After weeks of a roller coaster ride of rumours, it is finally official. The Vancouver Canucks have promoted Abbotsford Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson to become the 13th GM in their franchise’s history. Furthermore, Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin are expected to become co-presidents of the organization, although the formal name of their role is yet to be announced. It could be an unprecedented situation in the Canucks front office.
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Canucks news conference is at 1:00.
Ryan Johnson is the new GM.
Sedin twins will be co-presidents.#Canucks
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) May 14, 2026
Canucks Close Deal on Johnson and Sedin Twins
It has been a long time coming, but now, it is done. With the title of Ryan Johnson GM, it wasn’t until after an arduous search that involved about 15 candidates. Johnson has been in the Canucks’ organization since 2013 and was initially hired as a player development consultant. He was the GM of the Abbotsford Canucks when they won the Calder Cup in 2025 and is seen as a very capable candidate to become the next GM of the parent club.
The Sedin twins were the player development coaches for Vancouver and have been in that role since 2022. Initially, they were hired in 2021 as special advisors to the GM. They have been heavily involved with Johnson in developing the prospects in Abbotsford and are highly respected in the organization. Ultimately, the Canucks may have chosen Johnson as GM because of his familiarity with not only the hockey club but also with the Sedins. The Sedins will have elevated roles in the organization now, as they will lead hockey operations.
What Does This Mean for the Canucks?
The first order of business is establishing the rest of the front office. The fate of Cammi Granato and Emilie Castonguay, the assistant general managers of the team, remains in the balance. Head coach Adam Foote’s future also remains uncertain. It is worthy of note that Manny Malhotra is the current head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks, so he has worked under Johnson. He could be the next head coach hire for the parent team. Furthermore, the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is in just over a month, which means the scouting department and its possible changes need to be implemented soon. There is a lot to do to kick-start the rebuild, so Johnson and the Sedins will have their hands full for the foreseeable future.
Vancouver is set to formally announce Johnson’s promotion and the new hockey operations team at 1 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) today.
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