Jim Rutherford says there are some big decisions looming for the Vancouver Canucks, but the president of hockey operations has crossed one large task off his to-do list: hiring a new general manager.
The Canucks on Tuesday named Pittsburgh Penguins assistant manger Patrik Allvin the 12th GM in the franchiseB次元官网网址檚 history.
B次元官网网址淥bviously itB次元官网网址檚 a big honour for me, taking on this opportunity,B次元官网网址� Allvin told reporters on a video call. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 extremely excited and honoured and proud to be part of the Vancouver Canucks going forward.B次元官网网址�
The 47-year-old three-time Stanley Cup winner has been with the Penguins for the past 16 seasons and was the director of amateur scouting before he was promoted to assistant GM in November 2020. Hailing from Leksand, Sweden, Allvin is the first Swedish general manager in the NHL.
The move to Vancouver reunites Allvin with Rutherford, who served as PittsburghB次元官网网址檚 GM from 2014 to 2021 and led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and B次元官网网址�17.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e known Patrik for a long time and how he works and that he was a legitimate candidate,B次元官网网址� said Rutherford, who was named the Canucks president of hockey operations and interim general manager in early December after the club fired head coach Travis Green, general manager Jim Benning and several other front-office staff following a dismal start to the season.
Rutherford spoke to a number of people about the GM vacancy and narrowed his list down to five candidates for in-person interviews. While all of the interviews went well, he said, Allvin stood out.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a very smart guy,B次元官网网址� Rutherford said. B次元官网网址淗e knows players, he knows how to evaluate players, he knows how to find players, heB次元官网网址檚 well-connected in Europe where weB次元官网网址檇 like to get into that market a little bit more and try to get some more players out of there. He has a lot of good things going for him and we already have the working relationship, we know how thatB次元官网网址檚 going to go.B次元官网网址�
The history and current status of the Canucks were intriguing to Allvin, but it was something else that really drew him to the job.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got to be honest B次元官网网址� the reason IB次元官网网址檓 here is excitement to work with Jim Rutherford again,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd I know how he emphasizes hiring good people. B次元官网网址� I believe that Jim has done a good job building the staff and I look forward to meeting all of them here.B次元官网网址�
Rutherford added to his staff Monday, hiring former player agent 脡milie Castonguay to be the franchiseB次元官网网址檚 first female assistant manager.
He previously tapped former scout Derek Clancey to fill another assistant GM role, named Canucks legend Stan Smyl vice president of hockey operations and announced that former Canucks stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin would continue in their roles as special advisers to the general manager.
B次元官网网址淲e could possibly still add some people. WeB次元官网网址檙e trying to make it as strong as we can,B次元官网网址� Rutherford said, adding that there may be an expanded role coming for Ryan Johnson, the clubB次元官网网址檚 director of player development and general manager of the American Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Abbotsford Canucks.
With new faces in the front office, Rutherford and Allvin said the Canucks need to look for ways to improve their roster.
Allvin spent nine years playing professional hockey in North America and Europe before breaking into scouting with the Montreal Canadiens in 2002. He said his scouting experience taught him that you need to be open minded because players and the game are constantly changing.
B次元官网网址淚 think in order to be successful, youB次元官网网址檝e got to be able to find players outside of the first round in the NHL entry draft,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou need to compliment the organization with college and European free agents and thatB次元官网网址檚 something IB次元官网网址檓 looking forward to.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks also need to work on growing and developing players, Allvin said.
B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 the key in todayB次元官网网址檚 game. I think thatB次元官网网址檚 something we want to emphasize her going forward to be successful,B次元官网网址� he said, noting that the strategy was successful when he was in Pittsburgh.
ItB次元官网网址檚 important to remember, too, that every player has their own development curve, Allvin said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a sprint to get to the NHL, itB次元官网网址檚 a marathon,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o youB次元官网网址檝e got to support them with the right people and coaches and development staff and help every single to maximize their chances to become a full-time NHL player.B次元官网网址�
With the NHL trade deadline under two months away, Allvin has little time to evaluate the CanucksB次元官网网址� current roster. Rutherford has been on the job slightly longer, but noted that a COVID-19 outbreak and a number of postponed games have limited his ability to do an in-depth analysis.
The president of hockey ops said heB次元官网网址檚 impressed by how the team handled adversity after being left short-handed in several recent games. Several players have entered the leagueB次元官网网址檚 COVID-19 protocol in recent weeks, including all-star goalie Thatcher Demko, backup Jaroslav Halak and a number of high-scoring forwards.
The undermanned Canucks went 0-1-2 on a three-game homestand, but the players and staff should get a lot of credit, Rutherford said.
B次元官网网址淭hey showed a lot of character and gave everything they had and scratched and clawed to actually get a couple of points,B次元官网网址� he said.
There are some good things going on in Vancouver, Rutherford said, and work needs to be done to improve the team going forward.
B次元官网网址淪ome big decisions are coming up. But now that weB次元官网网址檝e added some more people to hockey ops weB次元官网网址檙e now in a stronger position to make those decisions.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
