The Canucks hired Manny Malhotra as their new head coach earlier this week. Their next move will be to fill out the staff surrounding him.
After making four pivotal hires, the Vancouver Canucks’ organization heading into their rebuild is beginning to take shape.
All four hires were pulled from the Abbotsford Canucks, leaving lots of gaps to be filled at the organization’s AHL-level.
Franchise legends-turned co-Presidents of Hockey Operations, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, came into their new roles from their positions in player development in mid-May. They were joined by former Abbotsford General Manager and now-Vancouver GM Ryan Johnson, who has already emphasized the importance of committing to improving the culture and environment within the organization. On Monday, he and the team announced the hiring of former Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra, who will take on the same role except at the NHL level.
This leaves a handful of spots open for the Canucks organization at the AHL level.
With Malhotra officially hired, the organization’s next steps will be to fill out these roles for Abbotsford, as well as picking out a coaching staff to surround their new head coach with.
All of these roles are somewhat entangled. Johnson noted that he’d like Abbotsford’s new GM to have a say in who the AHL-affiliate’s next head coach is in his Tuesday media availability.
“I have started some of the process [...] as far as a GM in Abbotsford, and been looking at names, but at the end of the day, I do want the input from the new GM that will be in Abbotsford on a head coach,” Johnson said. “I think I owe that to that person to trust them to and have some input onto the build there.”
Any coaching hire at the AHL-level will likely depend on what Malhotra decides to do with his coaching staff. Abbotsford assistant coaches Jordan Smith and Harry Mahesh will be two names whose fate will be dictated as a result of whatever happens throughout the organization.
“I think we’ve got some people internally that we will discuss, and also look at,” he said regarding the search for a new GM and head coach in Abbotsford. “I think there are a lot of very great coaches at a lot of levels, whether that’s in Vancouver or obviously now finding people in Abbotsford. I think I’ve said it very clearly over my time in management [...] hiring is something that I take a lot of pride in, at any level, at any position.”
May 14, 2026; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Ryan Johnson after a press conference where the Vancouver Canucks name new senior management staff. Henrik Sedin and his twin brother Daniel Sedin have been appointed as co-presidents of hockey operations and Ryan Johnson is now the new general manager of the club at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesAs was the case with Malhotra’s hiring, the organization’s priority with their incoming hires will be to find individuals who are committed to the rebuild and will align well with the intentions of the club.
“It is important for me that Manny and the head coach that comes into Abbotsford, that there is some communication, some likeness,” the Canucks’ GM specified. “It doesn’t have to be exact, but I do want to be speaking the same language. I do want a relationship, it’s not all the time, I know things get busy, but I do want some communication there between the staffs that I think will help, so it’s all something that I’m on top of.”
In other words, they’re looking for people willing to get on-board for a long-haul journey.
“Who are the best people for those spots? Do they fit in with the alignment? Are they going to be on board with the rest of us that are very connected of how patient we’re going to have to be to go through this the right way?” he said. “That’s all something that we will consider, absolutely.”
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