'We Know We're Going To Get A Really Good Hockey Player': Canucks GM Ryan Johnson Is Confident In His Scouting Team Ahead Of The 2026 NHL Entry Draft
Vancouver Canucks GM Ryan Johnson spoke recently about the upcoming 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Video Transcript
After a lengthy month-long search process involving more than 15 candidates interviewed, the Vancouver Canucks have selected Ryan Johnson, formerly the Canucks assistant general manager and Abbotsford Canucks general manager, as the 13th GM in franchise history.
This will be the longtime Canucks organization executive's first NHL general manager job.
Johnson has been with the Canucks organization since 2013, first taking on the role of a development coach.
He became the assistant director of player development in the 2015-2016 season, but was soon elevated to director of player development and assistant GM of the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets at the time, in 2017 to 2018.
He has held this role in the AHL since then, moving with the team from Utica to Abbotsford.
In the 2022 to '23 season, Johnson took on a new role as special assistant to the general manager, which was Patrick Allvin at the time.
He remained in this role through the season after, but was soon elevated once again to the status of assistant general manager in 2024 to '25.
Now officially hired as the Canucks' new general manager, Johnson will join a Canucks front office that includes both Daniel and Henrik Sedin as the co-presidents of hockey operations.
After both spending their entire NHL playing careers with Vancouver, the Sedins were brought on as special assistants to the general manager in 2021 to '22.
The season after, they were elevated to the roles of player development coaches.
Vancouver's general manager search concludes after, according to President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford, over 15 candidates were interviewed.
Some of the names reported to be in contention were Boston Bruins assistant general manager Evan Gold, who was the second of the two final candidates alongside Johnson, as well as former Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorian and Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson.
