Rutherford admits Foote's future in limbo as Canucks coach
We know the Vancouver Canucks will have a new general manager next season, but will they have a new head coach as well?
It’s on the table, at least, Jim Rutherford admitted on Friday.
The Canucks president of hockey operations was his usual quotable self during his season-ending press conference at Rogers Arena.
“It’ll be the decision of the new GM as to what happens with the coaching staff, as to what happens with most things going forward,” Rutherford said. “The new GM is going to have a lot of responsibility and a lot of say, and make of those decisions.”
Rutherford seemed to indicate that new general manager will have more power than Allvin had, with regards to making decisions. Is that because the 77-year-old executive will also depart the organization at some point in the near future?
“I want the new GM to make all hockey decisions,” said Rutherford. “Like anybody else thinking about this team, this year, I had a lot of thoughts about my future. But right now, my focus is on getting a GM and getting through the draft. And when I do that, then I will think a lot more serious about what makes sense. So, I’m at least at that stage that I’m thinking about it.”
The draft in Buffalo is over two months away, on June 26 and 27. We’ll find out which pick the Canucks have at draft lottery, on May 5.
Rutherford name-checked Ryan Johnson as a candidate for the GM job, but stressed the importance of not limiting the search to just one person. He said he would be open to a first-time GM, as well as someone with more experience.
“I’m going to look for a guy with good integrity that wants to buy into what the direction of the team is, which is a rebuild. That’s going to be very important. No shortcuts on the rebuild. Buy into that.”