If the Vancouver Canucks' new leadership team were to seek advice from their predecessor, Mike Gillis would be ready to assist without hesitation. During an appearance on the Sekeres and Price show Thursday, the former Canucks president and general manager stated, "I would absolutely help them out," when asked about potential consultations with Daniel and Henrik Sedin or general manager Ryan Johnson.
Gillis Offers Support
Gillis, who served as the Canucks' GM and later president from 2008 to 2014, expressed confidence in the new leadership. "Maybe not in a formal way, but absolutely. I think these guys are perfect for what's going on here today. I think they're going to do an excellent job," he said. "There's obviously some things no one knows about when you take these jobs and if I can be supportive in any way I'd be happy to do it."
While the Sedin twins have not yet reached out to any predecessors for advice, Gillis believes his counsel would be straightforward. "I think that their character, in terms of their authenticity, their integrity, they need to maintain those," he emphasized. "They need to be patient. They need autonomy."
Sticking to the Plan
Gillis stressed the importance of believing in their plan and defending it against external pressures. "They have to stick with it no matter what's going on around them," he said. The former executive also highlighted the need to ignore the noise, noting that the Sedins have experienced intense scrutiny before. He recalled the fan base's skepticism about the twins before he took over in 2008, yet they went on to achieve their highest-scoring seasons under his tenure.
Gillis acknowledged the challenges of managing a hockey team in a Canadian market where the team is the dominant sports entity. "You're balancing so many issues at the same time. In a place like Vancouver there's a ton of public scrutiny that you have to endure and sometimes it can cause you to not be yourself entirely and get frustrated," he explained. However, he expressed optimism that the Sedins would handle the pressure better than he did. "I'm hopeful … I'm confident that these guys will not succumb to that kind of pressure," Gillis concluded.
The Sedins and Johnson were appointed to their roles on May 14, 2026, marking a new era for the Canucks. Gillis's offer of support underscores his belief in their ability to lead the franchise forward.
