Canucks re-sign Trevor Linden for 1 year

Veteran forward Trevor Linden isn't ready to retire just yet.

The Canucks confirmed Tuesday that they re-signed the 37-year-old winger, who will play his 16th season in Vancouver and 19th in the NHL.

Linden inked one-year, $600,000 US contract that includes an additional $350,000 US in bonuses for games played.

"It feels great," Linden said. " Obviously, this is the place I want to be, and the thought of playing elsewhere did not feel right, so it is great to be back.

"I did not want to come back and not have the full support of everyone involved. This has to be a situation where I'm here on performance."

Linden has totalled 368 goals and 855 points in 1,323 NHL games with the Canucks, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens.

The native of Medicine Hat, Alta., notched 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 80 games last season for the Canucks, who drafted him second overall in 1988.

"Long after he retires, we're going to be talking about Trevor and what he brings to this city," Canucks general manager Dave Nonis said. "But from a hockey perspective, I'm always going to have to sign players that will help us on the ice."

Linden was a major contributor when the Canucks advanced to the 1994 Stanley Cup finals — they lost in seven games to the New York Rangers — and was a member of Team Canada at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

He also served as president of the NHL Players' Association for several years, but resigned last year when a deal he brokered to bring in Ted Saskin, since ousted as union head, turned sour.

"There is no better person that I know of to learn from than him," Nonis said.

Linden is Vancouver's all-time leader in games played (1,081) and points (721).

He also holds franchise playoff records for games played (118), goals (34), assists (61) and points (95).

With files from the Canadian Press

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