"West Coast Express" years (2001–05)

Under new general manager Burke and new coach Crawford, the Canucks had once again become a playoff contender. The team held their training camp in Stockholm in 2000, and played against Swedish and Finnish teams in the NHL Challenge. These years were the heyday of high-scoring left-winger Markus Naslund, and power-forward right wing Todd Bertuzzi, who following the departure of centre Andrew Cassels in 2002, combined with centre Brendan Morrison to form the "West Coast Express" line. The rebuilt Canucks team returned to the playoffs in 2001 (capturing the eighth and final seed on the last day of the season), appearing in the playoffs for the first time since 1996. Being the eighth seed, the Canucks drew the first-seeded Colorado Avalanche in the first round and were swept in four games in the absence of Naslund, who had suffered a broken leg during the season.

The following season saw the return of ex-captain Trevor Linden and another matchup with the top seed in the West, this time the Detroit Red Wings. Vancouver won the first two games in Detroit to take a surprising 2-0 series lead. Detroit would win the next four games en route to a Stanley Cup championship. The turning point of the series turned out to be a weak goal allowed by goaltender Dan Cloutier in the third game. With the scores tied 1-1 in the dying seconds of the second period, Red Wings defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom fired a shot from center-ice that took an uncanny bounce and slipped by Cloutier. Vancouver never recovered from that point on, and lost 4 games in a row to lose the series 4-2.

2003 saw personal highs in the Canucks organization. Naslund finished the season with 104 points, second-highest in the league. Bertuzzi finished fifth with 97. In goal, Cloutier posted a then-franchise record 7 shutouts. Winning a playoff series for the first time in eight years against the St. Louis Blues, the Canucks lost in the second round to the Minnesota Wild (who had upset Colorado in round one) after holding a 3-1 series lead.

In 2004 Bertuzzi punched Steve Moore of the Colorado Avalanche from behind in an instantly notorious incident. He was suspended for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs, and litigation is still pending. Despite winning the Northwest Division title in 2004 the Canucks fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Calgary Flames, who would go on to compete in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Before the lockout of 2004–05, Burke did not have his contract renewed by the Canucks and was replaced by Dave Nonis, who had been assistant general manager and Director of Hockey Operations. Burke was then hired by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.