No Timeline For Head Coach Hiring; Edler Could Rejoin Canucks As A Development Coach
While there has been plenty of speculation that Manny Malhotra will become Vancouver’s next head coach, that still hasn’t materialized yet. Speaking with Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province, Canucks GM Ryan Johnson indicated that there remains no timeline for when they will name a new bench boss. They’ll be doing so for the second straight offseason after Adam Foote’s tenure lasted just one season. Johnson was previously GM of AHL Abbotsford with Malhotra as the head coach there so there’s a logical connection. Johnston speculates that part of the holdup could be the team trying to work out its group of assistants, that the sides could still be discussing salary, or even how the team plans to handle things should Malhotra’s son Caleb, the top center in the draft, were to be picked third overall by the Canucks. At any rate, no agreement between the two sides is in place yet.
- Johnson also confirmed to Johnston that he is in talks with long-time Vancouver blueliner Alex Edler about a possible role with the team, confirming a report earlier in the week from HockeyNews.se’s Mattias Ek. Edler spent 15 seasons with the Canucks as a player from 2006 through 2021, spanning 925 games, the most by a defenseman in franchise history. Edler will serve as a coach during development camp and could be brought on in more of a full-time development role beyond that.
Latest On Manny Malholtra
A welcome addition has returned to the Avalanche lineup, as Artturi Lehkonen is back tonight for Game 1 against Vegas as they’re missing superstar Cale Makar.
The last time the forward played, his Avalanche dropped Game 3 to Minnesota, at the time looking like a series which could have been much more interesting than it eventually became. While he was out Joel Kiviranta slotted in, a scratch tonight as he did not find the score sheet in limited usage.
Always a dependable role player who excels in every area, Lehkonen joins the second line, centered by Brock Nelson and opposite Nicolas Roy. Colorado handled business while he was away dealing with an upper-body injury, but with six points in seven playoff games, Lehkonen is a key factor who steps up consistently in the playoffs. This will be the third time the 30-year-old skates in the Conference Final, first doing so with Montreal, and in both times his team moved along to play for the Stanley Cup.
Elsewhere across the league:
- In an article where he looked into Calgary Flames trade candidates this summer, Anthony DiMarco of The Daily Faceoff wrote on forward Connor Zary’s unhappiness within his role, playing on the wing instead of down the middle. The 24-year-old, a first round selection back in 2020, on paper fits into the Flames plans as they move into what could be an aggressive rebuild over the next few years. However, posting just 25 points on the season, his development has stalled out in Alberta, raising the need for a fresh start elsewhere. There’s no shortage of similar players who offer a potential 1-1 swap, perhaps even a young defenseman for Calgary’s needs, but Zary’s $3.78MM AAV, carrying through the 2027-28 season, would be a factor in any discussion.
- The Vancouver Canucks reportedly rejected a team from interviewing their AHL head coach Manny Malhotra, according to TSN’s Mike Johnson on yesterday’s edition of OverDrive. After much speculation ended in an internal promotion for their general manager position (Ryan Johnson) it could be the same behind the bench, after Adam Foote was fired yesterday. Let go after just one year, of course it was a brutal season, but the decision suggests that the Canucks have somebody in mind who they’d not be willing to lose this summer. Assuming Johnson’s suspicions to be true, it very well might be the longtime NHLer who played as a Canuck from 2010-2013. An assistant at the NHL level with Vancouver as well as the Maple Leafs, Malhotra took over in AHL Abbotsford in 2024, leading them to their first Calder Cup title alongside Johnson. Connections not ending there, his son, Caleb Malhotra, is gathering noise as a possible selection of the team at third overall in the draft next month should they target a center.
Evening Notes: Kulich, Burns, Canucks
Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich offered the most encouraging update on Tuesday regarding his health, explaining that he underwent a procedure at the Mayo Clinic to remove a blood clot, as reported by Mike Harrington of TBN Sports. The clot kept him out of the Sabres lineup all but 12 games of his 2025-26 season, but thankfully Kulich said he expects to be back in the lineup next fall.
Speaking publicly for the first time since November at the Sabres’ end-of-season media availability, the 22-year-old said doctors in Minnesota fully extracted the clot roughly two months ago. He couldn’t skate for a month afterward and admitted he had put on weight during the layoff, but he is now in his fourth week back on the ice and said he can “do pretty much everything right now.” His message to fans was direct, saying, “I’ll be able to play hockey again.”
The recovery cost him what would have been a major personal milestone. Kulich was widely projected as Czechia’s second-line winger at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Additionally, Kulich missed his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as Buffalo pushed Montreal to a Game 7 overtime in the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, he stayed around the team throughout the run and said his teammates treated him “like family” through the ordeal.
His return matters significantly for Buffalo’s 2026-27 outlook. Kulich scored 15 goals as a rookie in 2024-25 and had three goals and five points in his 12 games this year before he was shut down. He remains on his entry-level deal at an $886,666 cap hit through next season, and slots back into a center group that now includes Zach Benson, Konsta Helenius, Josh Norris, and deadline addition Sam Carrick, giving Buffalo a much-needed depth and skill boost down the middle as the Sabres try to build on the franchise’s most successful season in 15 years.
Additional Notes:
- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice, per Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette. He had sat out some on-ice sessions following Colorado’s series-clinching 4-3 OT win over Minnesota in Game 5, and was listed as day-to-day after missing Saturday’s practice. He should be ready for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against Vegas on Wednesday. Through nine playoff games, he has 3 assists, 14 SOG, 6 blocks, and 13 hits.
- On a day that saw new general manager Ryan Johnson clean house behind the bench, firing head coach Adam Foote and assistants Scott Young, Kevin Dean, and Brett McLean after a 25-49-8 last-place finish, Johnson also confirmed that assistant general managers Cammi Granato and Émilie Castonguay will remain in their roles, per Harman Dayal with the Athletic. The retention provides a measure of continuity inside an organization otherwise gutted at the top this spring, with Jim Rutherford stepping down as president of hockey operations, GM Patrik Allvin dismissed, and now the coaching staff turned over. Castonguay became the first woman to serve as an NHL assistant general manager when the Canucks hired her in January 2022, with Granato, a Hockey Hall of Famer, joining not long after. Both received extensions in March 2024 under the previous front office and have handled significant responsibilities in scouting oversight, player development, and contract and cap management.
Vancouver Canucks Fire Adam Foote
The changes coming to the Vancouver Canucks won’t end at the front office. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Canucks are parting ways with head coach Adam Foote and are expected to make additional changes to the coaching staff.
Shortly after Dreger’s report, the Canucks confirmed Foote’s dismissal in a team announcement. Additionally, the team has let go of assistant coaches Scott Young, Kevin Dean, and Brett McLean, starting fresh for the 2026-27 campaign.
It’s not a huge surprise to see Foote let go, even after one season. Foote was hired by Vancouver as an assistant coach partway through the 2022-23 season as a part of Rick Tocchet‘s staff. He remained in that role for three seasons and was promoted to the head coaching role when Tocchet departed for the Philadelphia Flyers last summer.
Factoring in the subpar roster and the fact that the Canucks made major changes to the front office, Foote wasn’t given a chance to succeed in Vancouver. As anticipated, the team had a disappointing season in 2025-26, finishing with a record of 25-49-8, which was the worst in the regular season.
Furthermore, there was no area in which the Canucks played particularly well. Vancouver finished 31st in goals for, 32nd in goals against, 32nd in penalty kill percentage, 29th in shooting percentage, 32nd in save percentage, 29th in CorsiFor, 30th in High-Danger Scoring Chances, and 31st in High-Danger Scoring Changes Against. The only category where the team excelled was power play percentage, finishing in 14th place.
Unlike most head coaches, it’s unlikely that Foote will find another head coaching position this summer. While he may ultimately secure a coaching position, his track record does not compare to that of Craig Berube, Bruce Cassidy, or Kris Knoblauch, who are all coaches seeking new opportunities.
On the flip side, all three of those coaches will immediately become candidates for the Canucks. Cassidy is unlikely to take the job, simply because the Vegas Golden Knights have already blocked other intradivisional rivals, namely the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, from interviewing their former coach. However, the Golden Knights may believe that the Canucks are so far out of contention that Cassidy’s landing in Vancouver wouldn’t come back to bite them anytime soon.
Still, it’s difficult to say what direction the Canucks will go. There are expected to be significant changes to the roster this offseason, so the team may opt for a younger coach to grow alongside the team.
In that same vein, Vancouver could look to an internal candidate. Former bottom-six center Manny Malhotra has been the head coach of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks for the last two years, and presumably worked closely with General Manager Ryan Johnson when he was serving as the General Manager in Abbotsford.
Danila Klimovich Expected To Sign In KHL
Canucks prospect winger Danila Klimovich is set to have his entry-level contract end next month. However, instead of re-signing with Vancouver, it appears he has other plans. Sport-Express’ Mikhail Zislis reports that Klimovich is set to sign a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the KHL.
The 23-year-old was a second-round pick by Vancouver back in 2021, going 41st overall. He was selected out of the Belarusian Vysshaya (their second-tier league) but somewhat surprisingly made the jump to North America right away, signing his entry-level deal a month after being selected.
While that allowed the Canucks to get immediate control of Klimovich’s development, it was a case of exposing him to quite a jump in difficulty right away. He responded relatively well as an 18-year-old with AHL Abbotsford in 2021-22, picking up 18 points in 62 games. He followed that up with a 27-point effort the following year before injuries derailed his 2023-24 campaign, limiting him to just 24 games.
Klimovich found a way to be a bit more productive over the last two years, however. In 2024-25, he notched 25 goals and 13 assists in 65 games but wasn’t able to secure a recall to the big club. This season, he had 18 goals and 16 helpers in 67 outings but again, a promotion to Vancouver never came, despite their struggles down the stretch.
While the Canucks probably would prefer Klimovich to remain in North America and keep working on his game in Abbotsford, it’s certainly understandable that the forward would prefer a different opportunity after five seasons at the AHL level. Assuming a deal is ultimately finalized, Vancouver will be able to retain Klimovich’s NHL rights by tendering him a qualifying offer next month, one that will ultimately be declined.
Canucks To Promote Ryan Johnson
5/14/26: The Canucks’ promotion of Johnson to the GM position will be announced today, Frank Seravalli of Victory+ reports. CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal added that in today’s announcement, the Sedin twins will be elevated to new roles as co-presidents, presumably of hockey operations.
5/12/26: The Vancouver Canucks are expected to promote Abbotsford Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson sometime in the near future. The anticipation is that the position will be that of either Director of Hockey Operations or General Manager, as reported by Rick Dhaliwal of Cheknews. Dhaliwal also stated that both Daniel and Henrik Sedin will have a big say in the final decision that will be a pivotal one for the Canucks’ front office.
The search itself has been an extensive one, with Canucks ownership and front office interviewing more than 15 candidates before narrowing the field. In recent weeks, the race had reportedly come down to Johnson and Boston Bruins assistant GM Evan Gold, before momentum shifted decisively in Johnson’s favor, and Dhaliwal reported he does not believe Gold remains in the mix.
The search to fill key front office vacancies has been ongoing for the last month following the dismissal of former GM Patrik Allvin. Adding to the shake-up, the team announced last week that President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford will also be stepping down from his role, though he will remain with the organization in an advisory capacity and as an alternate governor.
The changes in Vancouver do not come as a shock following an extremely disappointing 2025-26 season. The Canucks finished the season a staggering 25-49-8 with 58 points, which was last in the NHL by 14 points. Moreover, the Canucks were forced to part with franchise defenseman Quinn Hughes back in December, after he indicated he had no intention of re-signing with the team.
Johnson is no stranger to the NHL or to the Canucks organization. After wrapping up a 701-game playing career in 2011, he found his way back into the game in 2013-14, rejoining his former team of two seasons as a development coach. He climbed the ranks quickly: promoted to Assistant Director of Player Development within two years before being handed the reins of Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, as General Manager in 2017. When the affiliate relocated in 2021, Johnson became the first GM in Abbotsford Canucks history. Two years later, Patrik Allvin promoted him to Assistant General Manager in Vancouver while keeping him on in his role with Abbotsford. Across five seasons as Abbotsford GM, Johnson has compiled a 191-134-31 record and captured a Calder Cup in 2024-25.
With the 2026 NHL Draft Combine just weeks away and Vancouver holding the third overall pick, whoever ends up running hockey operations won’t have much time to settle in. Johnson, if officially named, will inherit a roster in transition, a fan base running thin on patience, and the heavy task of building the Canucks’ first Stanley Cup contender in over a decade.
Canucks Expected To Promote Sedin Twins
More changes are inbound for the Vancouver Canucks front office. Legendary Canucks twins Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin were offered a promotion from their roles as development coaches per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast. The brothers accepted the offer for more work this weekend and are still working with the team to determine their new responsibilities, adds Irfaan Gaffar of Daily Faceoff. While it is not yet clear what duties the two will carry moving forward, they are not expected to move into a full-time or general manager role per Friedman.
The Sedins have served the Canucks front office since the 2021-22 season, three years after their retirement from the NHL. Their executive careers began as special advisors to Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin. Both brothers moved into a development role in the following season, where they more intimately supported the growth of Vancouver’s top youngsters, like Nils Hoglander and – at the time – Quinn Hughes. Vancouver boosted the Sedins’ role once more in 2024, involving them more in the day-to-day coaching duties and power-play strategizing under head coach Rick Tocchet.
The brothers have gradually climbed Vancouver’s organizational ladder and will now climb another rung. Their future duties are likely to continue lifting up the intent coaching and hockey strategizing that the Sedins have become known for in retirement. They could continue to support Canucks’ head coach Adam Foote, while also informing roster decisions or prospect management. The Sedins could also work more directly with Vancouver’s growing cohort of top prospects – including Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Aatu Raty, Braeden Cootes, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and Tom Willander– as they transition into the NHL full-time. Vancouver will need to bank on their young guns growing into important roles after finishing the 2025-26 season in last place. Finding new ways to elevate the experience of two franchise legends, and veterans of over 1,300 NHL games, could prove to be an effective spur.
Latest On Vancouver Canucks GM Search
It appears that the Vancouver Canucks are down to their two finalists for the next General Manager of the organization. According to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV, Vancouver has begun to tell prospective candidates that they are no longer under consideration, and the team is down to Ryan Johnson and Evan Gold as the finalists.
Johnson, 49, is an obvious choice to take over the Canucks front office, especially considering that the team denied the Nashville Predators permission to interview him. Even if they didn’t consider him a candidate, Vancouver can refuse any team’s interest in their staff, as is their right, but it likely would have lowered their credibility around the league if they denied Nashville and didn’t give Johnson a fair shot.
That’s not to say the Canucks ultimately have to promote Johnson, but he has been with the team for more than a decade and has dramatically improved the state of their AHL affiliate. After his playing career ended following the 2010-11 campaign, Johnson was hired by the Canucks as a development coach in 2013-14. He served in that role for two years before being promoted to the Assistant Director of Player Development in 2015-16.
Since the 2017-18 campaign, Johnson has served as the General Manager of their AHL affiliate and the Assistant General Manager of Vancouver. He spearheaded the transition from the Utica Comets to the Abbotsford Canucks for the 2021-22 campaign and oversaw the team that won the Calder Cup last season.
Meanwhile, Gold would be an outside hire if the Canucks landed on him. Gold has served as the General Manager of the AHL’s Providence Bruins and the Assistant General Manager of the Boston Bruins for several years, being considered more analytical than Johnson. Before that, he served in the legal affairs team in Boston for the Hockey Operations department after obtaining his law degree from the University of Toronto. Unlike Johnson, Gold doesn’t have any professional or even semi-professional playing experience to speak of.
Regardless, today’s update from Dhaliwal shows how much things can change. Only a few days ago, reports indicated that the Canucks had settled on Pierre Dorion as the team’s next General Manager, only to have today’s news indicate he’s no longer under consideration. Considering the lengthy duration of the process and Dhaliwal’s assertion that finalists have been selected, a definitive hiring decision is expected within the next few days.
Hoglander Off Sweden's Roster Due To Injury
- Canucks winger Nils Hoglander was expected to play for Sweden at the upcoming World Championship. However, that’s no longer the case as their federation announced (Twitter link) that Hoglander is withdrawing from the roster due to injury and will be replaced by Red Wings winger Lucas Raymond. Injuries were the theme of the year for Hoglander, who was limited to just 38 games. He struggled considerably in those outings, notching just two goals and three assists and was undoubtedly hoping to use this tournament as a springboard to his offseason. Meanwhile, Raymond’s addition is a big one for the Swedes. He surpassed the 70-point mark for the third straight year, notching 25 goals and 51 assists in 80 games.
Morning Notes: Hedman, Rutherford, Owen Sound
A few days ago, it was announced that the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Victor Hedman, had taken a leave of absence from the team for mental health reasons. Taking the absence on March 25th, Hedman missed Tampa Bay’s last 15 games of the regular season, and their Round One series loss against the Montreal Canadiens.
From a team perspective, it’s a bind in all honesty, as you’re stuck between wanting the best for the player and their long-term health, while also recognizing that your team is better when Hedman is on the ice. Furthermore, there’s no set timeline for how long it takes a player to recover, unlike more objective injuries.
Still, Hedman shared that he’s feeling much better, and there’s not much concern that he won’t begin the 2026-27 season on time. In fact, speaking on 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that there’s a “1000% chance” that Hedman plays next year. Given that there’s a distinct possibility that the Lightning lose defenseman Darren Raddysh in free agency this summer, having Hedman back for the whole year will make that pill go down much easier.
Additional morning notes:
- Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford provided more context behind his decision to step down from his role at the head of Vancouver’s front office. In an interview with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, Rutherford said, “It was time for me before the season even started; I was trending in that direction. But I think we can put something together here in our hockey department that I can feel good about when I step down.“
- According to Greg Cowan of the Owen Sound Sun Times, the OHL’s Board of Governors is preparing to meet to finalize the sale of the Owen Sound Attack. Cowan indicated that an official announcement of the sale is expected in the next few days and that the new ownership group plans to hire a relatively young player agent to lead the hockey operations department.