You would imagine that ousted Vancouver Canucks general manager Dave Nonis would endorse his deputy, assistant GM Steve Tambellini, for the team's top job, as he did at a farewell press conference on Wednesday. But Nonis also said he saw a place for Trevor Linden in Canucks management, after the popular former captain retires.
"Trevor is a special person who I think can be successful at whatever," Nonis said. "If he wanted to be in hockey, I know he'd be successful … I think he could be a great coach and a great manager."
The Aquilini brothers, who own the team and grew up as Canucks fans, haven't been around the NHL block too long, and it is unclear who they listen to on hockey matters. So, not only are they embarking on their first hockey operations hire, but there is scuttlebutt they could take an unconventional route. Maybe that means an agent (rumoured candidate Mike Gillis), a former agent (rumoured candidate Brian Lawton), or maybe even someone like Linden, who would play to their fan sensibilities.