Jim Benning (right) moves from Boston to assume Vancouver’s GM role. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
By Allan Muir
It’s official: Jim Benning is the new general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.
Team president Trevor Linden confirmed the hiring of the former Boston Bruins assistant Wednesday night at the Canucks Town Hall Meeting in Coquitlam, British Columbia.
Benning will be introduced on Friday during a live webcast on Canucks.com at 11:15 a.m.
“Jim brings a wealth of hockey experience as a builder and talent evaluator that will benefit this team for years to come,” Linden told the gathering of season-ticket holders. “We are aligned on how we want to build this team and Jim’s level of commitment to building a championship team is exciting. I look forward to re-introducing him to Vancouver on Friday.”
Benning replaces Mike Gillis to become the 11th general manager in club history. He joins Vancouver after serving as an assistant to Boston GM Peter Chiarelli for the past seven years. Benning was regarded as an early favorite for the job based on his experience with the Bruins, including player evaluation, trades and free agent signings.
Benning patrolled the Vancouver blueline from 1986-1990. He accumulated 15 goals and 70 points in 246 games after spending the first six years of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
