Blue Jackets Add Laurence Gilman To Front Office
The Blue Jackets announced they’ve hired veteran executive Laurence Gilman as their vice president of hockey operations.
While it’s a different title, Gilman essentially replaces Josh Flynn, who was an assistant general manager under Don Waddell but left the organization last month to take the same job with the Sabres under their new GM, former Columbus head Jarmo Kekäläinen.
The Blue Jackets will mark the fourth NHL organization for the 61-year-old Gilman. The Winnipeg native technically got his start with his hometown team shortly before the Jets relocated to Arizona. He joined the Coyotes’ front office in 1998 as their director of hockey operations, just a couple of years after the franchise relocated from Winnipeg. He was promoted to AGM in 2001, eventually taking over GM duties for their AHL affiliate, before leaving the organization in 2007.
One year later, Gilman caught back on with the Canucks. He served as an AGM and the team’s VP of hockey operations from 2008-15, helping oversee the franchise’s two most successful regular seasons and a five-year playoff streak, Vancouver’s longest since the turn of the century.
Gilman was dismissed in 2015 along with most of his front-office colleagues after Jim Benning took over the franchise. It would be a few years before he returned to the league, but he was picked up by the Maple Leafs in 2018 as part of their front office restructuring. He quickly became Kyle Dubas’ top associate in Toronto, serving as AGM and GM of the Toronto Marlies from 2018-22. He spent the following two seasons working solely for the Marlies as their senior VP of hockey ops before eventually leaving the organization in 2024.
“I have known Laurence for many years, and I am very excited to welcome him to the Columbus Blue Jackets,” GM Don Waddell said. “He is extremely knowledgeable about all facets of team and league operations, and his experience and personality will be a great addition to our hockey operations staff.”
Maple Leafs Part Ways With Laurence Gilman
The Maple Leafs are parting ways with longtime front office member Laurence Gilman, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports Thursday. He was on an expiring contract.
Gilman, 59, joined the Leafs in 2018 as an assistant general manager to replace Kyle Dubas, who was promoted to GM after Lou Lamoriello‘s contract to serve in the role ran out. For his first three years in the organization, he also served as the GM of their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, just as Dubas had since 2014. He was replaced as GM of the Marlies for the 2021-22 season by Ryan Hardy but remained in his AGM role on the NHL staff.
After one year as AGM without any AHL responsibilities, Gilman was elevated to a senior vice president of hockey operations title. That’s where he’s served for the past two seasons, but no longer. He’ll hit the open market and potentially look to join his fourth NHL franchise this summer.
The longtime executive has been in NHL front offices on and off since 1998 when he got a chance with the Coyotes as their director of hockey operations. He also had AGM roles in the desert and managed their AHL affiliate for a brief time before moving on in 2007, taking a year off before finding his next home with the Canucks. Gilman stayed in Vancouver from 2008 to 2015 as their VP of hockey ops and assistant general manager, helping build the team that won the Presidents’ Trophy and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2011.
With a history of taking years off between jobs, it may be another year or two before Gilman’s name resurfaces.