The Vancouver Canucks have a new leadership team. Here’s who’s in and out

A pair of local legends are among those charged with leading the Vancouver Canucks into a new era in an overhaul announced after a dismal season.

The Vancouver Canucks promoted Ryan Johnson to general manager Thursday, while Daniel and Henrik Sedin will share the role of president of hockey operations.

The Canucks needed to reshape their front office after firing general manager Patrik Allvin on April 17 following a last-place finish in the NHL standings at 25-49-8.

Vancouver’s president of hockey operations, Jim Rutherford, then announced on May 6 that he’ll step down from his role following next month’s draft and become an adviser.

Rutherford said the search for Vancouver’s new general manager involved more than 15 candidates. The list reportedly included former Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion, Boston Bruins assistant general manager Evan Gold and former Maple Leafs special adviser Shane Doan, who recently parted ways with Toronto.

Johnson, a 49-year-old former NHL centre from Thunder Bay, Ont., first joined the Canucks’ front office in 2013 and was named assistant general manager in 2024. His duties include running Vancouver’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, a team he guided to a Calder Cup championship in 2024-25.

Johnson played 13 seasons in the NHL, splitting his time with the Canucks, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks.

He’ll be joined in the front office by the Sedin twins, whom he played with in Vancouver before later working alongside them in developing the franchise’s young talent.

The Sedins became local legends over the 17 seasons they played for the Canucks, including the team’s run to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, where Vancouver lost to the Boston Bruins in Game 7.

Henrik Sedin served as Vancouver’s captain from 2010 to 2018 and still leads the franchise in games played (1,330), assists (830) and points (1,070). He won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2010.

Daniel Sedin is the franchise-leader in goals (393), power play goals (138) and game-winning goals (86).

The Hall of Fame forwards retired in 2018, then rejoined the Canucks as special advisers to the general manager in June 2021. They moved into player development roles the following spring.

Among the first tasks facing the Canucks’ new-look front office will be preparing for next month’s draft in Buffalo.

While the team finished last in the league and had the best odds at claiming the top pick, Vancouver fell to third. The Maple Leafs got the first overall selection.

The new regime will also need to determine the future of head coach Adam Foote.

The former NHL defenceman took over behind the bench in May 2025 after Rick Tocchet announced he would not return to the Canucks. He was later named head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 54-year-old Foote was no stranger to Vancouver, having served a season and a half as an assistant coach under Tocchet, where he focused on the team’s defensive structure.

Vancouver’s defence was porous last season, giving up the most goals-against per game (3.83) and collecting the fewest regulation wins (15).

Rutherford has said he’ll continue to be available to help the new administration.

“I’ll help with the transition and the new person, new people, new positions, things like that,” he said. ”But I’ll still be part of the organization. When someone wants to bounce something off of me, I’ll be happy to do it.”

This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press, was first published May 14, 2026.