It was 56 years ago today and I was glued to the television on this day.
Following the draft lottery, Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford announced he would step down from his role, transitioning into an advisory and Alternate Governor position. For the organization’s sake, the move felt necessary. Still, it’s fair to question whether a new president or general manager will truly have full autonomy under the revised structure.
More on the Canucks from Dave Pagnotta on The Sheet: As far as I know it’s Ryan Johnson, it’s Evan Gold and it’s Ryan Bowness in terms of final three. I think Gold is ahead of the pack a little bit. RJ would be Rutherford’s guy.
Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts about the Canucks search: Ryan Johnson’s still in the mix, but I don’t know what to make of this. If they’re gonna hire Evan Gold, it would seem that Johnson’s really being passed over.
Irfan Gaffar on DFO Rundown about the Canucks GM search: My money would be on Evan Gold.
Darren Dreger on OverDrive: Ryan Johnson I’ve felt all along was probably the frontrunner. They just had to go through their process
More from Gaffar: I still think that Ryan Johnson is definitely in the mix, Evan Gold definitely in the mix. I wouldn’t put it out of the equation that they hire two people.
I’m hoping the decision comes sooner rather than later, because if Gold does move on, the Bruins will need time to get their house in order and chart the next steps.
Pagnotta on the Nashville Predators GM search on DFO Rundown: We’ve heard Jamie Langenbrunner’s name, and Brett Peterson’s name; quite frankly I think if this was strictly up to Barry Trotz, I think Tom Fitzgerald would have the gig.
Friedman about those same Predators on 32 Thoughts: I still wonder if Nashville is waiting to speak to somebody who either just finished competing or is now competing, ’cause it doesn’t exactly make sense what’s going on there.
Pierre LeBrun on Oilers Now: This could be a pretty wild offseason potentially, we’ve talked about Connor McDavid, but what happens with Auston Matthews? What happens with Brady Tkachuk? LA has money to burn with Anze Kopitar retiring.
Chris Johnston on the Chris Johnston Show about Matthews: I can tell you with strong sourcing on this, is that Auston Matthews needs time to think about things and he’s just not totally sure what’s best for his future and whether that lies with the Leafs.
LeBrun on OverDrive: I think the Leafs would like to know where he Auston Matthews is before they get going on the offseason, but he wants to see how the offseason plays out before he decides where he goes.
Dreger on First Up: I’d be surprised if Craig Berube isn’t on the bench [in Toronto] at the start of the year.
I get the feeling the Maple Leafs are going to be in the headlines all summer and not all of it in a good way.
Frank Seravalli on The Fan Pregame: A number of teams that I’ve talked to, no fewer than three, have said if they had the #1 pick, Ivar Stenberg would be their guy. I still think it’s probably more likely than not that the Leafs end up going with Gavin McKenna.
Seravalli on The Big Show: He’s [Jason Robertson] looking for well north of the 12 million bucks that Mikko Rantanen signed for, does he come down on that ask or does he essentially force his way out?
Friedman on 32 Thoughts adds: Jason Robertson took care of business this year. The Stars told him don’t worry about the contract, let’s see how the year goes. They’re gonna have no choice but to pay him.
Seravalli regarding the Edmonton Oilers on The Fan Pregame: I think a coaching change is likely. It’s more likely than not that Kris Knoblauch and his staff are sent packing.
Friedman on The Fan Hockey Show: I would be looking at Bruce Cassidy in the worst way right now if I had any kind of a team. With Cassidy, I wonder if he thinks LA can win. To me he’s gonna be interviewing them as much as they would be interviewing him.
Dreger on Sekeres and Price adds: There’s a ton of heat on Kris Knoblauch. Where’s that heat coming from? Probably because there’s a decorated guy, his name is Bruce Cassidy, waiting out there for his next opportunity.
Pagnotta on DFO Rundown: They [Seattle Kraken] want a first line star. They’ve got Shane Wright that they’ve been dangling. I think there’s a willingness to explore that 7th overall pick. They have another first round pick from Tampa.
This and That
The Washington Capitals hold the Anaheim Ducks first‑round pick from the John Carlson trade, and as it stands, that selection would land at 18th overall — pairing with their own pick at 16. But if the Ducks knock off the Vegas Golden Knights, that pick plunges into the late‑first range, anywhere from 28 to 31 depending on how deep Anaheim goes. Safe to say, the Caps’ rooting interests are pretty obvious right now.
My recent piece on the Bruins’ development department struck a nerve. Most readers were on board with the premise, but a vocal minority came unglued in disagreement. That’s fine — everyone’s entitled to their take. What’s ironic is that the loudest critics don’t seem to extend that same courtesy in return.
In reality, if I was asking management to answer a question, I wouldn’t take more time to ask my question than it does to answer it. Especially when most of the words and the question itself is irrelevant. No, I would make my question shot, to the point and it would be a hard question. In fact, I could get two questions in and answered by the time some even get their question out.
There seems to be some confusion about what an AHL franchise is actually responsible for. Broadly, there are two models: teams owned directly by their NHL parent club, and teams that operate independently. In Providence’s case — as most fans already know — the Bruins’ affiliate falls into the independently owned category, which shapes how decisions and priorities are handled.
The confusion starts here; Boston does not pay Providence an affiliation fee. In fact, it is the other way around.
Boston’s role in the affiliation is straightforward: the Bruins are responsible for supplying and paying for the entire hockey-operations side. That includes management, the full coaching staff — head coach, assistants, skills coaches, video staff, and goaltending coaches — as well as providing the bulk of the roster. Typically, Boston furnishes around 75 percent of Providence’s players and covers their salaries, while Providence pays only those on AHL‑only contracts. Boston is responsible for some of the travel costs and operating costs. Providence is responsible for the business side including partnerships.
For independently owned AHL teams, profitability isn’t optional — it’s the priority, because without it, they simply don’t survive. For NHL‑owned affiliates, the dynamic is completely different. Those clubs operate as loss leaders, with development taking precedence over the bottom line. That divide shapes everything about how an AHL franchise functions and where its responsibilities ultimately lie.
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