One of the best parts about breaking sports news, whether it’s a trade or a front office shakeup, is the legion of insiders that then come out and say “Yeah, this has been in the works for awhile.”

Of course, if it were actually that cut and dried, those outlets would have reported it. Still, it’s hard not to believe sources like former Canucks general manager Brian Burke and Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman about the rift in management at the top of the Vancouver Canucks organization.

If the reports are true, then it’s to be believed that Trevor Linden, until yesterday the president of the Canucks, had a much different vision from that of the ownership group, headed by Francesco Aquilini.

In a series of tweets from Aquilini—which seem to demonstrate that he’s not quite sure how to use the platform—the business executive thanked Linden for his service and noted, “a rebuild is a long, slow, gradual process. Everybody needs to be united behind the same vision and pulling in the same direction.”

https://twitter.com/fr_aquilini/status/1022268645659926528

Friedman thinks this is where the key in figuring out why the change happened lies.

It’s now widely held that Linden’s vision of the Canucks’ rebuild was a much more patient one than the owners—and maybe GM Jim Benning, but perhaps he’s just trying to save his job by listening to the Aquilinis—had in mind.

Linden reportedly consulted teams like the Winnipeg Jets, hoping to learn something from franchises that have had success after long, painful rebuilds.

Whereas the ownership group is said to have been the driving force in bringing in veteran players like Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel and Tim Schaller this offseason, in hopes they would propel the Canucks to the playoffs.

It probably doesn’t even have to be said that the view Linden (allegedly) held for the team is definitively the correct one. Look for angry Canucks fans, upset at the lack of direction in the franchise to turn their fury from the GM towards the ownership group.

Ostensibly, Canucks management saw the way the team started the season before injuries began to pile up and figured that if they didn’t happen, the team could make a serious run. This is a very foolish line of thought going into the upcoming campaign, as the Canucks of last year’s start were buoyed by unsustainable performances from the likes of Derek Dorsett.

It’s not a solution to simply plug in players like Beagle and Roussel in Dorsett’s spot and expect the Canucks to do the same.

And while we’re on the topic, would Beagle be a Canuck if the Washington Capitals didn’t win the Stanley Cup last year? The management team loves to trumpet him being a “winner”, but many poor players have won cups. Luca Sbisa, objectively the worst defenceman on the Canucks two seasons ago, played in the same Stanley Cup Final Beagle did and he’s currently a free agent.

In any case, it looks like the Canucks will suffer as a result of Linden leaving the franchise. The heat is on Jim Benning, for sure, but it’s also turning squarely towards Aquilini. There’s no more disputing that ownership is incredibly involved in all the decisions, and the developer will likely have to face the inevitable fall out from the ugly contracts the club signed in the offseason.

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