Canucks Name Sedin Twins Co-Presidents After Firing GM Allvin

The Vancouver Canucks have named identical twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin as co-presidents of hockey operations. The move comes after the team fired general manager Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford announced plans to step down following the upcoming draft.

The Swedish brothers, selected by Vancouver with the second and third picks in the 1999 NHL Draft, spent their entire 17-season careers with the Canucks. Both Hall of Famers retired in 2018 and joined the front office the next year.

Team owner Francesco Aquilini praised the pair. "For the past 26 years, Daniel and Henrik have dedicated their entire professional hockey careers to Vancouver," he said, according to NHL.com. "Whether it's as players or in various management positions, they've always committed themselves to excellence."

The Canucks also promoted assistant general manager Ryan Johnson to general manager.

The new leadership faces challenges. The team showed promise in the 2024 playoffs but collapsed over the next two seasons. Vancouver traded franchise defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.

The first order of business is the NHL Draft in June. The Canucks hold the third-overall pick behind the Toronto Maple Leafs at No. 1 and the San Jose Sharks at No. 2. Gavin McKenna is the expected top selection, but defensemen such as Chase Reid, Carson Carels and Alberts Smits rank highly and could address needs on the blueline.