from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- The story isn’t quite as it appeared: Trevor Linden did not amicably agree to leave the presidency of the Vancouver Canucks. He was, for lack of a better word, fired by owner Francesco Aquilini.

This is a messy story, still to be explored in full, of the Vancouver legend, Linden, who could no longer operate in the toxic environment of the Canucks front office and ownership.

Linden was caught in the middle of a power struggle and a hockey struggle of sorts, with an impatient Aquilini on one side and his general manager, Jim Benning, and personnel man, John Weisbrod, nastily selling out the team president in exchange for their own power and security....

- Interesting family, the Griers of hockey and football fame. Mike Grier, who played 14 years in the NHL after being a ninth round draft pick, has just signed on as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. His brother, Chris, is the general manager of the Miami Dolphins. His father, Bobby, is a longtime NFL scout, now a Dolphins consultant and at one time was heavily involved in the drafting of two exceptional players you may have heard of: Their names Tom Brady and J.J. Watt.

- Jarome Iginla retired as the 15th leading goal scorer in NHL history, tied with Joe Sakic with 625 goals and 15 ahead of Bobby Hull (not counting his WHA goals.) Of the 14 scorers ahead of Iginla all-time, all but Jaromir Jagr are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and that’s coming assuming he ever retires.

more on the Linden topic plus a few more hockey notes...