close out the Sedin era than with a call from someone who’s seen them along the way every step of the way? John Shorthouse executed this perfectly, proving once again that sometimes it’s those with the fewest words that make the best calls.

Shorthouse’s “Let’s it goes, he scores!” will be in the minds forever among Canucks nation. What makes this call unique is his excitement in his voice when he says “SCORES” he, like all Canucks screamed as loud when Daniel and Henrik Sedin teamed up like they always have to finish their home career with a storybook ending.

One of many epic calls from the legend himself, Jim Robson paints a clear picture as he describes Jeff Brown’s pass to Pavel Bure, who eliminated the Calgary Flames in the 1994 playoffs.

Riding shotgun with Robson was another great legend Tom Larscheid who couldn’t handle the excitement and went fanboy mode. It’s safe to say Vancouver has been blessed with some amazing people in the booth, and this call only further cements that.

The 1994 run was remarkable. Out of the top five calls, it holds three spots, and at number three, it’s GREG ADAMS!

You can hear the pure joy of beating the Leafs and sending the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals in Robson’s voice, and like many Canucks everyone was thrilled.

There’s no doubt that this is the best post-2000’s goal call in Canucks history, and some would argue it’s the best of all time. To think about what could have been if Alex Burrows didn’t score is something no fan wants to think. 

Both the calls on the radio and television broadcasts were beautiful, but Shorthouse slays the dragon call is without a doubt the one that most prominently resides in Canucks fans’ hearts. His voice fills with excitement as soon as Burrows steals the puck and continues well past him winding up. Once in the net, the shout of “SCORES” resonated with all who heard it. Shorty knew better than anybody what this meant for the team and for the city, and his voice reflected it. 

Before finishing the call, Shorthouse pauses to soak it all in and let the horns and fans play through his mic before dropping his famous “they’ve slayed the dragon” call. Like Shorthouse, everyone’s excitement level was through the roof that night.

Anyone else get the urge to finish the sentence off with Jim Robson’s call when someone says “he’ll play” in everyday life? 

Robson’s most famous line during his time in the booth isn’t a goal or a play, but a moment. A moment of raw emotion, seeing the team’s heart and soul player going down and then hit again. Robson knew Trevor Linden wouldn’t miss a chance to play in game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, even if he had to do it on crutches.

A moment that all fans know even if you weren’t born. This call has withstood the test of time and still gives goosebumps hearing it all over again. The call was an anthem for many growing up, especially John Shorthouse.

In an interview back in 2018, Robson said that the call was “ridiculous” (half heartily) because no one can play on crutches, but as fans, it was one of the most memorable calls ever.

Agree with my list? Let me know in the comments below what you think!