Despite missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season, Canucks president Trevor Linden is optimistic about the NHL team’s future.
“We are encouraged as an organization about where we are as a group,” Linden told a news conference Monday. “I think this group has an identity moving forward with its young players that is exciting.”
The retirement of Daniel and Henrik Sedin means the Canucks will not only lose over 100 points in scoring on the ice but leadership in the dressing room.
READ MORE: Sedin twins wrap up stellar NHL careers
Head coach Travis Green said the departure of the Swedish twins creates new opportunities for other players.
“That’s a positive thing in a way,” said Green. “There is going to have to be new leaders step forward and people probably inside that room will act a little bit different.”
The Canucks finished 26th out of the league’s 31 teams with a 31-40-11 record for 73 points, which was four points better than last year. Vancouver will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
