Trevor Linden
Encyclopedia
Trevor John Linden, C.M.
, O.B.C.
(born April 11, 1970) is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
player. He played centre
and right wing
with four different teams: the Vancouver Canucks
(in two stints), New York Islanders
, Montreal Canadiens
, and Washington Capitals
. Before joining the NHL in 1988, Linden helped the Medicine Hat Tigers
of the Western Hockey League
(WHL) win consecutive Memorial Cup
championships. In addition to appearing in two NHL All-Star Games, Linden was a member of the 1998
Canadian Olympic team
and participated in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey
.
Throughout his career, Linden has been recognized as a respected leader on and off the ice. He was named captain of the Canucks at the age of 21, making him one of the youngest captains in league history. While captaining the Canucks, Linden led the team to within a game of winning the Stanley Cup in 1994
. It was during this time that he began to be called Captain Canuck. In 1998 he was elected President of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), a position he held for eight years. As President, he played an instrumental role in the 2004–05 NHL lockout, including negotiations with league owners. Off the ice, Linden has taken an active role in charities, and was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
for leadership on the ice and humanitarian contributions off the ice in 1997, as well as the NHL Foundation Player Award
in 2008. After 19 seasons in the NHL, Linden retired on June 11, 2008, twenty years to the day after he was drafted into the NHL. Linden's jersey number 16 was retired by the Canucks on December 17, 2008, the second number retired by the team.
in 1929. He ran a construction company until his son Lane, Trevor's father, replaced him in 1979. Trevor was born in Medicine Hat to Lane and Edna Linden. Linden was a skilled athlete; despite hockey being his top priority, he also participated in baseball, golf, volleyball, basketball, and speed skating. An excellent student in school, he was offered a scholarship to Princeton University
to play for their hockey team; instead, Linden chose to stay in Medicine Hat and play with the local major junior team, the Medicine Hat Tigers
of the WHL
. Linden grew up watching the Tigers and idolized Lanny McDonald
, who played in Medicine Hat before he joined the NHL.
After one season playing with the Medicine Hat Midget Tigers of the Alberta Midget Hockey League
(AMHL), Linden joined the WHL Tigers for the final five games of the 1985–86 regular season, where he scored two goals; he also appeared in six playoff games, scoring one goal. The next season, at the age of 16, he made the team full-time. In his first full season in the WHL, Linden had 36 points in 72 games, and then had nine points in 20 playoff games, including two goals in the championship game, helping Medicine Hat win their first Memorial Cup
as Canadian junior champions. The next year, Linden had 110 points in 67 games, and led the Tigers to their second consecutive Memorial Cup title. During the 1988 WHL playoffs, Linden set a WHL playoff record by scoring the fastest goal from the start of a game, scoring seven seconds into a 6-5 Tigers win over the Saskatoon Blades
on April 15, 1988. At the 1988 NHL Entry Draft
, the Vancouver Canucks
selected Linden second overall, after the Minnesota North Stars
selected Mike Modano
.
of the New York Islanders
and later, on November 17, he scored his first hat trick
against the Minnesota North Stars
. Linden finished the season tied for the team lead in goals (30) and second for points (59). He was the first Canucks rookie to score 30 goals. Linden also became the first rookie to win the Cyclone Taylor Award, given to the Canucks' most valuable player. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team
, and finished second to Brian Leetch
, of the New York Rangers
, in voting for the Calder Trophy, given to the rookie of the year. The Canucks made the playoffs in the 1988–89 season, for the first time in three years, and Linden scored seven points in the Canucks' seven-game series loss to the eventual Stanley Cup
champion Calgary Flames
.
In his sophomore NHL season, Linden finished second on the team in goals, with 21, and points, 51, and finished third in assists with 30. The following year, he was one of three Canucks to share a rotating captaincy (the others being Doug Lidster
and Dan Quinn
). Linden led the team with 37 assists and 70 points, and made his first appearance in an NHL All-Star Game
, where he was the youngest player. At the age of 21, he was made sole captain of the team, becoming the youngest Canucks captain. That season, Linden led the Canucks in scoring for a second straight year with 75 points (31 goals and 44 assists), leading the Canucks to their first division title since the 1974–75 season.
A natural winger
early in his career, Linden began learning to play at the center position during the Canucks training camp in October 1992. Canucks head coach Pat Quinn
initiated the switch in response to the losses of centers Anatoli Semenov
and Petr Nedved
during the off-season. The Canucks repeated as Smythe Division
champions that year, setting franchise records for wins and points with 46 and 101, respectively. For the third straight season, Linden surpassed 30 goals and 70 points, finishing with totals of 33 goals and 72 points.
In the 1993–94 season, Linden scored 32 goals, the fifth time in six seasons he had scored at least 30, but his points total fell to 61 as the Canucks finished 10 points behind the division leader. Although they were the seventh seed in the playoffs, the Canucks reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 12 years and second time in team history. Considered the underdogs against the first place
New York Rangers
captained by Mark Messier
, the Canucks initially fell behind three games to one but pushed the series to seven games. In game seven, Linden scored twice (the next player to get two goals in a game seven was Alex Tanguay
in 2001) but the Canucks lost, 3–2. Linden finished second on the team in playoff scoring, with 12 goals and 25 points. It was revealed afterwards that Linden had played through the finals with broken ribs and torn rib cartilage.
In the 1995–96 season, Linden had 33 goals, 47 assists and 80 points, the most he has ever collected in all three statistical categories. The following season marked the end of Linden's ironman streak; between October 4, 1990 and December 3, 1996, he appeared in 482 consecutive games, the longest in the league at the time. The streak established a Canucks record (broken in 2007 by Brendan Morrison
). In his 49 games that season, he scored nine goals and 31 assists. At the conclusion of the season, the NHL recognized Linden's contributions to the Vancouver community and awarded him the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.
At the start of the 1997–98 season, the Canucks added free agent Mark Messier, a six-time Stanley Cup winner, and manager/coach Mike Keenan
, who were, respectively, captain and coach, of the New York Rangers when they defeated Vancouver in the 1994 Stanley Cup finals. Keenan's hiring was as a result of Pat Quinn being dismissed as general manager, and Keenan also assumed the title of bench boss by firing head coach Tom Renney
early in the season. According to some accounts, Linden initially gave up the team captaincy to Messier out of respect, but later regretted the move as he felt that Messier's invasion of the dressing room was hostile. Friction developed between Linden and Keenan early in the season. As the relationship worsened, Keenan claimed that it was evident that Linden would be traded. After a 5–1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, Keenan openly blamed Linden for the loss, a moment Linden refers to as his "darkest time". Playing in 42 games with the Canucks before the February Olympic break, Linden had seven goals and 21 points.
on February 6, 1998, for Todd Bertuzzi
, Bryan McCabe
, and the Islanders' third round choice (used to select Jarkko Ruutu
) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft
. After the conclusion of the Olympics, in which he participated, Linden joined the Islanders and played 25 games with the team. He scored 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points to finish the season, with a combined 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points in 67 games. The following year, his first full season in three years, Linden was second on the team with 47 points, and third with 18 goals; however, on May 29, 1999, the Islanders traded Linden to the Montreal Canadiens
for a first round draft pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
(Branislav Mezei
), for mostly financial reasons. The thrill of playing in Montreal, the "centre of hockey," was an exciting prospect to Linden after his time spent with the Islanders, where the arena was usually half-filled when he played there.
With Montreal, Linden was often injured, and only appeared in 50 games during his first season with the Canadiens, scoring 30 points, while the next year he appeared in 57 games, scoring 33 points. While with the Canadiens, he signed a four-year contract worth $15 million; however, he was traded for the third time in his career, this time to the Washington Capitals
, going with Dainius Zubrus
, and New Jersey's
2nd round choice in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
(later traded to Tampa Bay who picked Andreas Holmqvist
) in exchange for Richard Zednik
, Jan Bulis
, and Washington's 1st round choice in the 2001 Draft (Alexander Perezhogin
). With Washington, Linden reached the playoffs for the first time in four years, in the 2000–01 season.
After 28 games, over two seasons, with the Capitals, Linden had scored only three goals and four assists. On November 10, 2001, the Capitals traded Linden with a second round draft pick in either 2002
or 2003 (Denis Grot
) to the Canucks for their first round pick in 2002 (Boyd Gordon
) and a third round pick in 2003
. He scored 34 points with Vancouver in 64 games, which included his 1,000th regular season game on March 26, 2002, against the Los Angeles Kings
. In his first playoff series with Vancouver in six years, he scored a goal and four assists in six games.
The 2002–03 season was Linden's first full season with the Canucks since 1996–97, though Linden sprained his knee in the season opener and had to miss two weeks. He returned in time to be honoured for his 1,000th career game, which he achieved the season before. As he did not want to distract the team from the playoff race, Linden asked for the ceremony to be delayed. On November 25, 2002, against the Minnesota Wild
, Linden scored his 263rd goal with the Canucks, breaking former captain Stan Smyl
's team record for most goals. He finished the year with 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points, his highest goal total in seven seasons, and his highest points total since 1998–99.
The following season, Linden broke several more Canucks records. In a February 16, 2004, game against the Colorado Avalanche
, he played in his 897th game as a Canuck, passing Smyl. On March 8, once again playing the Avalanche, Linden had two points, including his team-record 674th point with the Canucks, a mark also previously held by Smyl. For the first time in five years, he played in all 82 games, recording 36 points. After a year-long break from hockey during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, in which he actively participated in new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, Linden again appeared in all 82 games during the 2005–06 season, scoring seven goals and 16 points. Linden became the first player to play 1,000 games with the Canucks on April 13, 2006, when they faced the San Jose Sharks
.
In the 2006–07 season opener, on October 5, 2006, Linden scored the game winner against the Detroit Red Wings
to become the first Canuck to score 300 goals with the team. After notching 25 points in 80 games, he helped the Canucks reach the second round of the playoffs. He scored two game-winning goals in the first round, including the series winning goal against the Dallas Stars
in game seven of their first-round matchup, which was Linden's sixth game-seven goal of his playoff career. He finished the playoffs with a team-leading seven points in 12 games. This made Linden the Canucks' all-time leader in playoff goals (34), assists (61) and points (95).
After taking the summer to decide if he would return for another season, Linden signed a one-year contract with the Canucks in August 2007. The season was not ideal for Linden, who was a healthy scratch 23 times. In the 59 games he played, he scored seven goals and five assists, by far the lowest totals in his career. Against the Calgary Flames
on November 8, 2007, he earned his 412th assist with the Canucks, surpassing Smyl, once again. He finished his career with 415 assists as a Canuck, which stood as the all-time mark until Henrik Sedin
surpassed him on March 14, 2010. In Linden's final game, the last game of the regular season, a home game against Calgary, Linden was named the first star, skated a lap around GM Place to a standing ovation and received handshakes from the Calgary players.
On June 11, 2008, after 19 seasons in the NHL and 20 years to the day of being drafted into the NHL by the Canucks, Linden announced his retirement, leaving as the franchise leader in games played with the Canucks (1140) and assists (415, since surpassed by Henrik Sedin
), and second in goals to later captain Markus Näslund
. Shortly after, Vancouver City Council stated that they would honour Linden by declaring the date of his jersey retirement to be Trevor Linden Day in Vancouver.
The Canucks retired Linden's jersey number, 16, from circulation in a pre-game ceremony December 17, 2008, prior to playing the Edmonton Oilers. Linden became the second Canuck to have his jersey retired, joining former captain Stan Smyl, whose jersey number, 12, was retired in 1991. Earlier in the day, the Canucks changed the number of the entrance gate for players and VIPs from Gate 5 to Gate 16 in honour of Linden.
, also played ice hockey. After a lengthy junior career in the Western Hockey League
(WHL), Jamie played four games with the Florida Panthers
in the 1994–95 season, before finishing his hockey career in the minor leagues. Together with Trevor, Jamie is now a property developer, something they developed an interest in while growing up in Medicine Hat. Trevor has indicated that after his playing career is finished, he would like to become more involved in real estate. Linden is also an avid and competitive cyclist, frequenting the local Squamish
and Whistler
area to mountain bike, in addition to participating in various races. Most significantly, in the summer of 2007, Linden competed in the Trans Alp bike race, a 600 km race across the European Alps
. Linden and racing teammate John Ramsden finished 48th out of the 122 competing two-man teams over the eight-day competition.
Linden was involved in the creation and recent launch of Club 16 – Trevor Linden Fitness. Linden has also partnered with Vancouver developer Howard Airey, principal of Airey Development Group, to build two residential/commercial development projects. And recently, Linden has become spokesperson for ClearlyContacts.ca and has appeared on television commercials.
since 1990, Linden was responsible for being the contact between his teammates and the NHLPA. He saw the experience as a chance to be involved in the business side of the sport. In light of this service, Linden was elected President of the NHLPA in June 1998. Consequentially, Linden was actively involved in negotiations with Gary Bettman
and the NHL on a new CBA
that ended the 2004–05 lockout. This included a final meeting in January 2005 between Linden and Harley Hotchkiss
, the chairman of the NHL Board of Governors, in an attempt to avoid losing the NHL season. Despite this meeting, a result was not found in time to keep the NHL from cancelling the 2004–05 season.
and history of charitable community service and involvement have made him one of the most beloved and respected players among fans in franchise history. His 2001 return to the Canucks was an emotional event for fans and player alike, with Linden admitting that he was too excited to sleep the night before his first game back. He is still often referred to affectionately as 'Captain Canuck', despite not having captained the team since 1997. On April 5, 2008, the Canucks' final game of the 2007–08 season, the Vancouver crowd gave Linden a standing ovation before the start of the third period. Once the game ended, the crowd again rose to their feet in recognition of Linden.
in 2003, the citation referred to him as a "hockey player and humanitarian". Linden has cited his brother, Dean, as being the inspiration for undertaking his charitable work, telling him to use his power as a hockey player.
A testament to his efforts off the ice in Vancouver, Linden has been a recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
(1997) and the NHL Foundation Player Award
(2008), honours awarded by the NHL to players for significant contributions in his community.
Linden took part in the 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay when the flame was in Vancouver before the opening ceremony
.
On December 30, 2010, it was announced that Linden was to be invested as a Member of the Order of Canada
. He was cited "[f]or his ongoing sportsmanship and community engagement as a respected leader both on and off the ice."
, a tournament Canada won, where he scored one goal. His first senior international tournament was the 1991 World Championship
, in which he contributed one goal and four assists in ten games as Canada won the silver medal. Linden was also invited to training camp for the 1991 Canada Cup
roster, but was released early. In the 1996 World Cup
, the successor to the Canada Cup
, Linden helped Canada to a second place finish with a goal and an assist over eight games.
Two years later, Linden was selected as a member of Team Canada in the 1998 Nagano Olympics
. Though he injured his knee only weeks before, he played in all six games, scoring one goal, a game-tying marker with 67 seconds left against the Czech Republic that sent the semi-final game to overtime. Canada finished fourth in the tournament. Later that summer, he participated in the 1998 World Championships
. He scored one goal and four assists as Canada finished fifth.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, O.B.C.
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
(born April 11, 1970) is a retired Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He played centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
and right wing
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
with four different teams: the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
(in two stints), New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, and Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. Before joining the NHL in 1988, Linden helped the Medicine Hat Tigers
Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena....
of the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL) win consecutive Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
championships. In addition to appearing in two NHL All-Star Games, Linden was a member of the 1998
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
Canadian Olympic team
Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to...
and participated in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey
1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....
.
Throughout his career, Linden has been recognized as a respected leader on and off the ice. He was named captain of the Canucks at the age of 21, making him one of the youngest captains in league history. While captaining the Canucks, Linden led the team to within a game of winning the Stanley Cup in 1994
1994 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1994 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series contested between the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers and Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...
. It was during this time that he began to be called Captain Canuck. In 1998 he was elected President of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), a position he held for eight years. As President, he played an instrumental role in the 2004–05 NHL lockout, including negotiations with league owners. Off the ice, Linden has taken an active role in charities, and was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
for leadership on the ice and humanitarian contributions off the ice in 1997, as well as the NHL Foundation Player Award
NHL Foundation Player Award
The NHL Foundation Player Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player "who applies the core values of hockey—commitment, perseverance and teamwork—to enrich the lives of people in his community". The winner is given a grant of US$25,000 to help causes that the winner supports...
in 2008. After 19 seasons in the NHL, Linden retired on June 11, 2008, twenty years to the day after he was drafted into the NHL. Linden's jersey number 16 was retired by the Canucks on December 17, 2008, the second number retired by the team.
Early life
Trevor Linden's grandfather, Nick van der Linden, immigrated to Canada from the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1929. He ran a construction company until his son Lane, Trevor's father, replaced him in 1979. Trevor was born in Medicine Hat to Lane and Edna Linden. Linden was a skilled athlete; despite hockey being his top priority, he also participated in baseball, golf, volleyball, basketball, and speed skating. An excellent student in school, he was offered a scholarship to Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
to play for their hockey team; instead, Linden chose to stay in Medicine Hat and play with the local major junior team, the Medicine Hat Tigers
Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena....
of the WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
. Linden grew up watching the Tigers and idolized Lanny McDonald
Lanny McDonald
Lanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points...
, who played in Medicine Hat before he joined the NHL.
After one season playing with the Medicine Hat Midget Tigers of the Alberta Midget Hockey League
Alberta Midget Hockey League
The Alberta Midget Hockey League or AMHL is the provincial Midget AAA ice hockey league for Alberta, Canada. The league consists of 18 teams split into the Dodge and Chrysler Divisions. League champions go on to compete with the BC Hockey Major Midget League champions to represent the Pacific at...
(AMHL), Linden joined the WHL Tigers for the final five games of the 1985–86 regular season, where he scored two goals; he also appeared in six playoff games, scoring one goal. The next season, at the age of 16, he made the team full-time. In his first full season in the WHL, Linden had 36 points in 72 games, and then had nine points in 20 playoff games, including two goals in the championship game, helping Medicine Hat win their first Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
as Canadian junior champions. The next year, Linden had 110 points in 67 games, and led the Tigers to their second consecutive Memorial Cup title. During the 1988 WHL playoffs, Linden set a WHL playoff record by scoring the fastest goal from the start of a game, scoring seven seconds into a 6-5 Tigers win over the Saskatoon Blades
Saskatoon Blades
The Saskatoon Blades are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195 seat Credit Union Centre.-History:...
on April 15, 1988. At the 1988 NHL Entry Draft
1988 NHL Entry Draft
The 1988 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Forum in Montreal, Quebec.-Selections by round:Below are listed the selections in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft...
, the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
selected Linden second overall, after the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
selected Mike Modano
Mike Modano
Michael Thomas Modano, Jr. is a retired American professional ice hockey player, who most notably played for the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He is the all-time goal-scoring and points leader amongst American-born players in the NHL, as well as the last active player in the NHL...
.
Vancouver Canucks (1988–1998)
Linden made his NHL debut on October 6, 1988 against the Winnipeg Jets, aged 18. He scored his first goal on October 18, 1988, against Kelly HrudeyKelly Hrudey
Kelly Hrudey is a former NHL ice hockey goaltender and current hockey broadcaster with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. During his NHL career, Hrudey played for the New York Islanders , Los Angeles Kings , and San Jose Sharks .-Playing career:Hrudey played junior hockey for three years with...
of the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and later, on November 17, he scored his first hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
against the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. Linden finished the season tied for the team lead in goals (30) and second for points (59). He was the first Canucks rookie to score 30 goals. Linden also became the first rookie to win the Cyclone Taylor Award, given to the Canucks' most valuable player. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team
NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...
, and finished second to Brian Leetch
Brian Leetch
Brian Joseph Leetch is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his...
, of the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, in voting for the Calder Trophy, given to the rookie of the year. The Canucks made the playoffs in the 1988–89 season, for the first time in three years, and Linden scored seven points in the Canucks' seven-game series loss to the eventual Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
champion Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
.
In his sophomore NHL season, Linden finished second on the team in goals, with 21, and points, 51, and finished third in assists with 30. The following year, he was one of three Canucks to share a rotating captaincy (the others being Doug Lidster
Doug Lidster
John Douglas Andrew Lidster is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL...
and Dan Quinn
Dan Quinn
Daniel Peter Quinn is a Canadian professional golfer and former professional ice hockey player. Quinn played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
). Linden led the team with 37 assists and 70 points, and made his first appearance in an NHL All-Star Game
42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game took place in Chicago Stadium, home of the Chicago Blackhawks, on January 19, 1991.-Commissioner's Choice:...
, where he was the youngest player. At the age of 21, he was made sole captain of the team, becoming the youngest Canucks captain. That season, Linden led the Canucks in scoring for a second straight year with 75 points (31 goals and 44 assists), leading the Canucks to their first division title since the 1974–75 season.
A natural winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
early in his career, Linden began learning to play at the center position during the Canucks training camp in October 1992. Canucks head coach Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (ice hockey)
John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
initiated the switch in response to the losses of centers Anatoli Semenov
Anatoli Semenov
Anatoli Anatolievich Semenov is a retired professional ice hockey centre who was a star in the Soviet Union during the 1980s and later spent parts of 8 seasons in the National Hockey League.-Soviet Union:...
and Petr Nedved
Petr Nedved
Petr Nedvěd is a Czech Canadian professional ice hockey player who spent 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. He currently plays centre for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga.- Biography :...
during the off-season. The Canucks repeated as Smythe Division
Smythe Division
The NHL's Smythe Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Clarence Campbell Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honor of Conn Smythe. It is the fore-runner of the NHL's Northwest Division and NHL's Pacific Division....
champions that year, setting franchise records for wins and points with 46 and 101, respectively. For the third straight season, Linden surpassed 30 goals and 70 points, finishing with totals of 33 goals and 72 points.
In the 1993–94 season, Linden scored 32 goals, the fifth time in six seasons he had scored at least 30, but his points total fell to 61 as the Canucks finished 10 points behind the division leader. Although they were the seventh seed in the playoffs, the Canucks reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 12 years and second time in team history. Considered the underdogs against the first place
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
captained by Mark Messier
Mark Messier
Mark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
, the Canucks initially fell behind three games to one but pushed the series to seven games. In game seven, Linden scored twice (the next player to get two goals in a game seven was Alex Tanguay
Alex Tanguay
Alexandre Tanguay is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He has additionally played with the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL and briefly for HC Lugano in the Swiss National League A in...
in 2001) but the Canucks lost, 3–2. Linden finished second on the team in playoff scoring, with 12 goals and 25 points. It was revealed afterwards that Linden had played through the finals with broken ribs and torn rib cartilage.
In the 1995–96 season, Linden had 33 goals, 47 assists and 80 points, the most he has ever collected in all three statistical categories. The following season marked the end of Linden's ironman streak; between October 4, 1990 and December 3, 1996, he appeared in 482 consecutive games, the longest in the league at the time. The streak established a Canucks record (broken in 2007 by Brendan Morrison
Brendan Morrison
Brendan Morrison is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League...
). In his 49 games that season, he scored nine goals and 31 assists. At the conclusion of the season, the NHL recognized Linden's contributions to the Vancouver community and awarded him the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.
At the start of the 1997–98 season, the Canucks added free agent Mark Messier, a six-time Stanley Cup winner, and manager/coach Mike Keenan
Mike Keenan
Michael Edward Keenan is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Calgary Flames, and former General Manager of the Florida Panthers. He is currently working as an analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG Network.Keenan was a player for the St...
, who were, respectively, captain and coach, of the New York Rangers when they defeated Vancouver in the 1994 Stanley Cup finals. Keenan's hiring was as a result of Pat Quinn being dismissed as general manager, and Keenan also assumed the title of bench boss by firing head coach Tom Renney
Tom Renney
Thomas Renney is a Canadian ice hockey Head Coach for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He has previously coached the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks....
early in the season. According to some accounts, Linden initially gave up the team captaincy to Messier out of respect, but later regretted the move as he felt that Messier's invasion of the dressing room was hostile. Friction developed between Linden and Keenan early in the season. As the relationship worsened, Keenan claimed that it was evident that Linden would be traded. After a 5–1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, Keenan openly blamed Linden for the loss, a moment Linden refers to as his "darkest time". Playing in 42 games with the Canucks before the February Olympic break, Linden had seven goals and 21 points.
New York, Montreal and Washington (1998–2001)
Linden was traded to the New York IslandersNew York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on February 6, 1998, for Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
, Bryan McCabe
Bryan McCabe
Bryan McCabe is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is a free agent.McCabe moved to Calgary, Alberta at a young age and spent the majority of his minor hockey career playing in the Calgary area....
, and the Islanders' third round choice (used to select Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu ; born August 23, 1975) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. Ruutu is currently playing for SM-Liiga team Jokerit. He is the brother of Tuomo Ruutu, currently playing in the NHL on the Carolina Hurricanes, and retired player Mikko Ruutu....
) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft
1998 NHL Entry Draft
The 1998 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 27 at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. A total of 258 players were drafted.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
. After the conclusion of the Olympics, in which he participated, Linden joined the Islanders and played 25 games with the team. He scored 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points to finish the season, with a combined 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points in 67 games. The following year, his first full season in three years, Linden was second on the team with 47 points, and third with 18 goals; however, on May 29, 1999, the Islanders traded Linden to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
for a first round draft pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
(Branislav Mezei
Branislav Mezei
Branislav Mezei is a Slovak ice hockey defenceman currently with Lev Poprad of the Kontinental Hockey League.-International career:...
), for mostly financial reasons. The thrill of playing in Montreal, the "centre of hockey," was an exciting prospect to Linden after his time spent with the Islanders, where the arena was usually half-filled when he played there.
With Montreal, Linden was often injured, and only appeared in 50 games during his first season with the Canadiens, scoring 30 points, while the next year he appeared in 57 games, scoring 33 points. While with the Canadiens, he signed a four-year contract worth $15 million; however, he was traded for the third time in his career, this time to the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
, going with Dainius Zubrus
Dainius Zubrus
Dainius Gintas Zubrus is a Lithuanian professional ice hockey right winger and center currently playing for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League...
, and New Jersey's
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
2nd round choice in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
2001 NHL Entry Draft
The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:...
(later traded to Tampa Bay who picked Andreas Holmqvist
Andreas Holmqvist
Per Robert Andreas Holmqvist Pedersen is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for Djurgårdens IF in Elitserien. He has previously played for Linköpings HC and Frölunda HC...
) in exchange for Richard Zednik
Richard Zednik
Richard Zedník is a Slovak professional hockey winger, currently without a contract. He has played in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Florida Panthers....
, Jan Bulis
Jan Bulis
Jan Bulis is a Czech professional hockey winger who is currently playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, and Washington's 1st round choice in the 2001 Draft (Alexander Perezhogin
Alexander Perezhogin
Alexander Perezhogin is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
). With Washington, Linden reached the playoffs for the first time in four years, in the 2000–01 season.
Return to Vancouver (2001–2008)
2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
or 2003 (Denis Grot
Denis Grot
Denis Grot is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the Kontinental Hockey League . He was selected by Vancouver Canucks in the 2nd round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.-External links:...
) to the Canucks for their first round pick in 2002 (Boyd Gordon
Boyd Gordon
Boyd Gordon is a professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL.-Playing career:Gordon was drafted in the 1st round, 17th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft...
) and a third round pick in 2003
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
. He scored 34 points with Vancouver in 64 games, which included his 1,000th regular season game on March 26, 2002, against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. In his first playoff series with Vancouver in six years, he scored a goal and four assists in six games.
The 2002–03 season was Linden's first full season with the Canucks since 1996–97, though Linden sprained his knee in the season opener and had to miss two weeks. He returned in time to be honoured for his 1,000th career game, which he achieved the season before. As he did not want to distract the team from the playoff race, Linden asked for the ceremony to be delayed. On November 25, 2002, against the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, Linden scored his 263rd goal with the Canucks, breaking former captain Stan Smyl
Stan Smyl
Stanley Philip Smyl is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger. As a junior, he appeared in three consecutive Memorial Cups with the New Westminster Bruins, winning the championship twice in 1977 and 1978...
's team record for most goals. He finished the year with 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points, his highest goal total in seven seasons, and his highest points total since 1998–99.
The following season, Linden broke several more Canucks records. In a February 16, 2004, game against the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
, he played in his 897th game as a Canuck, passing Smyl. On March 8, once again playing the Avalanche, Linden had two points, including his team-record 674th point with the Canucks, a mark also previously held by Smyl. For the first time in five years, he played in all 82 games, recording 36 points. After a year-long break from hockey during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, in which he actively participated in new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, Linden again appeared in all 82 games during the 2005–06 season, scoring seven goals and 16 points. Linden became the first player to play 1,000 games with the Canucks on April 13, 2006, when they faced the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
In the 2006–07 season opener, on October 5, 2006, Linden scored the game winner against the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
to become the first Canuck to score 300 goals with the team. After notching 25 points in 80 games, he helped the Canucks reach the second round of the playoffs. He scored two game-winning goals in the first round, including the series winning goal against the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
in game seven of their first-round matchup, which was Linden's sixth game-seven goal of his playoff career. He finished the playoffs with a team-leading seven points in 12 games. This made Linden the Canucks' all-time leader in playoff goals (34), assists (61) and points (95).
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
on November 8, 2007, he earned his 412th assist with the Canucks, surpassing Smyl, once again. He finished his career with 415 assists as a Canuck, which stood as the all-time mark until Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...
surpassed him on March 14, 2010. In Linden's final game, the last game of the regular season, a home game against Calgary, Linden was named the first star, skated a lap around GM Place to a standing ovation and received handshakes from the Calgary players.
On June 11, 2008, after 19 seasons in the NHL and 20 years to the day of being drafted into the NHL by the Canucks, Linden announced his retirement, leaving as the franchise leader in games played with the Canucks (1140) and assists (415, since surpassed by Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...
), and second in goals to later captain Markus Näslund
Markus Näslund
Sten Markus Näslund is a Swedish ice hockey general manager for Modo Hockey and a retired professional winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, as well as in the Elitserien with Modo Hockey...
. Shortly after, Vancouver City Council stated that they would honour Linden by declaring the date of his jersey retirement to be Trevor Linden Day in Vancouver.
The Canucks retired Linden's jersey number, 16, from circulation in a pre-game ceremony December 17, 2008, prior to playing the Edmonton Oilers. Linden became the second Canuck to have his jersey retired, joining former captain Stan Smyl, whose jersey number, 12, was retired in 1991. Earlier in the day, the Canucks changed the number of the entrance gate for players and VIPs from Gate 5 to Gate 16 in honour of Linden.
Personal
In 1995, Linden married Cristina Giusti, who is the owner of Basquiat, a Vancouver boutique. In 2004 Linden was baptized as a Roman Catholic. Linden's younger brother, Jamie LindenJamie Linden (ice hockey)
Jamie Marion Linden is a retired professional ice hockey right winger. He played 4 games for the Florida Panthers in the 1994–95 season.His brother is former NHLer Trevor Linden.-External links:...
, also played ice hockey. After a lengthy junior career in the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL), Jamie played four games with the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
in the 1994–95 season, before finishing his hockey career in the minor leagues. Together with Trevor, Jamie is now a property developer, something they developed an interest in while growing up in Medicine Hat. Trevor has indicated that after his playing career is finished, he would like to become more involved in real estate. Linden is also an avid and competitive cyclist, frequenting the local Squamish
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
and Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
area to mountain bike, in addition to participating in various races. Most significantly, in the summer of 2007, Linden competed in the Trans Alp bike race, a 600 km race across the European Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. Linden and racing teammate John Ramsden finished 48th out of the 122 competing two-man teams over the eight-day competition.
NHLPA President
As a player representative to the NHL Players AssociationNHL Players Association
The National Hockey League Players' Association or NHLPA is the labor union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the thirty member clubs in the National Hockey League located in the United States and Canada...
since 1990, Linden was responsible for being the contact between his teammates and the NHLPA. He saw the experience as a chance to be involved in the business side of the sport. In light of this service, Linden was elected President of the NHLPA in June 1998. Consequentially, Linden was actively involved in negotiations with Gary Bettman
Gary Bettman
Gary Bruce Bettman is the commissioner of the National Hockey League , a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice-president and general counsel to the National Basketball Association...
and the NHL on a new CBA
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
that ended the 2004–05 lockout. This included a final meeting in January 2005 between Linden and Harley Hotchkiss
Harley Hotchkiss
Harley Norman Hotchkiss, was a Canadian business and community leader who was best known for his contributions to health and sports development in Canada. He was one of the original owners that brought the National Hockey League's Atlanta Flames to Calgary in 1980 and remained a team owner until...
, the chairman of the NHL Board of Governors, in an attempt to avoid losing the NHL season. Despite this meeting, a result was not found in time to keep the NHL from cancelling the 2004–05 season.
Attachment to Vancouver
Linden's long tenure with the Canucks (Linden holds the franchise record for games played at 1140), deep attachment to the city of VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and history of charitable community service and involvement have made him one of the most beloved and respected players among fans in franchise history. His 2001 return to the Canucks was an emotional event for fans and player alike, with Linden admitting that he was too excited to sleep the night before his first game back. He is still often referred to affectionately as 'Captain Canuck', despite not having captained the team since 1997. On April 5, 2008, the Canucks' final game of the 2007–08 season, the Vancouver crowd gave Linden a standing ovation before the start of the third period. Once the game ended, the crowd again rose to their feet in recognition of Linden.
Community involvement
In addition to hockey, Linden has also undertaken a considerable amount of charitable work. Working primarily with children, he has made frequent appearances at the BC Children's Hospital and Canuck Place, a hospice for terminally ill children. In 1995, he inaugurated the Trevor Linden Foundation to raise money for local charities and also hosts an annual golfing event as a fundraiser for BC Children's Hospital. When he was awarded the Order of British ColumbiaOrder of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
in 2003, the citation referred to him as a "hockey player and humanitarian". Linden has cited his brother, Dean, as being the inspiration for undertaking his charitable work, telling him to use his power as a hockey player.
A testament to his efforts off the ice in Vancouver, Linden has been a recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
(1997) and the NHL Foundation Player Award
NHL Foundation Player Award
The NHL Foundation Player Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player "who applies the core values of hockey—commitment, perseverance and teamwork—to enrich the lives of people in his community". The winner is given a grant of US$25,000 to help causes that the winner supports...
(2008), honours awarded by the NHL to players for significant contributions in his community.
Linden took part in the 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay when the flame was in Vancouver before the opening ceremony
2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on February 12, 2010 beginning at 6:00 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was the first Olympic opening ceremony to be held indoors...
.
On December 30, 2010, it was announced that Linden was to be invested as a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He was cited "[f]or his ongoing sportsmanship and community engagement as a respected leader both on and off the ice."
International play
Throughout his hockey career, Linden has appeared in five international tournaments for Team Canada. He first appeared on the world stage at the 1988 World Junior ChampionshipsWorld Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...
, a tournament Canada won, where he scored one goal. His first senior international tournament was the 1991 World Championship
1991 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Final Round:-Consolation Round:No team was relegated because of the expansion to twelve teams.-World Championship Group B :...
, in which he contributed one goal and four assists in ten games as Canada won the silver medal. Linden was also invited to training camp for the 1991 Canada Cup
1991 Canada Cup
The 1991 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played in September 1991. The finals took place in Montreal on September 14 and Hamilton, Ontario on September 16, and were won by Canada. The Canadians defeated the USA in a two game sweep, to win the fifth and final Canada...
roster, but was released early. In the 1996 World Cup
1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....
, the successor to the Canada Cup
Canada Cup (ice hockey)
The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
, Linden helped Canada to a second place finish with a goal and an assist over eight games.
Two years later, Linden was selected as a member of Team Canada in the 1998 Nagano Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
. Though he injured his knee only weeks before, he played in all six games, scoring one goal, a game-tying marker with 67 seconds left against the Czech Republic that sent the semi-final game to overtime. Canada finished fourth in the tournament. Later that summer, he participated in the 1998 World Championships
1998 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-World Championship Group C :Played March 22-28 in Budapest, Székesfehérvár and Dunaújváros.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Final Round 25-28 Place :Hungary was promoted to Group B.- Consolation Round 29-32 Place :...
. He scored one goal and four assists as Canada finished fifth.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1985–86 | Medicine Hat Tigers | AMHL Alberta Midget Hockey League The Alberta Midget Hockey League or AMHL is the provincial Midget AAA ice hockey league for Alberta, Canada. The league consists of 18 teams split into the Dodge and Chrysler Divisions. League champions go on to compete with the BC Hockey Major Midget League champions to represent the Pacific at... |
40 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Medicine Hat Tigers Medicine Hat Tigers The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena.... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1986–87 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 72 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 59 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 17 | ||
| 1987–88 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 67 | 46 | 64 | 110 | 76 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 19 | ||
| 1988–89 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
80 | 30 | 29 | 59 | 41 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 1989–90 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 73 | 21 | 30 | 51 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 80 | 33 | 37 | 70 | 65 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 1991–92 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 80 | 31 | 44 | 75 | 101 | 13 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 1992–93 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 84 | 33 | 39 | 72 | 64 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 16 | ||
| 1993–94 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 84 | 32 | 29 | 61 | 73 | 24 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 18 | ||
| 1994–95 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 48 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 40 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 12 | ||
| 1995–96 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 33 | 47 | 80 | 42 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 1996–97 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 49 | 9 | 31 | 40 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 42 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | New York Islanders New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 25 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | New York Islanders | NHL | 82 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL | 50 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 57 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Washington Capitals Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup... |
NHL | 12 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 14 | ||
| 2001–02 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 16 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 64 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 65 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 71 | 19 | 22 | 41 | 30 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 2003–04 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 80 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 34 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 59 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1382 | 375 | 492 | 867 | 895 | 124 | 34 | 65 | 99 | 104 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | P | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 1988 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1988 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 12th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in Moscow, Soviet Union. Canada and the Soviet Union won the gold and silver medals respectively as the two nations redeemed themselves following their mutual... |
Canada | WJC World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world... |
7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1991 1991 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Final Round:-Consolation Round:No team was relegated because of the expansion to twelve teams.-World Championship Group B :... |
Canada | WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |
| 1996 1996 World Cup of Hockey The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey .... |
Canada | WCH World Cup of Hockey The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991... |
8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1998 Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to... |
Canada | Oly 1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice... |
6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | |
| 1998 1998 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -World Championship Group C :Played March 22-28 in Budapest, Székesfehérvár and Dunaújváros.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Final Round 25-28 Place :Hungary was promoted to Group B.- Consolation Round 29-32 Place :... |
Canada | WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |
| Senior int'l totals | 30 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 18 | |||
All-Star Games
| Year | Location | G | A | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game The 42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game took place in Chicago Stadium, home of the Chicago Blackhawks, on January 19, 1991.-Commissioner's Choice:... |
Chicago Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1992 43rd National Hockey League All-Star Game The 43rd NHL All-Star Game featured 16 goals as the Campbell Conference defeated the Wales Conference, 10–6. Brett Hull was named as the All-Star M.V.P... |
Philadelphia Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
1 | 1 | 2 | |
| All-Star totals | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
- All stats taken from NHL.com.
Canadian honours
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| Order of British Columbia Order of British Columbia The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour... |
2003 |
| Order of Canada Order of Canada The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit... |
2010 |
NHL
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| NHL All-Rookie Team NHL All-Rookie Team The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year... |
1989 |
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy King Clancy Memorial Trophy The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than... |
1997 |
| NHL Foundation Player Award NHL Foundation Player Award The NHL Foundation Player Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player "who applies the core values of hockey—commitment, perseverance and teamwork—to enrich the lives of people in his community". The winner is given a grant of US$25,000 to help causes that the winner supports... |
2008 |
WHL and CHL
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... East Second All-Star team |
1988 |
| Memorial Cup Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major... Tournament All-Star team |
1988 1988 Memorial Cup The 1988 Memorial Cup occurred May 7-May 14 at the Centre Georges-Vézina in Chicoutimi, Quebec. Participating teams were the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Hull Olympiques, the QMJHL runner-up, the Drummondville Voltigeurs, as well as the winners of the Western Hockey League and... |
| Alumni Achievement Awards - Professional Hockey Achievement | 2009 |
Vancouver Canucks team awards
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| Molson Cup Molson Cup The Molson Cup is an award presented to a distinguished player on Canadian ice hockey teams. After each game, the "three game stars" are selected, usually by a member of the media. At the end of the season, the player with the most three-star honours is presented with the Molson Cup... |
1989 |
| Cyclone Taylor Award | 1989 |
| Most Exciting Player | 1989 |
| Molson Cup | 1991 |
| Cyclone Taylor Award | 1991 |
| Cyrus H. McLean Trophy Cyrus H. McLean Trophy The Cyrus H. McLean Trophy is an award given out by the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. It recognizes the Canucks leading scorer over the course of the regular season... |
1991 |
| Most Exciting Player | 1991 |
| Cyrus H. McLean Trophy | 1992 |
| Cyclone Taylor Award | 1995 |
| Cyclone Taylor Award | 1996 |