Trevor Linden: ‘we were hoping for the best and it didn’t work out this year’
8 years ago
It was less formal and more revealing than what had just taken
place on the other side of the wall at Rogers Arena.
place on the other side of the wall at Rogers Arena.
Moments after Jim Benning
and Willie Desjardins descended from the podium where they had been pressed on
the many failings of the Vancouver Canucks this season, President of Hockey
Operations Trevor Linden offered his thoughts and observations.
and Willie Desjardins descended from the podium where they had been pressed on
the many failings of the Vancouver Canucks this season, President of Hockey
Operations Trevor Linden offered his thoughts and observations.
In a
wide-ranging media scrum, Linden once again backed his head coach, broke the
news of his captain’s broken finger, shot down rampant rumours of a front office
shake-up and seemed to offer a glimpse into the team’s plans for the ample spending
money the Canucks are likely to have to work with this summer when the salaries
of Radim Vrbata and quite likely Dan Hamhuis come off the books.
wide-ranging media scrum, Linden once again backed his head coach, broke the
news of his captain’s broken finger, shot down rampant rumours of a front office
shake-up and seemed to offer a glimpse into the team’s plans for the ample spending
money the Canucks are likely to have to work with this summer when the salaries
of Radim Vrbata and quite likely Dan Hamhuis come off the books.
On
Tuesday, Linden, who had previously given his head coach a strong vote of
confidence prior to the team’s March 5th game in San Jose, once
again stood by Desjardins despite the Canucks late season tailspin.
Tuesday, Linden, who had previously given his head coach a strong vote of
confidence prior to the team’s March 5th game in San Jose, once
again stood by Desjardins despite the Canucks late season tailspin.
“He was given a challenge, I
think he worked hard at it, I think he did a good job at it and he’ll
definitely be back next year,” Linden said.
think he worked hard at it, I think he did a good job at it and he’ll
definitely be back next year,” Linden said.
So from
that, it certainly seems safe to assume that Desjardins will return for a third
season behind the Canucks bench. As for his assistants – Doug Lidster, Glen
Gulutzan and Perry Pearn – the future appears a little less certain. That doesn’t
mean the staff won’t remain intact, although Linden wouldn’t commit to that
today.
that, it certainly seems safe to assume that Desjardins will return for a third
season behind the Canucks bench. As for his assistants – Doug Lidster, Glen
Gulutzan and Perry Pearn – the future appears a little less certain. That doesn’t
mean the staff won’t remain intact, although Linden wouldn’t commit to that
today.
“We’re
going to meet with the coaching staff next week and drill down on their various
areas of responsibilities,” he said. “With young players, it’s a lot more work
with the amount of video and teaching. I’m pretty happy with the job they did,
but we will review everything in the next week.”
going to meet with the coaching staff next week and drill down on their various
areas of responsibilities,” he said. “With young players, it’s a lot more work
with the amount of video and teaching. I’m pretty happy with the job they did,
but we will review everything in the next week.”
As Linden
spoke to the media, he revealed one of the reasons for Henrik Sedin’s second
half struggles. Although the Canuck captain himself had claimed he was healthy
after the All-Star break, it was clear to anyone who watched the team closely
that he wasn’t able to compete at his highest level. Linden says some of that
was due to the fact the Henrik finished the season with a broken finger that he
had refused to reveal publicly instead trying to play through the pain to help
the hockey club even when he wasn’t 100%.
spoke to the media, he revealed one of the reasons for Henrik Sedin’s second
half struggles. Although the Canuck captain himself had claimed he was healthy
after the All-Star break, it was clear to anyone who watched the team closely
that he wasn’t able to compete at his highest level. Linden says some of that
was due to the fact the Henrik finished the season with a broken finger that he
had refused to reveal publicly instead trying to play through the pain to help
the hockey club even when he wasn’t 100%.
“Henrik
through his injuries wouldn’t take himself out — he broke his finger and
nobody knew about it,” Linden explains. “He battled some challenges through
Christmas there with his hip and back and obviously the shoulder in Long
Island. These guys you don’t hear anything from. They suffer in silence, but
they’re warriors. They’re tough and they’re going to continue to battle and be
leaders for this group.”
through his injuries wouldn’t take himself out — he broke his finger and
nobody knew about it,” Linden explains. “He battled some challenges through
Christmas there with his hip and back and obviously the shoulder in Long
Island. These guys you don’t hear anything from. They suffer in silence, but
they’re warriors. They’re tough and they’re going to continue to battle and be
leaders for this group.”
The
challenge, as it has been for years now for Canucks management, will be to find
players to ease the offensive burden on the 35-year-old Sedins. To that end, Linden
will be part of the Canucks management group in North Dakota next week taking
in the World Under-18 hockey championship. As the team brass eyes potential
future players, it will surely continue to reflect on where this past season
went off the rails.
challenge, as it has been for years now for Canucks management, will be to find
players to ease the offensive burden on the 35-year-old Sedins. To that end, Linden
will be part of the Canucks management group in North Dakota next week taking
in the World Under-18 hockey championship. As the team brass eyes potential
future players, it will surely continue to reflect on where this past season
went off the rails.
Yes
there were injury issues that played a role in the Canucks struggles, but Linden
admitted Tuesday that the way this team was constructed, it needed a lot of
things to go right for the club just to be competitive. Obviously, many of
those things didn’t happen.
there were injury issues that played a role in the Canucks struggles, but Linden
admitted Tuesday that the way this team was constructed, it needed a lot of
things to go right for the club just to be competitive. Obviously, many of
those things didn’t happen.
“We
needed good performances from our older players, we needed our younger players
to step up, we needed to stay healthy, we needed good goaltending – which we
got,” he said. “The year before we had things go right. When we came in in
2014, we knew we were eventually going to have to go down this path and the
risk we were going to run is exactly what we saw this year. And that was the
scary part of it. You know you’ve got an older group and you know you’ve got to
get younger, you know you’ve got to plan and develop the next core and how that
meshes together is the challenge. We were hoping for the best and, you know, it
didn’t work out this year.”
needed good performances from our older players, we needed our younger players
to step up, we needed to stay healthy, we needed good goaltending – which we
got,” he said. “The year before we had things go right. When we came in in
2014, we knew we were eventually going to have to go down this path and the
risk we were going to run is exactly what we saw this year. And that was the
scary part of it. You know you’ve got an older group and you know you’ve got to
get younger, you know you’ve got to plan and develop the next core and how that
meshes together is the challenge. We were hoping for the best and, you know, it
didn’t work out this year.”
While
losing seasons in professional sports are often accompanied by change at the
top, Linden bristled at the suggestion that the Canucks are looking at adding
someone with NHL managerial experience to their front office. The rumour mill
has been churning lately with former Washington general manager – and current
co-GM of Canada’s entry at the World Hockey championship – George McPhee’s name
linked to the Canucks. If it happened, it would see McPhee come full circle
after getting break in hockey management when he worked in the Canucks front
office under Pat Quinn back in the early 1990s. But on Tuesday, Linden was
quick to shoot down the story.
losing seasons in professional sports are often accompanied by change at the
top, Linden bristled at the suggestion that the Canucks are looking at adding
someone with NHL managerial experience to their front office. The rumour mill
has been churning lately with former Washington general manager – and current
co-GM of Canada’s entry at the World Hockey championship – George McPhee’s name
linked to the Canucks. If it happened, it would see McPhee come full circle
after getting break in hockey management when he worked in the Canucks front
office under Pat Quinn back in the early 1990s. But on Tuesday, Linden was
quick to shoot down the story.
“I have
no idea, honestly, where that comes from,” he said while backing his current
GM. “Jim has been put in a very difficult situation. He’s made some difficult
decisions. I’m really happy with where we are. I think Jim has done an
excellent job with the challenges in front of us. Currently, I’m not looking at
bringing in anybody.”
no idea, honestly, where that comes from,” he said while backing his current
GM. “Jim has been put in a very difficult situation. He’s made some difficult
decisions. I’m really happy with where we are. I think Jim has done an
excellent job with the challenges in front of us. Currently, I’m not looking at
bringing in anybody.”
The
Canucks may not be making changes in the front office, but there will most
certainly be moves made to a roster that produced 31 wins and 75 points. When
pressed on the team’s plans heading into free agency and the possibility of
landing a big name available on the open market after July 1st,
Linden seemed to be offering the fan base a message of organizational caution
with an eye toward a handful of big-ticket extensions in the years ahead. Sure
the Canucks have money to spend this summer, but Linden didn’t sound like he
wanted to lock into long-term deals that could impact the club’s ability to
resign any of its own key pieces.
Canucks may not be making changes in the front office, but there will most
certainly be moves made to a roster that produced 31 wins and 75 points. When
pressed on the team’s plans heading into free agency and the possibility of
landing a big name available on the open market after July 1st,
Linden seemed to be offering the fan base a message of organizational caution
with an eye toward a handful of big-ticket extensions in the years ahead. Sure
the Canucks have money to spend this summer, but Linden didn’t sound like he
wanted to lock into long-term deals that could impact the club’s ability to
resign any of its own key pieces.
“It
depends on who we decide to bring back, but we also have to consider 2017-18
and what that looks like with Horvat and Hutton and Markstrom and we’re in those planning stages now and
looking at how all that comes together,” he said. “We need to establish that
mid-tier veteran leadership – Edler, Tanev, Sutter, Dorsett – who are going to
be mentors to our younger players. We need to be careful. I don’t think there
are any quick fixes in free agency. There’s no magic that happens. If we can
add a player that makes sense we have to be mindful of where this young group
is in two years and what that looks like.”
depends on who we decide to bring back, but we also have to consider 2017-18
and what that looks like with Horvat and Hutton and Markstrom and we’re in those planning stages now and
looking at how all that comes together,” he said. “We need to establish that
mid-tier veteran leadership – Edler, Tanev, Sutter, Dorsett – who are going to
be mentors to our younger players. We need to be careful. I don’t think there
are any quick fixes in free agency. There’s no magic that happens. If we can
add a player that makes sense we have to be mindful of where this young group
is in two years and what that looks like.”
Some of
the players the Canucks will depend on in years to come are currently gearing up
for the American Hockey League playoffs. Players like Brendan Gaunce and Andrey
Pedan were re-assigned to Utica to bolster the farm team’s line-up with a week
to go before the post-season begins. Linden says the Canucks will be monitoring
the progress of their players in Utica, but denied as he has in the past any
plans to relocate the farm team from the other side of the continent.
the players the Canucks will depend on in years to come are currently gearing up
for the American Hockey League playoffs. Players like Brendan Gaunce and Andrey
Pedan were re-assigned to Utica to bolster the farm team’s line-up with a week
to go before the post-season begins. Linden says the Canucks will be monitoring
the progress of their players in Utica, but denied as he has in the past any
plans to relocate the farm team from the other side of the continent.
“We
have such value for the environment that Utica presents,” he says. “It’s an NHL
environment with the pressure and the fans there care. We never had a problem
getting players in – even on the day of a game. It’s hard, but I think the
value outweighs the geographical closeness. We’re going to continue to look at
it but right now we have no plans to move.”
have such value for the environment that Utica presents,” he says. “It’s an NHL
environment with the pressure and the fans there care. We never had a problem
getting players in – even on the day of a game. It’s hard, but I think the
value outweighs the geographical closeness. We’re going to continue to look at
it but right now we have no plans to move.”
One
place the Canucks are hoping to move is up the draft board in the April 30th
lottery. Currently holding the third best chance of landing the top pick, Linden
is hoping the ping pong balls fall the Canucks way. If they do, he made it
clear that there will be no mystery when the Canucks get to the podium on draft
day in Buffalo.
place the Canucks are hoping to move is up the draft board in the April 30th
lottery. Currently holding the third best chance of landing the top pick, Linden
is hoping the ping pong balls fall the Canucks way. If they do, he made it
clear that there will be no mystery when the Canucks get to the podium on draft
day in Buffalo.
“I think
Auston Matthews is the guy,” he says of the consensus top pick. “We’ll look at
everything. I don’t want to get too excited. I think there’s potential for the
top three players to come in and have an impact. I think, after that, it’s
probably unlikely.”
Auston Matthews is the guy,” he says of the consensus top pick. “We’ll look at
everything. I don’t want to get too excited. I think there’s potential for the
top three players to come in and have an impact. I think, after that, it’s
probably unlikely.”
As for
who will represent the Canucks at the draft lottery, Linden says that remains
to be determined.
who will represent the Canucks at the draft lottery, Linden says that remains
to be determined.
“I’ve been talking with (NHL deputy
commissioner) Bill Daly about that and what that looks like, but we don’t know
that,” he says, adding that he has resisted the temptation so far to test his
luck ahead of lottery day. “I have not touched the simulator.”
commissioner) Bill Daly about that and what that looks like, but we don’t know
that,” he says, adding that he has resisted the temptation so far to test his
luck ahead of lottery day. “I have not touched the simulator.”
In all,
Linden spoke for close to half an hour, expressing disappointment about the way
things unfolded over the past six months, but remaining optimistic about what
lies ahead for the hockey club. He’s under no illusion that there is plenty of
work to be done and no easy way to accomplish all of the tasks at hand.
However, he made it clear that while no one in the organization is happy with
the current state of affairs, the management group has the green light and the
authority from ownership to do whatever is necessary to make this team competitive
again.
Linden spoke for close to half an hour, expressing disappointment about the way
things unfolded over the past six months, but remaining optimistic about what
lies ahead for the hockey club. He’s under no illusion that there is plenty of
work to be done and no easy way to accomplish all of the tasks at hand.
However, he made it clear that while no one in the organization is happy with
the current state of affairs, the management group has the green light and the
authority from ownership to do whatever is necessary to make this team competitive
again.
“I sit with our ownership group
monthly, I talk to Francesco regularly and they’re completely on board with
where we are in the cycle and what needs to be done,” he says. “Our fans have
been tremendous. They’re loyal. But there’s going to be some challenges moving
forward, no question.”
monthly, I talk to Francesco regularly and they’re completely on board with
where we are in the cycle and what needs to be done,” he says. “Our fans have
been tremendous. They’re loyal. But there’s going to be some challenges moving
forward, no question.”
Tuesday was a day for talking, however
words can only accomplish so much. Now it’s time for the Canucks actions to
speak for themselves. One of the most-important off-seasons in franchise
history is officially underway and it figures to be more exciting than the
hockey club was on most nights throughout this past season of disappointments.
words can only accomplish so much. Now it’s time for the Canucks actions to
speak for themselves. One of the most-important off-seasons in franchise
history is officially underway and it figures to be more exciting than the
hockey club was on most nights throughout this past season of disappointments.
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