Trevor Linden won't represent the Canucks at the NHL Draft Lottery this year
The Vancouver Canucks have a new good luck charm.
At least they hope so.
Hockey players can be a superstitious bunch, and it appears that extends to management as well. After two straight years of terrible luck in the NHL draft lottery, you can understand why the Canucks are sending someone different this year.
For two straight years, Canucks fans have seen the look of disappointment on Trevor Linden’s face after the team dropped in the lottery. This year, we’ll find out if Jim Benning is any luckier.
Jim Benning will represent the #Canucks for the NHL Draft Lottery.
— Irfaan Gaffar (@sportsnetirf) April 16, 2018
The Canucks general manager will travel to Toronto to represent the Canucks at the lottery on April 28.
The Canucks fell two spots in 2016, missing out on a chance to draft Auston Matthews or Patrik Laine. The look on Linden’s face said it all:
Trevor Linden's face when the #Canucks got the 5th pick. #NHLDraftLottery pic.twitter.com/iPHSfZ1QpI
— Karm Sumal (@KarmSumal) May 1, 2016
Last year, they fell three spots.
Fans were calling for a new representative this year, though Benning wasn’t the mammal many of them had in mind. Yes, there was a grassroots movement for Fin to sit in the Canucks chair.
RT to send @CanucksFIN and the Sedins to the NHL Draft Lottery! #Canucks #ThankYouSedins pic.twitter.com/vAn1vIRTl5
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 6, 2018
The Canucks mascot has since graciously lent his support to Benning.
Thanks to everyone supporting me to go the @NHL Lottery Draft. I guess they figured I had an overWhaleming advantage 😉. Our GM Jim Benning will do a FINe job representing! #GoCanucksGo
— FIN (@CanucksFIN) April 17, 2018
The Canucks enter this year’s draft lottery with the sixth-best odds of securing the first overall pick. Odds are that they’ll end up picking seventh, though they have a 23.3% chance of picking top-three.