Significant Development in Vancouver; Canucks Down to 2 Candidates for GM

The Vancouver Canucks have interviewed a wide swath of different candidates to fill their opening in the general manager's office. But now it's coming down to the short strokes. According to Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal, they're down to a Final Two, and others have been told they're out of the running.

The Canucks have started telling candidates that they are no longer in the running for the GM job.

Sounds like it is down to Ryan Johnson and Evan Gold.
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) May 8, 2026

Dhaliwal says the final two contenders for new Canucks GM are current assistant GM Ryan Johnson and Boston Bruins AGM Evan Gold.

Johnson has also been the Calder Cup-winning GM of the Abbotsford Canucks, and other teams had been denied access to speak with him for their own GM opening.

Johnson has always seemed to be a favourite of outgoing president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford, as he candidly noted in his brazenly honest end-of-season news conference. But he also admitted at that time that "maybe we'll find something else."

It's possible that Gold is that "something."

As Elliotte Friedman noted on Friday, "(The Canucks) extended (Johnson's) contract, they said 'you're here and you're not going anywhere else'. And now...— if it is Evan Gold — they're basically passing (Johnson) over for somebody with a similar skillset...

"We'll see, but if that was the case, it wouldn't be good for Johnson."

Evan Gold is one of the two remaining frontrunners for Canucks GM job

As for Gold, he's been a candidate for other teams searching for a new GM as well, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, before they landed on John Chayka.

Gold has been with the Bruins for 11 years, and Dhaliwal makes it sound like he could be the frontrunner of the two candidates for the Canucks.

"Gold is a candidate that has really impressed from Day 1," Dhaliwal added. "He's a good, young, sharp hockey mind. ... One agent told me that Gold was a tough negotiator. He's got an analytics background that teams desire, he's good with the salary cap, he's a lawyer."

Dhaliwal says that ownership has "a massive say in this hire," and it seems they might favour Gold. But he reiterates that nothing is done yet.

A report from Friedman also adds that Scott White, assistant general manager for the Dallas Stars and GM of their AHL affiliate, could also still be in the running.