As we all get “back to it,” you might feel like a huge fire hose has hit you. You know who can relate to you? Vancouver Canucks GM Ryan Johnson.
The new Canucks boss checklist to do. Permission slips for kids’ activities. New clothes and books. Surprise expenses. If you are off to post-secondary, figuring out your classes and your friends. You have a list of things that you have done and probably still need to get done.
Johnson was hired to replace Patrik Allvin on May 14, 2026. Six weeks before the NHL Entry Draft.
Not only did he have the draft to prepare for, said draft. He had to hire a new Head Coach. He also had to start reshaping the roster in his image. Oh yeah, he also had to hire a replacement for him in Abbotsford. As well as fill out his own Assistant GM roster.
Now there were some quick wins. Like choosing Manny Malhotra as Head Coach. Really, all he had to do was go down the door and find the man who coached his 2025 Calder Cup Champion Abbotsford Canucks. But he had some maneuvering to do on the assistant GM side. Cammi Granato moved to a senior amateur advisor role. But he brought in Rich Seeley to be an assistant GM and Abbotsford Canucks GM. Seeley’s was the GM of the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate. Management checklist complete.
Next, the roster. Johnson discovered a bargain he couldn’t pass up. Former Vancouver Giant Brendan Gallagher was available; Gallagher is a great fit for the Canucks. He brings maturity, leadership, and grit. Reports indicated he wanted to play in Vancouver. To make room, the Canucks traded Nils Hoglander to the Nashville Predators. The 25-year-old forward spent his first six seasons. He needed a change of scenery.
Next was the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The Canucks did pick Manny’s son Caleb 3rd overall, but they also focused on size. Five of their selections were over 6’0”.
Draft complete.
Next was the UFA season on July 1. This included a trade of Marcus Pettersson to the New York Rangers for a 3rd-round pick in 2030. Then they signed six players:
Jamie Oleksiak to a two-year deal with an annual average value of 5.5 million
Luke Schenn to a one-year deal with a 2.25 million AAV.
Paul Cotter signed a one-year deal worth 2.15 million.
Akil Thomas signed a one-year two-way contract paying out $900,000.
Trey Fix Wolansky signed a one-year two-way deal worth $900,000.
Finally, Matthew Steinberg signed an entry-level deal worth $850,000.
Johnson did get a chance to breathe for the summer, but he did get some small work done, signing goaltender Chris Driedger to a professional tryout. The 32-year-old netminder spent 2024-25 with the Charlotte Checkers and the Manitoba Moose.
As we hit September, the Canucks signed Zeev Buium to an 8-year, $ 75.04 million contract.
As we head into training camp, there are still many questions for Johnson’s first season. The first is in the most important position, goal. Thatcher Demko has not played since Jan. 10, 2026. After playing 52 games in 23-24, he has played a combined 43 games over the last two seasons. Johnson says there is no definitive timetable for his return. The good news Is Kevin Lankinen is ready.
Another question on Johnson’s to-do, or maybe to-not-do, list is Liam Ohgren; the 22-year-old former first-round pick is also eligible for an extension before the new CBA ends on Sept. 15.
There will also be three players who will be in the trade speculation all year.
The first two are Jake DeBrusk and Filip Hronek. DeBrusk commented last year about not wanting to be a part of a rebuild. While he walked it back, it felt like the ketchup is out of the bottle. He was a controversial healthy scratch for a game last year.
As for Hronek, many Canucks commentators want him to be traded. They feel he is an asset that could get a good return for a rebuilding team. He’s in the third year of an eight-year contract with a $7.25m AAV. The other perspective is that Hronek has also taken a more leadership role in the locker room. This may end up being more of a conversation topic rather than actually happening.
The elephant in the room is forward Elias Pettersson.
In 2023, Pettersson had 102 points. Since he signed the $92.8 million dollar contract on March 2, 2024, he has 110 points in 158 games. There has been no player who has been examined on and off the ice more than the enigmatic Swedish center. From skating to shooting to body language during interviews. Quite frankly, he’s been over-analyzed. There is no real need to rehash everything that has happened. Johnson is going to try something different.
“What I’m stressing with (Pettersson) is I want to give him an environment that supports him, that allows him to be himself and not feel that he’s got to be anything other than himself,” Johnson said of Pettersson in an article with heavy.com. “I want to help him just in creating a space where I know he wakes up excited to come into the arena every day.”
No matter the change of approach, the conversation around Pettersson will be the loudest in the Canucks market. He’s their most important player.
There will be actual hockey games played this weekend. The Canucks will have their prospect showcase against the Seattle Kraken this weekend at Rogers Forum in Abbotsford. Then the Jake Milford Golf Tournament on Monday. Main training camp begins on Friday.
A new checklist will begin for Johnson.
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