This "the rioters aren't Canucks fans" canard is being trotted out everywhere in some bizarre attempt to deflect blame from Canucks fans, the people who are rioting. It was even trotted out on an internal SB Nation mail list, to which I responded:
So let me see if I understand this correctly: When people say there exists a very small core of actual Canucks fans, a core that has been there for 30 years and the rest aren't actually fans, just bandwagoners, they are shouted down and lectured about the incredibly expanding fan base, especially amongst young fans.
BUT, when the team loses and the fans burn the city, we're told there exists a very small core of actual Canucks fans, a core that has been there for 30 years and the rest aren't actually fans, just bandwagoners looking for a riot.
Is this it?
Stop trying to absolve Canucks fans. Not all of them participated in this, but the ones that did were Canucks fans. Unless you believe that a random group of agitators, anarchists, protestors, thugs, and idiots all bought Canucks jerseys as an enormous collaborative disguise.