Trevor Linden confirms Canucks are not trying to trade Chris Higgins

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Trevor Linden has shut down rumors that he may have been responsible for starting.

The Vancouver Canucks president reportedly told a select group of the team's fans at a Summer Summit in early July that forward Chris Higgins was on the trading block.

From Jason Botchford of The Province:

What he did do, when it was over, was call over the biggest critics of the night for a 10-minute session.

It was a nice gesture, but may have been ill-advised.

In it, Linden revealed several tidbits, including his pitch that the Canucks have been trying to trade Chris Higgins but have found they cannot move his contract.

But Ben Kuzma of The Province reported Monday that Linden denied the reports about the 32-year-old Higgins in a statement.

"Chris Higgins is an important player on our team," Linden said. "We have not talked to any clubs about trading him. We value Chris both for his on-ice abilities and his leadership in the locker-room."

Higgins has two years left on a four-year, $10-million deal that comes with a cap hit of $2.5 million per season. He earned 36 points in 77 games last season.

With the Canucks having just under $3 million in cap space and the demand for new additions from the team's fan base, it would make sense if Higgins's name was tossed around.