Pavel Bure Jersey Retirement

The Pavel Bure Jersey Retirement Ceremony has finished. According to people on the Vancouver Canucks message board, Pavel was emotionally moved by the ceremony and was practically in tears.

I have to say I had mixed feelings about the retirement of Pavel Bure's jersey considering the way that he left Vancouver. But I'm now beginning to see that it probably wasn't entirely his fault. After being dicked around by the previous management on his contract issues, I can't really blame him for wanting to pack his bags and head where he was appreciated.

I also have to say that I did have the opportunity to see Pavel Bure play when he was in a Canuck jersey. Make no mistake, he was an electrifying player. He was the one Canuck that could consistently draw fans out of their seats on a rush. Some of the moves that he could pull off on the opposition goaltender were nothing short of phenomenal; his favorite move, the stick to skate to stick deke and flip wrist shot over the shoulder of the sprawled goalie at close range routinely potted goals for a Canuck team that was probably not the best in the league. Their standings were great in the year that they went to the Stanley Cup, however, this team did not gel until the latter half of the season.

2013 is an year of memories. I remember clearly when Pat Quinn drafted Pavel Bure. I was 19 at the time. I also remember at the age of 21 when the teams who would have drafted Bure were fighting for him since they had been unaware of information that Pavel was draft-eligible. Being an adult when his career started has enabled me to watch, understand and enjoy the highlights of his career...and I'm thankful to see the Vancouver Canucks raise his number 10 to the rafters of Rogers Arena; I will be thankful for all the times that I saw the Russian Rocket play back when Rogers Arena was known as GM Place. I will remember watching the 1994 playoffs on the TV when the Canucks regularly played out of the Pacific Coliseum. Those were heady times watching Pavel speed down the ice, turn an opposing defenceman inside out and then score on the resultant opportunity.

"You were there for us every night, and you carried us when we needed you the most. It is one of my best memories. Nobody deserves the Stanley Cup more than you, and it’s going to happen soon. I know it will, right here on this ice: mark my words.”

~ excerpt from Pavel Bure's jersey retirement speech

We missed you. Welcome HOME, Pavel.