The Vancouver Canucks are in a tricky situation as they navigate the end of a disappointing season. With the future of head coach Adam Foote and general manager Patrik Allvin in question, the organization is left to consider its next steps. The Canucks have two potential replacements on the horizon: Manny Malhotra and Ryan Johnson, the head coach and general manager of the Abbotsford Canucks. The former has been a topic of discussion for a promotion within the Canucks organization, while the latter has started to garner interest from other teams around the league.
According to Donnie & Dhali's Rick Dhaliwal, the Canucks denied the Nashville Predators' request to speak with Johnson about their general manager opening. This move suggests that the Canucks value Johnson and are determined to keep him. Johnson, who lives in Nashville during the offseason, is under contract and cannot talk to any team without permission. This raises a deeper question: how much control will Johnson have if he takes the Vancouver job? We know that Jim Rutherford runs the show, and Allvin didn't have much power. This could be a concern for anyone taking the GM job.
One thing that immediately stands out is the glowing reviews of Johnson that Dhaliwal has heard around the league. He ran the farm teams in Utica and Abbotsford, winning a Calder Cup. He's well-respected and loved by many in the National Hockey League. Agents call Dhaliwal raving about Johnson, calling him the only one they rave about in Vancouver. This tells us that the Canucks value Johnson and are determined to keep him.
From my perspective, the Canucks' decision to deny the Predators' request to speak with Johnson is a clear indication that they want to keep him. However, the question remains: how much control will Johnson have if he takes the job? The Canucks will have to adjust accordingly as several teams are going to be courting him. The future of the Canucks organization is in a state of flux, and the outcome of this situation will have significant implications for the team's direction in the coming years.
