Canucks hire Ryan Johnson as GM, Sedin twins to share president of hockey operations

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks promoted Ryan Johnson to general manager on Thursday and said Daniel and Henrik Sedin will share the role of president of hockey operations.

The Canucks fired Patrik Allvin as general manager on April 17 following a last-place finish and a 25-49-8 record. Jim Rutherford then announced on May 6 that he will step down as president of hockey operations following next month’s draft and become an adviser.

Rutherford said the search for general manager involved more than 15 candidates. The list reportedly included former Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion, Boston Bruins assistant general manager Evan Gold and former Maple Leafs special adviser Shane Doan.

Johnson, a 49-year-old former NHL center from Thunder Bay, Ontario, first joined the Canucks’ front office in 2013 and was named assistant general manager in 2024. He played 13 seasons in the NHL, splitting his time with the Canucks, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks.

He will be joined in the front office by the Sedins, the Swedish twins who Johnson played with in Vancouver before later working alongside them in developing the franchise’s young talent.

The Sedins played 17 seasons together for the Canucks, including the team’s run to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, where Vancouver lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games.

Henrik Sedin served as Vancouver’s captain from 2010-18 and still leads the franchise in games played (1,330), assists (830) and points (1,070). He won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2010.

Daniel Sedin is the franchise-leader in goals (393), power-play goals (138) and game-winning goals (86).

The Hall of Fame forwards retired in 2018, then rejoined the Canucks as special advisers to the general manager in June 2021. They moved into player development roles the following spring.

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