VANCOUVER (CP) -- Worry. Frustration. Helplessness.
The tell-tale lines of concern cut deeply into the wrinkled forehead of Trevor Linden as the captain of the Vancouver Canucks endures the worst slump of his nine-year NHL career.
The 27-year-old centre has only six goals in 36 games -- a sharp dropoff after six 30-goal seasons.
"This is a frustrating time from a personal and playing standpoint," Linden said Tuesday before the Canucks played the Montreal Canadiens.
"I'm not going to use the injury as an excuse. Offensively, I'm not feeling good right now. I don't like the way I'm seeing things."
Linden has one goal in a dozen games since returning from a Dec. 1 knee injury that sidelined the six-foot-four former Medicine Hat Tiger for 24 games.
His timing has been terrible and shots on goal infrequent. And he's not driving the net with the same determination that has marked his workmanlike career.
"It's not just the scoring," he said. "I'm just not playing good.
"Scoring's just one part of the game. There's numerous other parts of the game that have to be done properly."
Linden played in the World Cup of Hockey late last summer, playing right wing on a line with Wayne Gretzky and Vincent Damphousse. He went into the NHL season wanting to make up for Vancouver's first-round exit from the playoffs last April.
But he got off to a slow start and was injured in an open-ice collision with Philadelphia winger John LeClair.
Linden remains a plus player (two) on a team that features mostly negatives. Still, no one, including Linden, has taken the leadership reins with a steady hand.
"Physically I'm not feeling good and it's not a whole bunch of fun," said Linden. "When you struggle to win, struggle personally, you put pressure on yourself. It's something I have to turn around by myself."
Martin Gelinas understands the predicament faced by his linemate, who became Vancouver's youngest captain in 1991 at age 21 when he replaced the retired Stan Smyl.
"Sometimes when you press too much, things don't go your way," said Gelinas. "It's hard on everybody when you're not winning.
"Everyday it's negative stuff in the paper, on radio, TV. This game is supposed to be a lot of fun and that's what we've all got to get back to."
Vancouver coach Tom Renney has Linden and Gelinas skating with right-winger Pavel Bure. Gelinas scores regularly, but not Linden and Bure.
"We all measure success by pretty much one method," Renney said. "That's points and, in a lot of cases, goals.
"Trevor has played hard. Like everybody on this team, he needs to shoot more. He certainly needs a lift."
Linden began the season with 231 goals in 611 NHL games.
The knee injury ended his ironman streak at 482 consecutive league games, a team record.
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