Trevor Linden

Trevor Linden, CM, OBC ( born April 11, 1970 in Medicine Hat, Alberta ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his career he played for the Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League.

Career

Trevor Linden began his career in the Junior League WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He won with the team in 1987 and 1988 Memorial Cup, the most coveted trophy in the Canadian Junior Hockey. On the way to second title, he scored in 16 playoff games 25 points. He could recommend for the NHL and the Vancouver Canucks selected him in the NHL Entry Draft 1988 second from its excellent performance.

A few months later he made his debut in the NHL. He was able to prevail in the team immediately and was nominated at the end of the season for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie of the season. In addition there were other honors, such as the distinction of being the most valuable player of the Canucks.

As early as 1990 he was appointed on the basis of its use to the team captain of the Vancouver Canucks and was at the time, with just 20 years, the youngest captain in the NHL.

The most successful season of Linden in 1993 / 94th For the first time in twelve years, the Canucks reached the Stanley Cup Finals again. However, in a very tight series they lost to the New York Rangers in seven games. Linden was one of the most important players in the Canucks in the playoffs with 25 points in 24 games. However, the success they could not repeat.

Nevertheless, Linden continues to put strong one for the team and led it as a captain on the ice. Ended only in December 1996, an impressive series of 482 completed games in a row. In addition to the ice, he is committed to helping disadvantaged children. Both his use on the ice and in the social sphere, the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 1997 earned him a.

1997 met with Mark Messier NHL superstar to the Canucks and Linden renounced in his favor at the office of captain. During the 1997/98 season has been committed with a new coach Mike Keenan. He transferred after a short tenure several players who were still in the Stanley Cup finals in 1994, to other teams. In February 1998 Linden for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe and a third-round draft pick, which was used later to select Jarkko Ruutu was transferred to the New York Islanders.

Also in February, found the Winter Olympics held in Nagano and Linden belonged to Team Canada. But only reached the fourth place.

Before the season 1998/99 he was appointed captain of the Islanders, for he was to bring the team that showed no more convincing performances for several years, back on the winning track. But this did not happen and in the summer of 1999 he was transferred for a first-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens.

But after one and a half years he was in the spring of 2001, again part of a transfer. This time he had to the Washington Capitals, where he still completed the rest of the season. At the beginning of the following season, he played in Washington, but after a few games he was to his former team, the Vancouver Canucks, transferred.

In March 2002, he completed his 1000th game in the NHL. In November, he scored his 263rd goal in the jersey of Vancouver, setting a new franchise record for the Canucks on. In March 2004, he cracked another team record with 674 points scored. In addition, no player has as many games in Vancouver challenged as he.

1998 Trevor Linden was elected president of the players union NHLPA. In July 2006, he resigned the office. Before the NHL Season 2004/ 05 should be a new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is a collective agreement for the NHL basically be negotiated between the NHLPA and the league. Trevor Linden was involved as president of the NHLPA directly in the negotiations. Since they could not agree, the season was canceled and it was only in July 2005 to a solution.

2005/ 06 Linden played his worst ever season with only 16 points in 82 games and the Canucks missed the playoffs. In the following season, he could easily increase by nine points and was in the playoffs with two goals and five points best scorer of his team.

In August 2007, Linden extended his contract in Vancouver for one year, and thus enters his 15th season with the Canucks.

2003 was awarded to him than before the only hockey player of the Order of British Columbia, an honor that is awarded to famous personalities who come from either British Columbia or have rendered outstanding services there.

Linden's long tenure with the Canucks, his deep relationship with the city of Vancouver and its social commitment have made him one of the most popular and most respected players in the history of the Vancouver Canucks. His return to Vancouver in 2001 was for both the fans as well as for Linden himself a very emotional moment. Linden later admitted that he could sleep with excitement the night before his first match after his return not. From the fans, he was still often referred to respectfully as " Captain Canuck ", even if he no longer held the post for the Canucks since 1997. In his honor the jersey number 16 is no longer awarded at the Vancouver Canucks and was officially closed on 17 December 2008 in a ceremony.

Awards and achievements

Internationally

Team Records

Linden currently holds the following franchise records of the Vancouver Canucks: