What if Trevor was the one to convince the twins it was time to step away, finally allowing the team to move on and actually get younger, and FA had a 5year contract on the table for them? Would that make him your hero?
- 1970vintage

What if?

Sedin's made their own choice. Just like every other professional athlete.

I don't know what's crazier, TL stepping down or that he ay have been the one preaching patience with the rebuild the entire time

if more people leave or are removed from the organization in the near future we'll know there was more to the story

could be a shake up in hockey ops. Jud bracket getting a promotion?

What if?

Sedin's made their own choice. Just like every other professional athlete.
- neem55

Riiiiiiiiiight, every professional athlete gets to choose when they walk away.

Riiiiiiiiiight, every professional athlete gets to choose when they walk away.
- 1970vintage

Sandis Ozilish still plays pro hockey. You can play yourself out, I'm not sure Jagr gets work in the NHL this year for example. It's still his choice whether and when he hangs his skates up, barring career ending injuries it's always the players' choice whether they want to keep going.

I don't know what's crazier, TL stepping down or that he ay have been the one preaching patience with the rebuild the entire time
- neem55

It would be really interesting to know what goes on behind closed doors with the team.

The facts we make up always sound great on hb but then something happens and sht everyone agreed on just turns out to be different sht.

Wow, I just read about Linden this morning so I thought I'd weigh in with some thoughts.

I think this has been boiling for a few years, if you remember there was word of him stepping down a couple years ago, so not entirely surprised to be honest.

Very apparent the owner is heavily involved in running/managing this toy of his. He should just Jerry Jones himself and become part of hockey operations.

Despite my hatred for Jim Bennings management skills, or lack of, they've had a few good picks, which hopefully turnout, and they're on the road to recovery.

I just sincerely hope Benning hasn't convinced FA they can shortcut this thing or you're gonna see the second coming of the Toronto Maple Leafs before Shanahan came along.

if more people leave or are removed from the organization in the near future we'll know there was more to the story

could be a shake up in hockey ops. Jud bracket getting a promotion?
- SMBDragon

They already run a small FO. It was essentially Benning, Linden and Weisbrod with varying degrees of influence. Now its down to two guys.

They fired/parted ways Gilman because having 4 people made decision making "cumbersome" which means he wasn't a yes man.

Now they parted ways with Linden apparently over differences in decisions to make.

Weisbrod and Benning are boys and probably just perfect corporate yes men. I can see Weisbrod especially being the kind of guy to tell ownership everything they want to make sure he stays making his money.

It would be really interesting to know what goes on behind closed doors with the team.

The facts we make up always sound great on hb but then something happens and sht everyone agreed on just turns out to be different sht.
- hillbillydeluxe

I tend to rely on journalists, whose job it is to report accurate info. Theres a pretty detailed story on sportsnet. They disagreed, apparently FA wants to win and Linden wanted to stay the course(knowing that this is not a winning team yet).

Sandis Ozilish still plays pro hockey. You can play yourself out, I'm not sure Jagr gets work in the NHL this year for example. It's still his choice whether and when he hangs his skates up, barring career ending injuries it's always the players' choice whether they want to keep going.
- neem55

Chris Higgins just called, he disagrees. So do Brandon Prust, Shane Doan and recently "retired" Jarome Iginla. Oh, Chris pronger, Marc Savard and Paul Karyia just stopped by to disagree. John freaking Scott also wanted to let you know that being a professional hockey player was a blast but his dream ended too soon.

Also Ozolinš is NOT still playing pro hockey.

Wow, I just read about Linden this morning so I thought I'd weigh in with some thoughts.

I think this has been boiling for a few years, if you remember there was word of him stepping down a couple years ago, so not entirely surprised to be honest.

Very apparent the owner is heavily involved in running/managing this toy of his. He should just Jerry Jones himself and become part of hockey operations.

Despite my hatred for Jim Bennings management skills, or lack of, they've had a few good picks, which hopefully turnout, and they're on the road to recovery.

I just sincerely hope Benning hasn't convinced FA they can shortcut this thing or you're gonna see the second coming of the Toronto Maple Leafs before Shanahan came along.
- LeftCoaster

I've always said that Linden was FA's way of not having to face the media and answer the hard questions from the MSM and fans. He was always going to be the fall guy for FA who can't allow people to do their job properly without micromanaging them.

Chris Higgins just called, he disagrees. So do Brandon Prust, Shane Doan and recently "retired" Jarome Iginla. Oh, Chris pronger, Marc Savard and Paul Karyia just stopped by to disagree. John freaking Scott also wanted to let you know that being a professional hockey player was a blast but his dream ended too soon.

Also Ozolinš is NOT still playing pro hockey.
- 1970vintage

You know that there are other leagues than the NHL right? That I mentioned career ending injuries? Doan could have played elsewhere, chose not to. That's what retiring is: a choice. Higgins, Burrows and Prust were not good enough to play NHL, but they could still play pro hockey (in fact prust did in germany for a year). Higgins played out his year and retired at the AHL level. You're right, Ozalish retired from playing pro hockey after 5 years in the KHL in 2014, 5 years after his NHL career came to an end. Not being able to play in the NHL anymore isn't the same as retiring, I especially enjoyed your attempt at using scare quotes.

It seemed obvious that Linden was done when the Canucks put out the clip at this years draft and he was nowhere too be seen, although he was a presence at the pre-draft clip.

If Trevor was indeed fighting the good fight on a slow rebuild strategy, as some reports are suggesting, then its a sad day for those of us wanting patience and short term contracts

As for a replacement, my conspiracy theory is that there won't be one. Benning has been given the keys on a "temporary basis", but I am betting it is a PR strategy to prevent headlines saying 'Trevor Out, Benning In' (I also doubt they could even find a worthy candidate who would come in and not fire Benning at the beginning of his new extension and be only be a FA mouthpiece). I'd place a large sum of money that they will ride this out for the summer, training camp, etc. and slide an announcement out in mid-November that Jim has been doing a great job and will assume the role of President full-time

It seemed obvious that Linden was done when the Canucks put out the clip at this years draft and he was nowhere too be seen, although he was a presence at the pre-draft clip.
- Reubenkincade

2 local media guys are saying that the UFA signings were the last straw for him. That was after the draft. But Benning probably already told Linden at the draft that he was going to target Beagle, Roussel, Schaller, etc


I respect Linden for walking away from something he doesn’t believe in. He easily could have just stayed on and collected his pay checks.

I always thought it was the other way around and JB wanted more picks/prospects/patience while Linden was demanding for players to be re-signed.

I really hope these reports are wrong because otherwise this team is (frank)ed. The homers can pretend it’s fine, but it’s not.

2 local media guys are saying that the UFA signings were the last straw for him. That was after the draft. But Benning probably already told Linden at the draft that he was going to target Beagle, Roussel, Schaller, etc


I respect Linden for walking away from something he doesn’t believe in. He easily could have just stayed on and collected his pay checks.

I always thought it was the other way around and JB wanted more picks/prospects/patience while Linden was demanding for players to be re-signed.

I really hope these reports are wrong because otherwise this team is (frank)ed. The homers can pretend it’s fine, but it’s not.
- Nucker101

TL should have fired JB, promoted JB to VP, then quit.

2 local media guys are saying that the UFA signings were the last straw for him. That was after the draft. But Benning probably already told Linden at the draft that he was going to target Beagle, Roussel, Schaller, etc


I respect Linden for walking away from something he doesn’t believe in. He easily could have just stayed on and collected his pay checks.

I always thought it was the other way around and JB wanted more picks/prospects/patience while Linden was demanding for players to be re-signed.

I really hope these reports are wrong because otherwise this team is (frank)ed. The homers can pretend it’s fine, but it’s not.
- Nucker101

Again, JB is the puppet and FA was the one pulling the strings. Do you really think any GM that's had any sort of success or tenure in the NHL would have put up with having to go against their own instincts and common sense to please their owner? Not many I expect, JB was a rookie GM and wanted a shot.

Again, JB is the puppet and FA was the one pulling the strings. Do you really think any GM that's had any sort of success or tenure in the NHL would have put up with having to go against their own instincts and common sense to please their owner? Not many I expect, JB was a rookie GM and wanted a shot.
- DariusKnight

Why would FA relinquish control of the team? Last time he did that the president of the team nearly won him a Stanley Cup.

2 local media guys are saying that the UFA signings were the last straw for him. That was after the draft. But Benning probably already told Linden at the draft that he was going to target Beagle, Roussel, Schaller, etc


I respect Linden for walking away from something he doesn’t believe in. He easily could have just stayed on and collected his pay checks.

I always thought it was the other way around and JB wanted more picks/prospects/patience while Linden was demanding for players to be re-signed.

I really hope these reports are wrong because otherwise this team is (frank)ed. The homers can pretend it’s fine, but it’s not.
- Nucker101

It was clear Linden was a rebuild guy for about the last year or so. He was the one talking about picks, cap space, roster flexibility, being "extremely young" while JB was the guy like "people bought tickets so i need to sign more Michael Del Zotto's so they have fun at the games"

You know that there are other leagues than the NHL right? That I mentioned career ending injuries? Doan could have played elsewhere, chose not to. That's what retiring is: a choice. Higgins, Burrows and Prust were not good enough to play NHL, but they could still play pro hockey (in fact prust did in germany for a year). Higgins played out his year and retired at the AHL level. You're right, Ozalish retired from playing pro hockey after 5 years in the KHL in 2014, 5 years after his NHL career came to an end. Not being able to play in the NHL anymore isn't the same as retiring, I especially enjoyed your attempt at using scare quotes.
- neem55

I especially enjoy your attemp at being right

I have the same questions. The situation was improving, prospect pool growing, deadwood jettisoned, implemented a plan to rebuild through draft.

Perfect time for another Canuck implosion. Never fails. They are their own worst enemy.
- bloatedmosquito

This would appear to be the case. Call it Canuck luck or what have you...it does seem to be a cycle.

The sky is falling 😍😍😍😍

2 local media guys are saying that the UFA signings were the last straw for him. That was after the draft. But Benning probably already told Linden at the draft that he was going to target Beagle, Roussel, Schaller, etc


I respect Linden for walking away from something he doesn’t believe in. He easily could have just stayed on and collected his pay checks.

I always thought it was the other way around and JB wanted more picks/prospects/patience while Linden was demanding for players to be re-signed.

I really hope these reports are wrong because otherwise this team is (frank)ed. The homers can pretend it’s fine, but it’s not.
- Nucker101

Yep good points.

I'm willing to bet the FA took Benning/Linden aside and said 'this team will be in the playoffs for the 50th anniversary' or heads will roll...

Linden probably said 'good luck'...

Benning countered with 'you got it boss'...

Hard to say as we will never really know what is said in the board room but speculation is abound.

And I agree with you if Linden was the champion of the rebuild philosophy and FA and Benning are trying to shortcut their way back to the PO's...look out.

This would appear to be the case. Call it Canuck luck or what have you...it does seem to be a cycle.
- LordHumungous

Aquilini's impatient and when things don't go perfectly he assumes that he knows best.

If I gave 2:1 odds that the Canucks don't win a playoff game on Petterson's ELC, how much are you putting down on that?

2 local media guys are saying that the UFA signings were the last straw for him. That was after the draft. But Benning probably already told Linden at the draft that he was going to target Beagle, Roussel, Schaller, etc


I respect Linden for walking away from something he doesn’t believe in. He easily could have just stayed on and collected his pay checks.

I always thought it was the other way around and JB wanted more picks/prospects/patience while Linden was demanding for players to be re-signed.

I really hope these reports are wrong because otherwise this team is (frank)ed. The homers can pretend it’s fine, but it’s not.
- Nucker101

I find it hard to be completely worried, because if Horvat, Pettersson, Boeser, and Demko reasonably reach their potential, this team will eventually return to the playoffs and be entertaining to watch. The obvious downside is that's all they will ever be, never a true contender. Like the Stars since they got Seguin