Trevor Linden on Elias Pettersson, his relationship with Jim Benning and any regrets

Former Canucks Captain and Canucks Executive Trevor Linden joined the guys to discuss his partnership with the Men's Health Foundation and also talk about the Canucks hot start to the season, his relationship with Jim Benning and more.

[@nomadcurator]

Love Linden. He is one of the best canucks ever.

[@vancitycanucks]

I think the Sedins have over taken him in legacy but he is Captain Canuck and always will be.

[@DaleMcGregor]

And a charitable person who acknowledges that judgment calls are just that, and where he could have in hindsight asserted the "I told you so" moniker, he took the high road.

[@glennhankins6927]

@@vancitycanucks Linden scored 2 goals in game seven of the Stanley Final on the road. Both Sedins combined scored 0 goals in game seven of the Stanley Cup Final at home with 20,000 fans cheering them on.

[@gameburn178]

Great hockey player, nice person, but too much of the Jean Beliveau nice-to-everybody crap. Never sure whether to believe much he says tbh.

[@trobertw]

The best canuck

[@sibbyeskie]

“How did you and Benning get along?” “I wasn’t the kind of guy who needed a job. I always made decisions based on what was best for the team.” Say no more Trevor. We know 😂

[@steven4vanw356]

I’m So glad he said that and didn’t take the easy way out of the question.

[@Starrynova]

“I was trying to do what was best for the team and think 3-5 years down the road” This implies that Benning was in fact not.

[@CalloftheWildOfficial]

well said my friend.

[@wBONw]

@@Starrynova no need to imply. Many of Benning's moves were done for short term benefits and job security.

[@stephenfracy4258]

Trevor always was, and still is to this day, a class act and we are lucky to have him in our Canucks history and family.

[@viperswhip]

I think we'd be were we are now, 3 or 4 years ago if Trevor was in charge.

[@BrodyCanuck]

Thats how it shouldve been, but it all fell apart the moment they made the trade for OEL and destroyed all that juicy cap space they were about to free up in the next summer.

[@kellylee762]

Imagine how proud Quinn would be if he could see the kid he drafted today.

[@c_hanley]

"My vision was hard to swallow if you"re some people" Oh that's 100% on Aqua and Co.

[@BobsSonSteve]

I met Mr Linden a couple years back at a remote mountain lodge. For fun he and others would hike 20 plus kms and climb basic mountain routes. Extremely fit and a true gentleman. A natural leader.

[@nigelcanuck]

#16 will always be Mr. Canuck! Linden is such a classy guy. Wish he is was still in the organization, but it sounds like it was perfect timing for him to step aside and do the family thing. Thanks for everything Trev!

[@joelface]

Always a treat to hear from Linden. I love that they're painting the connection between him and this new group. Makes me want to cheer for our team all the more!

[@williamcosbyIII]

Now THAT'S what you call some high quality Vancouver Canucks content! Donnie, Dhali ,background guy with the weird laugh top notch stuff! Unlike those amateurs Sekeres & Price interviewing some random dude that sits behind a bench like people give a shit! You guys just get it! 🍻

[@mrrcool77]

Ouch! What I heard was in 2016, Benning did not let the scouts make the decision; 2018 - Benning was trying to save his job instead of looking at the long term vision of the team - RIP Benning's career

[@gameburn178]

He will never work at that level again in hockey. These are damning indications.

[@greganderson4547]

The fact that he hasn't been hired by another organization even for a low level scouting job speaks volumes. I'm sure that other NHL front offices could see how badly Benning failed at pretty much every part of his job...drafting, development, pro scouting, making trades, managing the salary cap and surrounding himself with competent people. Guy should never work in pro hockey again.

[@plusfour1]

It's nice to see Trevor looking happy and relaxed. You can hear it in his answers. Everybody knows what happened more or less and he gave real answers and didn't throw anybody under the bus. Cudo's to Rick and Don for having a relaxed atmosphere that puts their guests at ease.

[@tcmanchan]

Linden is one of the classiest guys you will ever come across. On and off the ice. He was a great role model for me growing up in Vancouver and we are blessed to have had him

[@madmoikmadmoik6290]

I am sorry. I often forget to hit the like button. Thank you guys for providing canucks related hockey news. Especially living overseas

[@bigamigo4863]

Trevor is such a class act, i wish he was still with the organization in some facet. I 100% agree with what he said.

[@detrif8701]

RIP Jim Benning’s career.

[@thedingbatdingers4326]

😂

[@scottelement]

Good!

[@peters5090]

I mean, benning built this core. Hes looking like a genius rn

[@thedingbatdingers4326]

@@peters5090 you mean Linden is looking like a genius.

[@shakebooty]

​​@@thedingbatdingers4326umm, besides Petey.... Hughes, demko, Bb6, Miller was all Benning,,

[@mrquirky3626]

I still don't know what was more painful as a Canucks fan; having Linden traded to the Islanders, or having him leave as President? At least the Linden trade got us Todd Bertuzzi but it still hurt like hell at the time.

[@SapperRJMorgan]

Definitely leaving as president. He was near the end of his career at the time of his trade.

[@JunkBondTrader]

Bertuzzi lol big deal. He just stood out compared to the rest of the team, which at the time was so dull and boring, Naslund aside.

[@mrwaltermathews]

​@@JunkBondTraderthe West Coast Express Canucks were probably the most entertaining team I've seen. And Bert was literally the best power fwd in the league for a couple seasons.

[@mattblom3990]

Hope Trevor sees this. He's my favourite hockey player (of all time, any team) and I know he gave his heart as team President. His agency was taken from him, he took the best path forward. He was not allowed to shape the team as it needed to be shaped, but fans know.

[@Viking8888]

More than even Steamer, I think of Trevor Linden as the ultimate Vancouver Canuck. From his first game to his last and then his last again after coming back, he was such a warrior. My favourite Canucks team will always be the 94 team.

[@bshoulder]

Being the classy guy that Trevor Linden is, I think this is as candid as you can get him to say anything negative about the ownership and about Jim Benning. He raised a good point that the stars from the 2011 team were mostly drafted seven, eight years prior. Under his guidance, the current core of the team, from Boeser to Demko to Petey to Hughes, were all drafted five, six years ago and are now rounding into their prime. It is really up to the management to assemble the supportive pieces for this team to make a serious run for the Cup. There are teams that are consistently very good (the Avs and Lightning come to mind). I wonder what the Canucks would need to do to get to that status.

[@gameburn178]

Not signing free agents in place of drafting and building; not betting the house on winning one year at the risk of future years.

[@jomarlayco2877]

Great to hear from big #16 always a favourite!

[@nickbouton]

Had a Linden poster on my wall as.a kid. As much as he brought in Benning (and who knows how much say he had in that matter), he’s still the face of the franchise for me, even if he’s been gone for 5 years.

[@JunkBondTrader]

I had a Bure poster and one night I was sleepwalking trying to get his autograph apparently.

[@senortano]

Pure class

[@VazzVegas]

Benning just wasn't cut out to be a GM. Nuff said.

[@robertalenrichter]

Yes! Stick and rink forever!

[@timw4369]

As much as Trevor doesn't like Benning and what happened he won't throw him under the bus. He's a class individual.

[@stevenmiller3992]

I’ll never understand bringing on a guy like Trevor, who arguably would know everything about the hockey side of things inside and out better than anyone else, a guy who played 16 seasons for the canucks- and then just letting him walk. absolute incompetence from the top down- at least we seem to be past that now

[@stewarts8597]

Trevs the man always has been

[@atomicwonton4483]

Man I love him so much . I named my 6 year old son Linden .

[@gameburn178]

Do you think Linden will end up somewhere in this regime. Rutherford is big on Linden type guys, big on character and history.

[@mr.xblade]

I have a Linden jersey...best knucks captain ever!

[@samspade1841]

We all love Linden! I hope he’s always affiliated and involved in the Canucks organization.

[@Only1SamRaw]

U guys never uploaded the podcast anywhere today

[@joycenkenes]

its amazing Petterson plays just like Linden did , I mean .they 're unselfish

[@unplugged123]

#teamlinden

[@steven4vanw356]

God I miss having him around.

[@christhornycroft3686]

The face of Vancouver hockey. When I think of the Canucks, his is the first face I see. Losing him as President of the team was horrendous and cost a the franchise a decade. Nobody listened to him and it's taken until now for the team to do anything.

[@glennhankins6927]

Let's be clear. The franchise lost a decade because Trevor Linden suggested that they hire Jim Benning.

[@mrgreekgm754]

@@glennhankins6927 L.

[@gameburn178]

I'm still confused by the whole thing back then: was Linden in favor of a complete rebuild or not? Was the owner the problem?

[@c_hanley]

@@gameburn178 Linden saw how fucked this team really was in 2015, he knew what had to happen and he wanted a long term rebuild. Aqua wanted playoffs at all costs, so Jim listened to the owner and Linden walked. Aqua undermined his own president for not being a yes-man and used Jim to do his bidding. The shortsightedness and delusion of ownership caused this meltdown, and how many bad trades, lost picks, bad contracts and cap hell resulted from it.

[@gameburn178]

@@c_hanley Do we really know that? I wish these guys wrote books, or journalists bothered to do their jobs and co-write them with these guys. I can't see today's owners wanting playoffs at all costs, when in fact they weren't getting into the playoffs. There were a lot of missed playoffs in those years. Also, the choice of coaches suggests they were never serious about the playoffs, with the exception of Tortorella. Green and Desjardins were development guys.

[@donkoo7687]

Well, that wasn't as controversial as my friends were telling me.

[@johnw817]

I am just curious about what Linden said about the process of building a contender. While I don't disagree with the fact that it takes time, it seems that the Bruins have not missed many playoffs since they last met Vancouver in the finals. And then you look at Vancouver's record since then. I think fans will accept the fact that the team is not going to be in the finals every season but I think they would like to see the team to be competitive and consistently makes the playoffs. Now I am not in the hockey business or had played in the NHL so this is not a shot at Linden's assertion. But I am intrigued by the two different paths of the finalists since they met.

[@nsldsfv1202]

The difference is this: boston - competent management. Canucks - some of the worst 8 years of management in the history of the sport.

[@nicolastam4926]

Linden was the best captain for canucks

[@virtualrealitychannel2276]

Oh man if they message each other I hope Quinn takes full advantage of that.

[@griffenb]

Benning was an all-time terrible GM. Millbury bad. He couldnt manage a hot dog cart.

[@glennhankins6927]

Nobody on Earth was ever Milbury bad. Mad Mike is in a class all his own.

[@scottelement]

@@glennhankins6927Benning was! His Pro & Amateur scouting produced dismal results if it wasn’t a Top 10 pick… and he even flubbed a couple of those! Demko, Forsling & Tryamkin. Those are the only 3 players to play more than 70 NHL games that were drafted 2nd round or past. Pathetic for a “drafting GM” like his reputation was.

[@5ayes12]

Trevor hired Benning fired Mike sullivan and Torts and pretty much hired Willie Desjardins

[@kevinVersus]

Omg I forgot about Willie. Dark days those werr

[@glennhankins6927]

1) Trevor fires Mike Sullivan 2) Mike Sullivan wins several Stanley Cups

[@robdedrick2052]

I think Stick and Rink with the Colors of the Skate and the Skate with the Colors of Stick and Rink . And a Blend of All the Colors for Johnny . Stick that in your Pipe and Smoke It !

[@BrodyCanuck]

Not trying to make excuses for Jim Benning at all since hes at fault as well, but I think it was mostly the owner pulling the strings and not letting them rebuild, so Benning was just being a Yes Man. He should've pushed back and refused, but then again it is his job and his lively hood...just like Linden pointed out in this video, Linden didnt have to have a job since he didnt need the money when others did, which to me implys Benning was just making decisions to keep his job since thats what the owners wanted.

[@glennhankins6927]

Excellent take.

[@gameburn178]

Choosing Virtanen and Juolevi in place of Nylander and Sergachev wasn't the owner's fault. Imagine if they had chosen those two safer and more obvious choices?

[@BrodyCanuck]

@gameburn178 those two choices aren't what makes or breaks a team. Rushing a rebuild does. They are in cap hell because of it which is the main reason they haven't been good.

[@gameburn178]

​@LytesOut Not rushing enough was the problem. We needed draft picks - enough to compensate for bad luck and the less than perfect drafting. The free agent signings were what put us in cap hell -- and these are not what rebuilds are about. Draft picks and using your minor league system is what a revuild is about.

[@BrodyCanuck]

@gameburn178 yes, rushing too much caused the cap hell. Signing the free agents was rushing too much. They shouldve waited and used the cap space with better decisions instead of rushing the rebuild.

[@turb0baht]

Rick needs to have Trevor’s baby

[@eddyguay2299]

Navy blue Yeti's in BC all sold out the second Trev took his first sip from his. LOL

[@CanucksVid]

Plot thickens

[@sheepsirsleepy9032]

Trevor is the best, Jim Benning worst GM ever

[@mrquirky3626]

I'd say Benning is the worst Canucks GM ever, but Mike Milbury has to still be the worst ever in the NHL.

[@September2004]

Love Linden but he’s the guy who brought in Benning. That useless guy.

[@alh466]

Perhaps Benning had mentioned another player who he had thought should be their selection, but we all know the result of the discussion/debate where the team actually selected EP. Not saying Linden is a liar but I am saying Linden is choosing to use one part of the discussion to throw shade toward Benning. Much like giving him a sucker punch. But does it all really matter, not at all. We all know Trevor was a crappy President, and Benning was a shitty GM, and the team they had put together was one of the worst

[@gameburn178]

You guys had to put up with Linden doing his 4 minute promo? Lol, Linden has always been a bit of a mixed blessing.

[@tonyjofenig6833]

What! He came on to talk about the Mens Health thing, the bonus is the hockey talk, which he doesn't do at all. Do you not get how this works? The same goes for the interview he gave yesterday, he is promoting a cause, so he will do a little hockey talk for access to the platform.

[@griffenb]

We all love Linden, but ultimately, the President's most important task is who he hires as GM. Also, the president should outline an organizational vision and be able to articulate it to ownership, management and the fans. It was clear from the early days of Linden's tenure that there was no meaningful plan to rebuild the team, and that the only fixes that were coming were shortcuts like rushing prospects and signing bad UFAs Benning was a disaster but Linden is copping out by not sharing the blame for the last decade of mediocrity

[@tonyjofenig6833]

Linden's problem was with the owners, they would not let him implement his plans, as they wanted the playoff money and weren't willing to take the financial hit of a rebuild. If Linden had proper authority, he would have implemented a rebuild with Benning being the GM, or fired Benning for not going down that road with him. But the owners were not on board with it, so.....we got what we got with bad UFA signings

[@kto1201]

Mentioned ppl he loved working with. No JB

[@wuhaninstituteofvirology]

canucks can thank linden for having petey

[@BrodyCanuck]

Stick in rink jersey is just a bit too boring looking. This big rectangle with a stick. I didnt even realize it was suppose to be in the shape of a C until years later. It'd be cool if they some how modernized it to make it a bit more interesting somehow.

[@LePrimo420]

Love Trevor except for the stick and rink logo 😂

[@JunkBondTrader]

haha for real... the one blemish

[@ryanwhittle6525]

Appreciate what Trevor is saying about mental health, but make sure you've got all your life insurance and disability insurance before talking to anyone. Otherwise the insurer will excluded anything mental health related.

[@treverwong423]

freetheskate

[@dannyevilcat]

Well, jeez, now I'm glad Linden left before he got a chance to make the change to the 'stink in the rink' jerseys. Disaster avoided.

[@JunkBondTrader]

I have been pissed ever since we got rid of the black, red and yellow skate logo jerseys :( stick and rink sucks too, but the Orca C was by far the worst jersey ever so at least we moved past that lol

[@lw5557]

We know Aquilinis bought what Benning was selling and pushed Linden out.

[@roundnround365]

Trevor hiring his former junior coach to end the twins career defines his tenure: Out to lunch and way over his head.

[@angelodaconceicao7614]

More white hair then me I don't have Linden Avenue in Burnaby class act ownership sucks

[@richardlamirande1609]

Nothing out of the norm, when deciding which 18 year old you want to draft, there should be some strong back and forth amongst the group. I'm sure there were some picks Trevor wanted that turned out to be or would have been bad picks. At the end of the day they drafted EP and that's on JB and to a lessor degree Linden. Linden's problem was that he couldn't convince ownership on his direction, so not sure why he's blaming Benning and not ownership.

[@Bishoff03]

Because ownership was listening to Benning, not Linden????

[@Bishoff03]

Dude really?

[@richardlamirande1609]

@@Bishoff03 Linden hired Benning so if there was a disagreement on the direction they wanted to go, that should have been discussed before the hiring and if they couldn't agree why hire him in the first place? Seems odd that Linden now wants to say that Benning had a different vision??? Not a good look on Linden. Ownership was sold on Benning's plan and not Linden's. Pretty simple and normal in any organization. Media wants to make a mountain out of a mole hill and it sounds like you're biting.

[@scottelement]

Found Jim’s burner account