Faceoff Factor

Vancouver Loves Them Some Linden

C.J. "Stoosh" Jiuliante | National Hockey League

Aug 22, 12:26 AM | Hype this story!

Remember how strange it looked to see Emmitt Smith finish his career in an Arizona Cardinals uniform? How about Jerry Rice winding up his NFL days in a Seahawks jersey (wearing Steve Largent’s number, no less)? Didn’t Ron Francis look out of place in a Carolina or Maple Leafs sweater?

Vancouver Canucks fans felt mostly the same way when Trevor Linden was dealt from Vancouver to the New York Islanders during the 1997-98 season. Prior to being dealt, Linden had become synonymous with the Vancouver franchise.

It now appears that Linden will likely finish up his career with the franchise he came to identify himself with as an NHL player. Linden, 37, signed a one-year deal to remain with the Canucks for the 2007-08 season, his 19th in the NHL and 16th with the Canucks.

Linden was drafted second overall in the 1988 Entry Draft and made the Canucks out of training camp that season. He immediately had the role of franchise savior bestowed upon him and became one of the youngest captains in NHL history. He would relinquist the “franchise savior” tag after just a few years when a young Russian playmaker named Pavel Bure burst on the scene in Vancouver. Upon Bure’s arrival and immediate emergence as an NHL superstar, Linden gladly stepped back and accepted the role of the quiet, well-respected and professional leader.

Linden was one of those guys every team would love to have. He was a consummate leader on the ice – an all-around talent who did many things well but no one thing great. He was a terrific teammate and was well-respected by opposing players. He was accessible to the media, friendly to the fans and maintained a constant presence in the community, which is why so many Canucks fans were hurt to see him leave in the first place. While he may not have been as gifted naturally, he was Vancouver’s own version of Steve Yzerman or Joe Sakic.

Linden scored at least 30 goals in six of his first eight seasons with the Canucks. He was instrumental in leading the Canucks to their appearance in the 1993-94 Stanley Cup Finals with 12 goals and 13 assists in 24 playoff games that season. He posted a career-best 80 points in 1995-96, only to be dealt about two seasons later to the Islanders.

Linden never again captured his 30-goal form as he began to battle some injury problems. After just one full season with the Isles, he was dealt to Montreal for the 1999-00 season. After an injury-shortened 99-00 season, he was traded at the deadline to the Washington Capitals in 2000-01. Washington then flipped him back to the Canucks early in the 2001-02 season. He’s remained with the Canucks since, recapturing his role as a team leader while taking a diminished on-ice role, mostly as a lower-line center.

As someone who spent his formative years as a hockey fan cheering for those late 1980s and early 1990s Canucks teams, it’s nice to see Trevor Linden get his one last go-around while wearing the Vancouver jersey. Canucks fans wouldn’t have wanted to see it any other way.