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VANCOUVER — Trevor Linden's name is inextricably tied to the Vancouver Canucks' franchise and its record book.
Now, the former captain's number will hang in the Canucks' arena.
The NHL club said yesterday that Linden's number, 16, will become the second number retired in the franchise's 39-year history. Former winger Stan Smyl's 12 is retired.
The Canucks will honour Linden in a ceremony on Dec. 17 before a game against the Edmonton Oilers. Trevor Linden Night will include guest speakers, and his sweater will be raised to the General Motors Place rafters.
"This is a tremendous honour and I am very grateful to the club," Linden said in a statement. "To be drafted by the Canucks organization 20 years ago as an 18-year-old and to now have my sweater retired is very humbling and rewarding."
Linden played 16 of his 19 seasons in Vancouver, served as the team's captain for seven years and became its youngest captain at the age of 21. He ended his playing career in June — on the 20th anniversary of his draft day — at the age of 38.
The native of Medicine Hat, Alta., was drafted second overall in 1988 and soon became the face of the Canucks. He had two stints in Vancouver, from 1988 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2008, and became the franchise's career leader in regular-season games (1,140) and assists (415). He also holds club records for postseason games, goals, assists and points.
Linden became an active citizen of Vancouver, beginning his own charitable foundation and making community appearances, as well as serving as the president of the National Hockey League Players' Association for eight years.
"Retiring a player's sweater is one of the highest honours a club can pay to its most elite players and ambassadors," Canucks president and chief executive officer Chris Zimmerman said. "Trevor embodies the qualities we strive for as an organization: character, hard working, commitment, generous and loyal. We are proud that his sweater will hang beside Stan Smyl's."
Smyl's number was retired in 1991 after a 13-year career with the Canucks. While not officially retired, the late Wayne Maki's 11 has been worn only by two other former Canucks: Mark Messier and Chris Oddleifson. Maki died of brain cancer in 1974. He was 29.
