After suffering their 10th loss in their previous 13 games, the Vancouver Canucks have made sweeping changes to the team’s front office and bench. Following the team’s 4-1 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins at home Saturday, Vancouver relieved GM Jim Benning and Coach Travis Green of their duties. They become the 2nd Canadian team to restructure management in the last few weeks following Montreal’s dismissal of longtime GM Marc Bergevin.
In addition to Benning and Green, Assistant Coach Nolan Baumgartner and Assistant GM John Weisbrod are both out as well. In their place, the team has brought in veteran coach Bruce Boudreau and his assistant Scott Walker to manage the bench. Meanwhile, Chris Gear & Stan Smyl will oversee GM duties on an interim basis until a more permanent solution is reached.
Boudreau previously had stops in Anaheim, Washington, and Minnesota, and sports a 567-302-115 record as a head coach. Initial reports indicate that Boudreau will be paid $2M for the remainder of this season and $2.5M for next year. The former Jack Adams award winning coach will take over a struggling Canucks team that finds itself in the basement of the Pacific Division, and 28th overall in league standings.
Former GM Jim Benning leaves behind a mixed legacy in Vancouver. Originally hired in 2014, Benning made his bones through the NHL draft, selecting key pieces of Vancouver’s current roster in Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. His professional trades and signings however have left much to be desired, including the ill-fated Loui Eriksson deal.
Boudreau and Co. will make their coaching debuts this evening as the Canucks play host to the visiting Los Angeles Kings at 10pm ET.