Ex-Canucks coach Travis Green back in the NHL with new coaching gig

After a year and a half away from the league, former Vancouver Canucks coach Travis Green is back in the NHL.

But it won’t be as a head coach.

Green is joining the New Jersey Devils coaching staff, according to a report from Elliotte Friedman, as an assistant to Lindy Ruff. The 52-year-old native of Castlegar, BC, was apparently in high demand for a number of assistant coaching roles, which according to Friedman included the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs.

There is word Travis Green will join New Jersey’s staff in the position vacated by Andrew Brunette. Green had several options — believed to include Calgary and Toronto, and chose the Devils.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 19, 2023

Green hasn’t coached in the NHL since December 4, 2021, when the Canucks lost on home ice, 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He, along with Jim Benning, John Weisbrod, and Nolan Baumgartner, was fired the next day.

While Green wasn’t an NHL coach last year, he did get paid like one. The Canucks reportedly paid him $2.75 million, given it was the last year of his guaranteed contract.

Green was Canada’s coach at the Spengler Cup last year and was a senior advisor to the Swiss national team at the Karjala Cup.

Green coached the Canucks for five seasons, posting a 133-147-34 record in 314 games. Vancouver was his first NHL head coaching gig, following four years in the AHL as the head coach of the Utica Comets. Green will have a Utica connection again, as the Comets are now the AHL affiliate of the Devils.

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