Where are they now? What every member of the 2011 Canucks is doing today

The Vancouver Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup, but they have come close.

Agonizingly close.

Twice.

The best team in franchise history, the 2010-11 Canucks, were the top team in the NHL during the regular season.

They had the most points (117), scored the most goals (258), and their goalies gave up the fewest goals (180). The 2011 Canucks were the best team on special teams as well, with an NHL-best power play (24.3%) and second-ranked penalty kill (85.6%).

They beat the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games in Round 1, the Nashville Predators in six games in Round 2, and the San Jose Sharks in five games in the Western Conference Final.

The Stanley Cup Final, which ended on June 15, didn’t go according to plan. But let’s not get into that.

Members of the 2010-11 team are still celebrated in Vancouver, with many of them receiving loud ovations in February of 2020 during the Sedins’ jersey retirement ceremony.

Here’s a look at what everyone is up to now.

Canucks coaching and management

Henrik and Daniel Sedin

After spending one season as “special advisors to the general manager,” Henrik and Daniel Sedin have moved into Player Development. They’re now be tasked with working with young players in Vancouver and Abbotsford on and off the ice.

Chris Higgins

Chris Higgins rejoined the Canucks in 2019, and has been working in Player Development ever since. His current title is “Assistant Director, Player Development.”

Mikael Samuelsson

Mikael Samuelsson was hired by the Canucks on May 30, 2022, also in Player Development. The 46-year-old Swede works with Canucks prospects in Europe.

Coaching and management around the NHL

Roberto Luongo

After retiring from pro hockey in 2019, Roberto Luongo joined the Florida Panthers as a “special advisor to the general manager” — a role he currently holds today. Luongo has also been active with Hockey Canada, serving as GM of Canada’s World Championship team in 2021. He was also named assistant general manager of Canada’s 2022 Olympic team, prior to NHL players having to opt out of the tournament.

Alex Burrows

After spending two years as an assistant coach in the AHL, the Montreal Canadiens promoted Alex Burrows to their NHL bench in 2021. He helped the Habs get to the Stanley Cup Final that year, and was credited with improving their power play.

Manny Malhotra

After spending four years in the Canucks organization, first as a development coach, and then as an assistant coach, Manny Malhotra left for Toronto in 2020. The 43-year-old works on the Leafs’ bench as one of Sheldon Keefe’s assistant coaches.

Tanner Glass

Following a year of playing hockey in France, Tanner Glass retired from pro hockey in 2019 and joined the New York Rangers as assistant director of player development.

Sami Salo

Coaching back in his native Finland since 2016, Sami Salo is currently an assistant coach with TPS Turku. Turku is his hometown, and TPS is one of the teams he played for prior to starting his NHL career back in 1998.

Members of the media

Kevin Bieksa

A very good hockey player, Kevin Bieksa is an even better broadcaster. He’s become a star analyst on Hockey Night in Canada since joining Sportsnet full-time in 2020.

Jannik Hansen

Jannik Hansen has also successfully transitioned into media, albeit on a smaller scale. He’s a regular contributor for Sportsnet 650, and isn’t afraid to speak his mind.

Maxim Lapierre

Maxim Lapierre retired from pro hockey in December of 2020, after a five-year stint playing in Europe, which allowed him to win a bronze medal for Canada at the 2018 Olympics. He now co-hosts a podcast with Guillaume Latendresse called “La Poche Bleue,” and has made multiple appearances on TVA Sports.

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Still playing pro hockey

Alex Edler

Alex Edler was the last player from the 2011 Canucks to leave the team. Now 37 years old, Edler played the last two seasons with the LA Kings and is set to become an unrestricted free agent heading into this offseason.

Chris Tanev

Chris Tanev is still a warrior, as a top-four defenceman for the Calgary Flames. The 33-year-old is Calgary’s best defensive defenceman, playing tough minutes on their second pairing since signing with the Flames in 2020.

Cory Schneider

Cory Schneider has played just one NHL game in the last three seasons, but the 37-year-old netminder has posted good numbers for the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. He’s looking at potentially playing in Switzerland next season, as the American also has Swiss citizenship.

Despite having tough luck with injuries and other circumstances during his career, Schneider said in an interview with Sekeres and Price last year that he’s “super grateful” for everything he’s accomplished.

“I’ve had a 15-year career, I’ve made more money than I ever could have imagined playing hockey for a living. Don’t feel bad for me. I’m fine. I’m very content and happy with how my career went,” he said.

Christian Ehrhoff

Christian Ehrhoff is making a comeback, signing a deal to play for the Krefeld Penguins in his native Germany. The 40-year-old hasn’t played pro hockey since 2018, and hasn’t played in the NHL since 2016.

Ehrhoff owns a fitness company and has worked in real estate since retiring.

He’s still making a great living thanks to the Buffalo Sabres, who are paying him $857,143 a year until 2028 because of a 2014 buyout.

This and that

Ryan Kesler

Ryan Kesler officially retired from pro hockey last year, after being unable to play since 2019 due to injury.

Kesler has dabbled in media, co-hosting a podcast briefly with Bieksa, and hosting “Kes’ House” on Sportsnet.

He’s a kids hockey coach now, a won a state championship back in March.

Raffi Torres

Raffi Torres has been relatively quiet since retiring from pro hockey in 2016. The Toronto native moved back to Ontario after his career ended, following multiple suspensions for dangerous hits.

He’s coaching high-level youth hockey now.

“It’s kind of like a new sense of passion for the game,” Torres said in an interview with Sekeres and Price in December of 2022. “The way my career ended, I didn’t watch a hockey game or put on a pair of skates for a couple years, upset with myself and some of the decisions that I made on the ice.”

“I’m just happy being on the ice with the kids, seeing them develop, talking to parents and trying to talk about my experiences throughout the game.

Andrew Alberts

After suffering a career-ending concussion in 2013, Andrew Alberts has worked to raise awareness for mental health, and has worked as an analyst on Bruins broadcasts on NESN in Boston.

Recently he’s been working as the director of hockey player development at Sense Arena — a virtual reality hockey training app.

Keith Ballard

Keith Ballard has kept a fairly low profile since retiring in 2015, following concussion troubles. The 40-year-old lives in Minnesota with his wife and three kids, and told Sekeres and Price that he coaches all three of his children’s hockey teams.

Aaron Rome

Aaron Rome has gone back to his roots since retiring in 2015. The former defenceman moved to Brandon, Manitoba and has dabbled in coaching with the Brandon Wheat Kings and became a player rep with Titan Sports Management.

In a December 2021 interview with Sekeres and Price, Rome said that he was coaching youth hockey and running the family farm.

“I never would have thought that I’d be doing that, but I’m glad that I got into it,” he said. “I actually really enjoy the lifestyle involved with it.”

Jeff Tambellini

Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final was Jeff Tambellini’s last NHL game. He played six years in various leagues, mostly in Europe, after that. He joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 as a pro scout and NCAA recruiter, and has won two Stanley Cups since then.

He was hired by the Seattle Kraken in August 2022 to be their director of player development.

Dan Hamhuis

Dan Hamhuis moved back to his hometown of Smithers, BC after retiring in 2020. He’s currently a part-owner of the Prince George Cougars and a member of the school board at the Bulkley Valley Christian School.

Mason Raymond

Mason Raymond moved back to Calgary after a one-year stint playing in Europe came to an end in 2018. He won a bronze medal with Canada at the 2018 Olympics before hanging up his skates.

In an interview with Sekeres and Price, Raymond said he makes frequent trips back to Vancouver to get treatment on his back, which he broke during the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. He’s able to keep active though, and spends time farming and working in the auto industry through his wife’s family.

Cody Hodgson

Forced to retire at age 26 due to a degenerative back condition, Hodgson has since become a spokesperson for malignant hyperthermia. He lives in Toronto now.

Alexandre Bolduc

Alexandre Bolduc last played hockey in 2020, and is now an owner and coach at ACE Athletik Club gym in the Montreal suburb of Chateauguay.

Victor Oreskovich

Victor Oreskovich played just one more year of pro hockey after the 2010-11 season before retiring for a second time. He’s worked in finance in Toronto ever since, and is currently the director of fixed income repo trading at RBC Capital Markets.

Coaches

Alain Vigneault

Alain Vigneault didn’t coach in the NHL last season for the first time since prior to being promoted to Canucks coach in 2006. The 62-year-old has coached the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers since he was fired by the Canucks in 2013.

Rick Bowness

Rick Bowness has had a resurgent NHL head coaching career, as the 68-year-old led the Winnipeg Jets to the playoffs this year. He previously coached the Dallas Stars, leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020.

Newell Brown

Newell Brown was let go by the Vancouver Canucks after the 2020-21 season, and returned to Anaheim, for a second stint as an assistant coach in charge of the power play with the Ducks.