ABOVE: Former Canuck Cliff Ronning and longtime B.C. journalist Rod Mickleburgh discuss the future of the team with Jill Krop on Unfiltered.
Two minutes after the Vancouver Canucks announced that President and General Manager Mike Gillis was fired after six years with the team, they announced owner Francesco Aquilini would speak to the media the next morning.
With that, the speculation on the team’s next steps kicked into overdrive – with much of the buzz surrounding arguably the most popular player in the team’s 44-year history.
“Trevor Linden is very much in the mix here,” says Global sports anchor Squire Barnes.
“The Canucks probably feel they need somebody to restore the good will of the hockey team.”
“If it is Linden, they say we got rid of the guy you didn’t like, and we got in the guy you love. You lose the villain, and bring in the hero.”
WATCH: Trevor Linden talks about speculation he’s heading back to the Canucks
Many people have speculated that tomorrow’s deadline for season ticket renewals played a role in Gillis’ dismissal, with some believing only 70% of people have extended their package for next year.
“Anybody can sense it’s a desperation move, because you would never fire a GM with three games left in the season,” says Kingsley Bailey of Vancouver Ticket.
“They’re doing whatever they can to generate interest. Whatever rumours they can get out there to generate season ticket interest.”
And there are plenty of rumours. Would Linden, who has no front office experience since retiring in 2008, be hired as President or General Manager? Would the Aquilinis instead hire another rumoured name, like former Hockey Canada CEO Bob Nicholson, former Canuck star Markus Naslund? Is former Calgary GM Jay Feaster, who worked with John Tortorella when they won a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004, in the mix? Will Aquilini say anything about Tortorella’s future tomorrow? Will Aquilini even announce the hiring of anyone tomorrow?
“I cannot see Aquilini doing a press conference by himself,” says Squire Barnes.
“I think he wants to say ‘here’s the new guy!’ I can’t see him saying ‘okay, fire away.’ Nobody know for sure what will happen tomorrow except the Aquilinis, and the people they’ve spoken to.”
But most discussion is focused on Linden.
On Tuesday’s Global BC Morning News, the former captain adamantly denied the Aquilini’s had offered him any position.
“When teams struggle, there’s lots of speculation,” he said, before adding “I’ve always said to people, if the opportunity is right and the time was right, I’d have to seriously consider it.”
MORE: Trevor Linden says ‘No offers from the Vancouver Canucks’
On Unfiltered, former Canuck Cliff Ronning, who played with Linden from 1990 to 1996, said his leadership capabilities aren’t in doubt.
“I’ve been in the trenches with Trevor, I’ve been in games where things are on the line, when things are going bad and when things are going good,” he said.
“I thought Trevor as a leader kept an eye on everyone and held everyone to the same guidelines,” though he added “It’s not just one person that’s going to turn this around.”
Hiring a former star in a management role has become increasingly popular over the past five years, and while some moves have been successful (Luc Robitaille in Los Angeles, Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay), others have not (Pat Lafontaine in Buffalo, Joe Nieuwendyk in Dallas).
“We all love Trevor, and as much as we love and admire him, does he want to step into that pressure cooker, with no experience, and it could all go south so quickly?” asked longtime B.C. journalist Rod Mickleburgh.
“The hopes for the Canucks next year are not that rosy.”
Until Wednesday’s press conference, everything is speculation. What will happen then is anyone’s guess.
Global BC will be airing a live special on Wednesday’s press conference beginning at 10am on BC1.
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