Farewell to Captain Canuck: Trevor Linden

Although Trevor Linden has not officially announced his retirement, it's pretty much all but certain that the most popular player in the history of the Vancouver Canucks has played his final game in the NHL.

All of the signs were there: Trevor flying in his parents for the game, the fans giving Linden a standing ovation after the game, kudos and handshakes from the opposing Calgary Flames, giving Linden the First Star, and lots and lots of tears.

There's no denying this city's affection for Trevor Linden, a city he embraced from the day he arrived at age 18, a gangly 18-year-old from Medicine Hat, Alta.

That's why, once more with feeling, the fans at GM Place gave their hero several rousing ovations, enveloping him in the type of adoration fans generally save for a final goodbye to their true loves.

"Maybe that's a hint," Linden joked afterward. "It was quite overwhelming, at the same time, I'm not surprised. I've been treated incredibly by the city of Vancouver for a long time and the fans of the team. For someone who doesn't like attention, it was a little difficult."

It's too bad that Linden, who played 1382 regular season and 124 playoff games, never got a chance to taste champagne from the Stanley Cup, and had to endure the disdain of coach Alain Vigneault for his farewell season.

Linden is one of the few sports personalities that one could seriously put a 'hero' tag on. Known for his tremendous charity work, Linden used his celebrity to benefit others, and was always a class act on and off the ice.

As you can imagine, plenty of hockey fans were touched, figuratively, by Trevor Linden over the years. The tributes are always flowing in ...

Joe Pelletier wonders if he'll ever watch hockey the same way again.
'Miss 604' attended the match and took some personal photos.
Yeah, who cares that the Flames won and Iginla got his 50th. Nobody in Vancouver, that's for sure.
Deb wants to jump off of a bridge. I hope she left me in her will.

Today's Video of the Day: A Soldier's Story about Trevor Linden.