Canucks re-sign Linden

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Trevor Linden re-signed with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $600,000.

The 37-year-old Linden, who will be entering his 16th season with the Canucks, can earn an additional $350,000 in bonuses for games played.

"For the last week or so, I was, for the lack of a better word, getting a little cranky," said Linden, who has played 18 seasons in the NHL. "Just with the uncertainty, now it focuses in for me ... it just puts some closure to it."

Linden, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound center, is the Canucks' career leader with 1,081 games played and 721 points. He was a presence in Vancouver's 12 playoff games last season, tying for the team lead in scoring with seven points. He scored the winning goal in Game 7 of the first-round series against the Dallas Stars.

Most of his NHL career has been with the Canucks, but Linden also spent time with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens.

"I did not want to come back and not have the full support of everyone involved," he said. "This has to be a situation where I'm here on performance."

Canucks general manager Dave Nonis said Linden has much to offer to the younger players in the locker room, but agreed performance was the key factor in signing him to a new deal.

"There's no better person that I know of to learn from than him," Nonis said. "But if it was just the locker room I would make him a coach. But he has to be able to play."

Linden wouldn't say if this would be his last NHL season.