Trevor Linden taken out back and shot at dawn

[yave1964 2,218]

Okay, maybe not as dramatic as the headline suggests, but the most popular Canuck not named Sedin has stepped down as President of the team a little over a month before camp is set to open. 

  Read this: Jim Benning is taking over his duties. Ahem. At least until a new President is found according to team managing partner Francesco Aquilini. 

  An aside, is there a cooler name in Hockey than Francesco Aquilini. Just sating.

 

  The parting was mutual according to both sides. Linden wants to spend more time with his family. Linden was rumored to be frustrated with ownership wanting to take it slow as far as the rebuild and instead of making a splash signing useful bottom pairing types while they hope the kids develop. Aquilini had this to say:

"A rebuild is a long slow process, everyone needs to be united behind the same vision and pulling in the same direction. Jim Benning and Travis Green will continue the team per the plan we have in place."

Ouch.

  Jim Benning thanked Linden for the opportunity. 

Ouch.

  Linden said this: 

"The team and this game hold a special place in my life and I leave very optimistic about the direction the Canucks are headed," he wrote.

"I love this city and this province, and I will always have a special relationship with this team and Canucks fans."

  Sounds like Linden had a different vision of where the team that he played for over nearly two decades and has been involved with for nearly his entire adult life than the rest of the so called brain trust had. 

  Forced out to give more power to Jim Benning. By Francesco Aquilini. Because the organization believes in taking the rebuild at a glacial pace. 

Ouch.

[JR Ewing 1,256]

@yave1964

 

It might be the opposite, actually. According to Farhan Lalji, Linden had a series of meetings with ownership and Benning over the last week, where it became clear that there was a big gap in their assessments of the team. Benning and Aquilini feel that the Canucks are ready to compete for the playoffs, while pointed to the example of 5 teams who have rebuilt and developed in a way which he felt was superior, and how the Canucks hadn't accomplished this. He felt the team is not where it should be.

 

And now that voice of reason is gone.

 

Edited July 26 by JR Ewing

[yave1964 2,218]

Two notes.  

Linden fought and lost he wanted to keep desjardins. 

 

And at the draft he didn't go up when they drafted Hughes. Canuck fans I was chatting with say the rumor is linden wanted to move up and get zadina but was overruled which is why he didn't go on stage. 

[JR Ewing 1,256]

3 minutes ago, yave1964 said:

Two notes.  

Linden fought and lost he wanted to keep desjardins. 

 

And at the draft he didn't go up when they drafted Hughes. Canuck fans I was chatting with say the rumor is linden wanted to move up and get zadina but was overruled which is why he didn't go on stage. 

 

Yeah, then you might as well move on when these things have happened. They clearly disagree on the direction of the team.

 

[CreaseAndAssist 254]

On 7/26/2018 at 8:17 AM, JR Ewing said:

@yave1964

 

It might be the opposite, actually. According to Farhan Lalji, Linden had a series of meetings with ownership and Benning over the last week, where it became clear that there was a big gap in their assessments of the team. Benning and Aquilini feel that the Canucks are ready to compete for the playoffs, while pointed to the example of 5 teams who have rebuilt and developed in a way which he felt was superior, and how the Canucks hadn't accomplished this. He felt the team is not where it should be.

 

And now that voice of reason is gone.

 

 

One guy sells hope the other guy sells doom...a desperate owner clings to the guy selling hope.  Classic.  I am not sure who to feel bad for besides the fanbase because they still are a long way off no matter what Benning is telling Aquilini.  

[JR Ewing 1,256]

3 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

One guy sells hope the other guy sells doom...a desperate owner clings to the guy selling hope.  Classic.  I am not sure who to feel bad for besides the fanbase because they still are a long way off no matter what Benning is telling Aquilini.  

 

Sounds like how Tom Renney found himself fired by Kevin Lowe. Renney was ordered to play 18-year old, 160 lb Ryan Nugent-Hopkins early after a shoulder injury, and Renney wanted nothing to do with it. Waited to put him into the lineup and tried to protect him. And what did Lowe tell him?

 

"Hey, we're trying to sell hope here."

 

[CreaseAndAssist 254]

(sigh)  Yes, those lovely Oilers.  But most clubs seem to lean in that direction.  Just like the Wild trying to sell the idea that all we need is a few 'tweaks' to change our fortunes instead of being a 1-series and done in the playoffs.  They don't want to be real and admit its more fundamentally flawed than that.  I know I'd rather have honesty.  

 

[sweetshot 21]

On ‎7‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 9:06 AM, CreaseAndAssist said:

(sigh)  Yes, those lovely Oilers.  But most clubs seem to lean in that direction.  Just like the Wild trying to sell the idea that all we need is a few 'tweaks' to change our fortunes instead of being a 1-series and done in the playoffs.  They don't want to be real and admit its more fundamentally flawed than that.  I know I'd rather have honesty.  

 

Amen.

[CreaseAndAssist 254]

On 7/28/2018 at 9:06 PM, JR Ewing said:

 

Sounds like how Tom Renney found himself fired by Kevin Lowe. Renney was ordered to play 18-year old, 160 lb Ryan Nugent-Hopkins early after a shoulder injury, and Renney wanted nothing to do with it. Waited to put him into the lineup and tried to protect him. And what did Lowe tell him?

 

"Hey, we're trying to sell hope here."

 

 

I think we've also seen when you take a very popular player from the past, bring him back to the organization to be placed in a management role it doesn't seem to work out, a fair amount of the time.  Its Aquilini's team, and its his privilege to run the team as he sees fit.  I think Vancouver is on the right track, for the most part as they have some good youngsters on the way.  But they still made some really odd moves this summer.  IMO, its two different modes of thinking.