Canucks & Beyond
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20 Years Ago Today…
by Alanah McGinley on 06/11/08 at 02:10 PM ET
Comments (3)
Trevor Linden was drafted by the organization and fan base that will one day raise his number to the rafters. Today he announced his retirement from hockey with these words:
“Thank you all for being here today. Twenty years ago today I was drafted on the floor of the Montreal Forum by the Vancouver Canucks. [...]
Where did 20 years go?”
Where, indeed.
Update12:05pm PT: Below is the video I’ve posted on YouTube of his remarks. A class act to the final scene:
I honestly didn’t expect this to affect me so much, but I’m afraid it has. But while the emotional attachment we form to athletes is sometimes difficult to understand, perhaps that’s not strictly true in Trevor’s case.
He was an impressive individual, and for him to have been front and center of my own favorite team (and within my favorite sport) for so many years, was a lucky thing.
Here’s wishing him a great retirement and an exciting future.
Reflections from J.J. both today and a couple months ago are far more eloquent than my own. And here are some thoughts from The Yankee Canuck.
I’ll look around for other links and add them here later today.
Update 1:48pm PT: The Vancouver Province has a neat little flash page set up called “Trevor Linden By the Numbers.” Check it out.
Update 5:08pm PT: Canucks.com has set up a page where fans can send digital postcards to Linden, with their own personal note included.
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*photo found at Greatest Hockey Legends
Filed in: vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: retirement, trevor+linden,
Comments
Did anyone notice the quick ‘thank you’ to Ted Saskin??
Posted by GZ Expat on 06/11/08 at 07:44 PM ET
I did notice that. I think Linden is one of those people that’s loyal and doesn’t care what other people think, even if it’s the unpopular position. (Which clearly, being friendly with Saskin is).
This week has provided plenty of evidence that his reputation, despite everything, remains very strong. Especially given the astonishing success of that CBA in favor of the players, as the years go by.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 06/12/08 at 09:48 PM ET
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
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One of the classiest people in hockey. Wishing him a great retirement.
Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 06/11/08 at 03:16 PM ET