Monday, June 25, 2007

Crunch time for Linden's future in the NHL

Today, Iain McIntyre wrote an honest piece about the Canucks' treatment of Trevor Linden and the sensitive issue of Trevor's possible reitirement. To quote a piece of it:

Linden deserves much better than he received after the season when head coach Alain Vigneault evaded the issue of the player's unclear standing with the team whose very identity is bound to the winger.
Vigneault
.."uncharacteristically refused to answer the media's questions about Linden after Vancouver was eliminated from the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks." Linden would be forgiven for interpreting Vigneault's position as: "You're a nuisance and we wish you'd do the noble thing and retire because, God knows, I'm not getting myself lynched in Yaletown by telling Trevor freakin' Linden he can't play for the Canucks anymore, which would be like the Vatican ditching the Pope."

Yikes. A very emotional piece by McIntyre. But I somewhat disagree. I don't blame Vigneault for being tight-lipped about it, especially after a heartbreaking loss to the Ducks. That was not the time or place to say anything about Linden's future. And really, the media always wants to create a shit storm over these types of matters, especially when it comes to a local icon.
Viggy could have just did the usual lip service and said the cliche's like "we really want Linden back in Vancouver next season." He may have been lying then. But maybe he's just not that kind of guy. And really, we don't know what Linden, his agent and Nonis and Vigneault are talking about in secret.
Personally, I think Linden has another year left in him in a somewhat decreased role. He had his good and bad stretches last season. He also scored 12 goals and 25 points while averaging 12:10 of icetime per game, as McIntyre mentioned. That's pretty damned decent.
It's no secret that the Canucks could still use his leadership.
It's also fair to say that the Canucks are 1 or 2 moves away from challenging for the Stanley Cup, and it would be a great feel-good story to see Linden a part of that. But, we don't make the decisions. And, it's none of our business right now what Nonis and Vigneault have planned for Linden. We should find out this week before Linden becomes an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. I'm guessing he plays one more year. I think it really is up to Linden himself if he WANTS TO.
And all this media speculation and whining about treatment of a local hero be damned. To me, that's all it is: speculation and digging for dirt.

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4 Comments:

At June 25, 2007 at 5:48 p.m. , Anonymous Anonymous said...

He deserves a noble send-off by the fans in Vancouver for his last game. I don't think he'd want it that way, and I doubt he'd announce his retirement before the season ended, but he deserves it.

Off topic: Did you hear about Chris Benoit???????? That's some crazy stuff!

 
At June 25, 2007 at 6:58 p.m. , Blogger Sean Zandberg said...

I still think he has a year left in him. I think he'll give it another go, Nonis-willing.
The Nucks need his presence and leadership on and off the ice.

 
At June 25, 2007 at 7:11 p.m. , Anonymous Anonymous said...

When the Canucks aren't playing, what's there to sell newspapers?

I thought Viggy's comments (heard them on the podcast from Team 1040) were well in line with the day after the season was over. He was trying to be as polite as possible in saying...I DON'T FUCKING KNOW! At the same time, I can remember hearing comments from Trevor about his healthy scratch that indicated he probably doesn't have the chummiest of relationships with Viggy.

I agree with you...after seeing Trevor in the playoffs, it seemed as though he had another year in the tank. If anything, he is the closest thing to a player/coach on the team.

 
At June 25, 2007 at 11:11 p.m. , Blogger Sean Zandberg said...

"He was trying to be as polite as possible in saying...I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!"

Well said!

 

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Waiting For Stanley was created in June 2006.