It's been nearly 13 years since the Vancouver Canucks appeared in the Stanley Cup Final where they faced, and eventually lost to, the Boston Bruins. But the team wasn't too keen on playing the Bruins.
While on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet analyst and former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa said that the team wanted to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final that year. Bieksa said that they thought they'd match up a lot better against the Lightning than the Bruins. That year, the Lightning lost to the Bruins in seven games in the Eastern Conference Final, which came three days after the Canucks eliminated the Sharks, so there's no doubt they were watching and analyzing who they'd rather play.
Bieksa also went on to mention that he believes the team lost the Stanley Cup Final in Game 1 after Dan Hamhuis was injured by a hip check from Bruins forward Milan Lucic. Hamhuis, who was Bieksa's defensive partner, suffered a sports hernia, along with abdominal and groin injuries.
Hamhuis would go on to miss the remainder of the Stanley Cup Finals as the Canucks would lose on home ice in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins. While Canucks fans are still not over losing to the Bruins that year, the team has an opportunity this season to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.