When one thinks of the bizarre Flying V jerseys of the 80's, one name seems to be linked to them: Stan Smyl. Known as "Steamer," Smyl was a third round pick of the Canucks in 1978. A small player by NHL standards, Smyl would join the Canucks as they were breaking in the Flying V jerseys. At 5'8", Smyl played larger than his size and was one of the hardest workers on the team, earning the respect of teammates and fans alike. He would be named captain after the Canucks' 1982 Stanley Cup run and would be captain until 1990, when he relinquished it to a rotating trio of Trevor Linden, Doug Lidster, and Dan Quinn for the 1990-91 season, with Linden taking the C for himself the following year. Smyl retired after the 1990-91 season, and would see his number 12 retired soon after. Smyl was not just the face of a team for a few seasons, but also a jersey that is widely considered one of the strangest in pro sports, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
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