Samuel Pahlsson arrived in Vancouver amidst some negative vibes. Acquired just hours before Cody Hodgson was dealt, he was to be the old, unspectacular, defensive-minded replacement for the most offensively-exciting prospect the Canucks had trotted out in years. It was like having your new Ferrari swapped for a used Toyoto Echo that reeks of Columbus. Sure, it may have been safer and lower-maintenance, but nobody was happy about it.

Truth is, despite what people say, even Alain Vigneault didn’t want Pahlsson at first. He was convinced to get on board by Mike Gillis and Newell Brown. But Pahlsson won the Canucks’ coach over somewhat through the end of the regular season, winning matchups with opposing first lines, and even showing a bit of scoring touch on a couple of heavy slapshots. His contributions looked tailor-made for the postseason.

And then they weren’t. The moment the playoffs arrived, Pahlsson struggled, and when the offseason arrived much, much sooner than anticipated, he was told that the Canucks had other plans and left for Sweden, likely there to remain.

But let’s not think about his unceremonious end. Let’s spend this afternoon in total denial and remember Samuel Pahlsson as a goal scorer.

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1 | March 8 vs Winnipeg Jets

We broke this one down in greater detail here, but here’s what you need to know: Jannik Hansen’s drop pass and Kevin Bieksa’s nifty dangle are both crazy dangerous plays. If the Jets’ coverage is a little better, someone picks off this puck and it’s ad odd-man rush the other way. Thankfully, the defensive-minded Pahlsson makes the safe play, stepping into it and putting it in the back of the net, where the Jets can’t get it. Consider this a calculated dump-in.

2 | April 7 vs Edmonton Oilers

Jannik Hansen really enjoyed playing with Pahlsson, and it shows in both these goals, as he makes high-confidence passes to start the plays. This one goes directly to Pahlsson, who blows another slapper by Dubnyk, just above the pad inside the near post.