Canucks fans concerned about latest reported GM candidate
A surprise name has surfaced as the Vancouver Canucks enter the final stages of their search for a new general manager.
And fans aren’t impressed.
Former Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion is not only a candidate for the Canucks job, but it appears he’s also a finalist. Dorion had an in-person interview with Canucks management last week, per TSN’s Darren Dreger.
Former Ottawa Senators GM, Pierre Dorion was in Vancouver last week and has interviewed for the Canucks GM vacancy.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 4, 2026
The 53-year-old Ottawa native has a wealth of experience, dating back to the mid-1990s.
He became an amateur scout with the Montreal Canadiens at age 22, holding that role until 2005. After two years as an amateur scout with the New York Rangers, he landed the role of director of amateur scouting with the Ottawa Senators in 2007.
Dorion rose through the ranks in Ottawa, becoming director of player personnel in 2009 and assistant general manager in 2014.
But the reason Canucks fans are concerned about his name is from his tenure as Sens general manager from 2016 to 2023.
After a surprise trip to the Eastern Conference Final in his first year as GM, the Senators sank quickly to the bottom of the NHL standings, posting the second-worst points percentage over the next six seasons.
So at least the Vancouver situation wouldn’t be foreign to him.
And indeed, the Senators did do a tear-it-down rebuild under Dorion, though he was fired before seeing the team return to the playoffs.
The reason for the firing? An embarrassing gaffe involving the trade of Evgenii Dadonov.
The Sens traded Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights in July 2021, but did not inform them that he had a modified no-trade clause. Vegas turned around and dealt Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks before the trade deadline in March 2022, or so they thought.
The trade was voided because Dadonov had not approved the deal.
On Nov. 1, 2023, the NHL announced that Ottawa had to forfeit a first-round pick due to the fiasco. One day later, Dorion was fired.
So yeah, naturally Canucks fans have some reservations about his candidacy.
The reaction to Dreger’s social-media post was not kind.
“Why do the Canucks insist on interviewing the worst possible candidates? It’s like they’re trying to botch a rebuild,” said a Canucks fan named Chris.
“Can he help in an organization? Maybe. But, I don’t want him touching Vancouver,” Ron said more politely.
Taj had the knockout blow though: “Pierre Dorion would be Jim Benning 2.0.”
It remains to be seen if the Canucks actually hire Dorion, but giving him an in-person meeting is a sign that they’re serious about him.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Sunday that the Canucks also held in-person interviews with New York Islanders assistant general manager Ryan Bowness and Boston Bruins AGM Evan Gold.
“There’s definitely more, I just haven’t confirmed all of them yet,” Friedman said on Sunday’s broadcast.
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