Canucks coaching – Six days after being promoted to general manager, Ryan Johnson fired Adam Foote and his assistants, and immediately pointed to Manny Malhotra as the clear early favourite in the Canucks’ coaching search. Johnson says he will interview Malhotra first this sprin
VANCOUVER — Six days into his new job, Ryan Johnson didn’t waste time. On Tuesday, he fired head coach Adam Foote and assistants Brett McLean, Kevin Dean and Scott Young — all of them one-and-done in Vancouver and part of a season that ended up among the worst in franchise history.
By the time the morning settled into afternoon, the next question had already formed: who comes next?
So far, Johnson says the list is short. When he needed a minor-league coach for the Vancouver Canucks two years ago. he described his process as having “a bunch of names on one list and then there was one name on my main list. and that was Manny.” Now. only one name appears on his new list to coach the National Hockey League team.
Manny Malhotra is, in Johnson’s words and in the betting market’s interpretation, the early favourite.
Johnson told reporters he plans to be the first manager this spring to interview Malhotra for an NHL job, while the “betting money” view is that he will probably be the last one. In Johnson’s view, he isn’t just looking for a coach; he’s looking for alignment.
The connection is personal and professional. Johnson recruited Malhotra back to Vancouver when Malhotra was the American Hockey League GM of the Canucks’ farm team in Abbotsford. after a stint as Sheldon Keefe’s assistant coach in Toronto. Johnson said he and Malhotra share similar traits to the Canucks’ players — smart and professional. articulate. dependable and full of character — and that they also built a common vision for how prospects should be developed.
That vision, Johnson pointed to, delivered the Canucks their first Calder Cup championship 11 months ago, with a very young group. Now, he expects that relationship to matter again as the club prepares for its first rebuild this century following a 58-point season.
Johnson didn’t try to hide the fact that Malhotra is an internal fit the team can’t afford to ignore. “It’s hard to be ignorant of an internal candidate that we obviously have,” he said Tuesday. “So I’m not going to deflect that.”
From there, he framed the upcoming steps as a serious conversation — not a formality. “Manny has shown his ability to develop young players. to build a connection and. obviously. win a championship with a very young group. ” Johnson said. “I am going to speak with him, sit down with him, and talk about the future.”.
Johnson said he doesn’t know yet how wide the search needs to go. “I don’t think I’ve got an expectation of how big that net (to find a new head coach) needs to be cast. ” he said. “Like I said. I don’t want to be ignorant to you guys or anybody and say I’m not going to have a serious conversation with Manny. That’s just the truth of it. I think those discussions may determine how big that net is cast. But I’m not ruling out anything. I’ve just got to go through the initial steps here.”.
The coaching search also sits beside an awkward-looking coincidence: Johnson may also face the father-son question in the next month’s entry draft. Johnson said he is not conflicted about considering Malhotra and his son. centre Caleb Malhotra. when the Canucks might select Caleb with the third pick of next month’s draft.
“I’m in no position to change or make decisions based off one or the other,” Johnson said. “There will be no sacrifice (of priorities) because of a father-son relationship, I would say.”
That leaves the scenario wide open. Both Malhotras could be with the NHL Canucks next season. or neither could — depending on decisions by Vancouver and by other clubs picking ahead of them. The Maple Leafs or San Jose Sharks. who pick ahead of the Canucks. could deprive Vancouver of Caleb. though Johnson said it seems highly unlikely given those teams’ needs and other elite prospects expected to be available at the top of the draft.
Still, the feeling around the organization — and the math of Johnson’s timeline — points in one direction. Manny Malhotra to the Canucks’ bench now seems even more likely than Johnson’s promotion seemed before the Sedins chose him last week over Boston Bruins AGM Evan Gold.
Johnson also used his 17-minute press conference to confirm what would not be changing across the staff landscape. Incumbent assistant GMs Cammi Granato and Emilie Castonguay will remain with the Canucks, and Johnson said he has no reason to alter that support.
“As with Cammi and Emilie, nothing has changed,” he said. “They are a big part of this group. They’ve been a big part, I think, of my maturation as a person and a professional, so nothing has changed in that regard.”
That endorsement extended to Todd Harvey, the amateur scouting director who was promoted by previous GM Jim Benning to replace Judd Brackett in 2020. Johnson spoke about him without hedging.
“I have the utmost respect for Todd Harvey, how he’s led his group,” Johnson said. “He has really evolved as a leader over the years and been challenged to. but he’s been able to build this group and make some changes where he felt needed. Nobody works harder than Todd. He commands the room. he has empowered his staff. and if you really strike it down to some of the picks … these guys have done a fantastic job of finding players (in) middle to late rounds. We haven’t had an opportunity to pick up (near the top of) the draft. But we will this year, and so that’s exciting for those guys.”.
While much of the coaching staff will scatter this summer. Johnson said he told Foote and his assistants by phone that the team would not be bringing them back. The decision also reflects how the club arrived at this moment: former GM Patrik Allvin and outgoing president Jim Rutherford gambled on making Foote a first-time NHL head coach when Rick Tocchet bolted from Vancouver 13 months ago.
For Johnson and the Sedins, the message was clear: clarity now, not dragged-out uncertainty.
“A very tough and tumultuous year (with) so many variables,” Johnson said. “So this wasn’t an easy day. They’re great coaches, but great people, and I want to thank them personally. Speaking with them this morning. I just felt from the organization — the alignment and what we were looking for — I just wanted a new voice and a new group to come in and start this next era of the franchise.”.
He said holding a staff in limbo can cost more than goodwill — it can cost careers.
“I felt out of respect for the staff, too, the longer you drag something like this out, you also hold them from maybe their next opportunities. And I want to be respectful of their time and the ability to move on.”
Johnson described the environment as the top priority moving forward with a young group. He linked it directly to alignment across leadership — coach, manager and president — and to the idea the team “stick to the teaching.”
There aren’t many candidates who match Malhotra’s profile as closely as Johnson’s internal champion. Johnson’s own recollection about the relationship is blunt. “I’ve never brought coaches here to be in the American League for 10 years. ” he said a year ago for a Sportsnet feature about him and Malhotra. “That would be a failure on my behalf.”.
Malhotra has talked about the risk and the pull of returning to the organization. “I needed to take the next step and take that leap of faith. ” he told Sportsnet then about returning to the Canuck organization. “But in this business. it’s not just about getting the opportunity. it’s getting the opportunity with people that you want to work with and places you want to be. I was very fortunate to come back to an organization where I have history. I know the people internally and wanted to work with them again. It worked out perfect.”.
With the first NHL coaching staff overhaul of this era now underway beyond the likely retention of goaltending coach Marco Torenius and skills coach Jason Krog, the search may begin with a lot of possibilities on paper.
In practice, Johnson has already put one name at the center of the process — and he doesn’t sound like he’s trying to convince anyone otherwise.
Vancouver Canucks Ryan Johnson Manny Malhotra Adam Foote coaching search Caleb Malhotra NHL American Hockey League Calder Cup Abbotsford Marco Torenius Jason Krog Todd Harvey