Trevor Linden

I have to admit, I've always been a fan even though he was often a Flames killer.

Taken second overall in his draft year, he arrived almost fully formed as a 30 goal scoring winger with size and speed. He would later transform his game into that of a solid play-any-role forward, and ideal 2nd line center adding above average face-off and checking abilities to his repertoire of skills and physical play.

The trade of Linden to the Islanders may have netted the Canucks some nice pieces (Bertuzzi and McCabe) but it gutted the franchise of its heart and soul. Mike Keenan goes down in Canucks lore for rebuilding the team by gut punching the fans with that trade - after encouraging Linden to hand the captaincy over to a then useless Mark Messier.

Linden's career started at about the same time as the FUNHL did, and I have always been able to track the pools age by comparing it to Trevor's career.

If there is a stain on his shirt it is his performance as a Union Rep that installed Ted Saskin without proper procedures being followed. Classy to the end, Linden admitted his errors and stepped away from the role rather than continue to allow the situation to fester.

Always a great guy on and off the ice (he was the first player I knew of to purchase a luxury box and donate the seats to sick kids), Linden is IMO the greatest player the Canucks have ever produced and a deserving recipient of having his #16 jersey hang from the rafters in the city he played in.