These Canucks GM candidates have had in-person interviews
As the Vancouver Canucks general manager search nears a close, the tension is skyrocketing.
Many Canucks fans are bewildered by the fact that ex-Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion has recently been touted as a leading contender for Vancouver’s GM opening.
But, if it isn’t Dorion, who will it be?
Here’s what we know about other candidates who have received in-person interviews with the Canucks, along with the latest in the search.
Bowness and Gold get interviews
Late last week, the Canucks’ prospective general manager list reached a dozen candidates.
So far, only two of those external candidates (not including Dorion) have received in-person interviews.
Evan Gold (Boston Bruins assistant general manager) and Ryan Bowness (New York Islanders assistant general manager) impressed Canucks brass enough to get in-person meetings, according to Elliotte Friedman.
Of the two, Gold comes across as the more forward-thinking option of the two.
The Bruins current AGM comes from a legal background, and his specialty with the Bruins has been “salary cap analysis, contract negotiations, roster planning, player salary arbitration, CBA compliance, and pro scouting,” according to their website.
Prior to joining the Bruins organization in 2015, Gold spent eight years with the Washington Capitals, specializing in salary cap analysis.
Under Gold, the Bruins have built a model AHL franchise, which Gold oversees. The Bruins have also managed to become a perennial playoff team despite a decent amount of roster turnover.
Bowness comes from more of a traditional scouting background, having worked under Canucks president Jim Rutherford as a pro scout before he was hired by the Senators as an assistant general manager in 2022. Bowness was then hired as the New York Islanders AGM last offseason.
No more Shane Doan?
One guy whom Bowness does have a longstanding connection to is Shane Doan.
But it doesn’t necessarily sound like the two of them will reunite in Vancouver.
Irfaan Gaffar reported last week on The DFO Rundown podcast that Doan was one of the first people interviewed by the Canucks. But, as of Monday, it was starting to sound like Doan won’t be involved with the Canucks moving forward.
Reports surfaced last week that if Doan were to be hired, he would be more suited for Rutherford’s role as president of hockey operations. On Monday, TSN’s Farhan Lalji reported that Doan is unlikely to take that job.
Are the Canucks still considering a promotion to general manager for Ryan Johnson? (@Canucks/X)
Ryan Johnson still in the mix?
As the Canucks narrow down their search, Ryan Johnson is reportedly still an option that the club is considering for general manager.
There’s been no concrete reporting that he’s received in-person interviews with the Canucks. However, the fact that he literally shares the same office building as his employers makes you think that he would be the fourth guy to interview in person with Rutherford and company, if he hasn’t already.
Who else?
On Tuesday, The Globe and Mail‘s Gary Mason reported that the Canucks have whittled down their GM search to five candidates.
So, if Dorion, Gold, Bowness, and Johnson make up four of them, who else is remaining?
Last Friday, Friedman reported that Patrick Burke, Ryan Martin, and Ray Whitney were all ruled out for the gig. Based on the 12-person list from last week, that still leaves a few names.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported last Friday that ex-Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams hasn’t been ruled out, meaning he could still be in the running.
While Adams was one of the first candidates to be revealed, Bruins AGM Jamie Langenbrunner was only reported late last week.
But the Canucks apparently have their eye on Langenbrunner’s colleague, Gold, suggesting that the two-time Stanley Cup winner’s chances of joining the Canucks are slim.
Here are the remaining candidates for the Canucks GM job, where there’s no current confirmation on whether they’ve received in-person interviews or if they’ve been ruled out:
- Bill Scott, Edmonton Oilers AGM
- Brett Peterson, Florida Panthers AGM
- Brad Pascall, Calgary Flames AGM
- Jeff Tambellini, Tampa Bay Lightning director of hockey operations
But, as we’ve seen with the Dorion debacle over the last 24 hours, things can change pretty quickly.