5 Canucks GM candidates who have been linked to Vancouver job
The Vancouver Canucks GM position has only been vacant for a matter of days, but the list of rumoured candidates is already starting to grow.
With multiple names being added to the mix by NHL insiders on Tuesday, let’s recap everyone who has been linked to the Canucks as they search for a new general manager.
1. Ryan Johnson
Of all candidates on this list, Ryan Johnson’s name has been mentioned by the most trustworthy source: the guy who’s leading the search.
“We have a very good candidate within the organization, Ryan Johnson, who I have a lot of time and a lot of respect for,” Canucks president Jim Rutherford told the media on Friday.
“He built a championship team in Abbotsford when people weren’t expecting it. And he’s been a great guy to work with.”
Johnson has been a loyal foot soldier for the Canucks ever since being hired by Mike Gillis back in 2013. He’s slowly risen in the ranks and was credited with helping the Canucks transition from Jim Benning to Patrik Allvin.
For nearly a year, Johnson’s name has been out there among up-and-coming GMs. But, if the Canucks as an organization were completely sold on him, wouldn’t he have been hired by now?
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2. Kevyn Adams
While Johnson wasn’t immediately promoted following his GM’s dismissal, Kevyn Adams is an example of a guy who was.
After the Buffalo Sabres fired Jason Botterill in June of 2020, Adams promptly replaced him without a search.
Now, following his firing as Sabres GM back in December, Adams is in the running for the Canucks job.
Matthew Fairburn and Thomas Drance of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the Canucks have been granted permission by the Sabres to interview Adams, who is still under contract with the club. Adams fits the M.O. of who the Canucks are reportedly looking for: someone with prior experience as an NHL GM.
Adams played for Rutherford when the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup back in 2006.
3. Ryan Bowness
Rutherford’s connections run deep, and it’s no surprise that most of the candidates who have surfaced have worked with him in some capacity.
That includes the current New York Islanders assistant general manager, Ryan Bowness.
The son of former Canucks assistant coach Rick Bowness was linked to the Canucks by CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal on Tuesday.
Bowness was a pro scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins when they won the Stanley Cup back in 2017. He was then promoted under Rutherford to director of pro scouting back in 2019.
The 42-year-old was with the Ottawa Senators as assistant GM and general manager of their AHL team before joining Mathieu Darche and the Islanders last offseason. He recently interviewed for the Toronto Maple Leafs GM opening as well.
4. Sam Ventura
Rutherford clearly hasn’t always made the right choice, but he’s certainly made some good bets during his time in NHL management.
One of those, seemingly, was hiring hockey analytics guru Sam Ventura.
The 38-year-old has spent a decade working for NHL teams, which started with Rutherford’s Penguins back in 2015. He’s currently the director of analytics and VP of hockey research for the Sabres.
Ventura has been linked to the Canucks job by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast. However, Friedman did question whether the Canucks would take that big a leap in hiring someone they’re that unfamiliar with.
5. Tom Fitzgerald
Just like Adams, Tom Fitzgerald hasn’t been out of a GM job for long.
The New Jersey Devils fired Fitzgerald on April 6. In the days since, he’s reportedly been interviewed for the Nashville Predators’ vacant GM role.
According to Drance, Fitzgerald “will almost surely be interviewed” if he doesn’t land the Nashville job.