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Trevor Linden

Born:April 11, 1970Draft:1988 Canucks #2 Overall
Hometown:Medicine Hat, ABPosition:Centre
Known For:‘Captain Canuck’Shoots:Right
National Team:CanadaCurrent Team:Retired

Trevor John Linden CM OBC (born April 11, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former president of hockey operations, and alternate governor of the Vancouver Canucks. He spent 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing centre and right-wing with four teams: the Vancouver Canucks (in two tenures; the first and last), 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 was recognized as a respected leader on and off the ice. He was named captain of the Canucks at age 21, making him one of the youngest captains in league history. In that capacity, Linden was nicknamed “Captain Canuck” and led the team to back-to-back Smythe Division titles in 1992 and 1993, followed by a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994, where they lost in seven games.

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. Linden retired on June 11, 2008, 20 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.

On April 9, 2014, Linden was named president of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks, a position he held until July 2018.

Trevor Linden #16 of the Vancouver Canucks
Trevor Linden, Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images)

Trevor Linden Statistics

Trade Tracker

DateTraded FromTraded WithTraded ToTraded For
February 6, 1998Vancouver CanucksNew York IslandersThird-Round Pick
(Jarkko Ruutu)
Todd Bertuzzi
Bryan McCabe
May 29, 1999New York IslandersMontreal CanadiensFirst-Round Pick
(Branislav Mezel)
March 13, 2001Montreal CanadiensSecond-Round Pick
(Andreas Holmqvist)
Dainius Zubrus
Washington CapitalsFirst-Round Pick
(Alexander Perezhogin)
Jan Bulis
Richard Zednik
November 10, 2001Washington CapitalsSecond-Round Pick
(Denis Grot)
Vancouver CanucksFirst-Round Pick
(Boyd Gordon)
Third-Round Pick
(Zack Stortini)

Deeper Dive

Achievements

  • Captain of the Canucks (1990-1997)
  • Captain of the Islanders (1998-1999)
  • British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame (2010)
  • NHL Foundation Player Award (2008)
  • NHL Leadership-Humanitarian Award (King Clancy Trophy) (1997)
  • World Cup Runner Up (1997)
  • Played in the NHL All-Star Game two times (1991, 1992)
  • World Championship Silver Medal (1991)
  • NHL All-Rookie Team (1989)
  • CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team (1988)
  • Two-time CHL Memorial Cup Champion (1987, 1988)
  • U20 World Junior Championship Gold Medal (1988)
  • Two-time WHL Champion (1987, 1988)

Sources