The Vancouver Canucks made it official, naming Mike Gillis the 10th General Manager in club history on Wednesday.
Gillis replaces Dave Nonis, who was fired on April 14th after the team failed to make the playoffs for the second time in three years.
''I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead the Vancouver Canucks as General Manager,'' said Gillis. ''This is a great hockey market with loyal fans and supporters. Everyone who works in this industry wants to work in a Canadian NHL city, there is nothing else like it.''
Gillis brings no previous management experience to the position, but his 15 years experience as an NHL player representative gives him the ability to evaluate players, negotiate contracts and he has extensive knowledge of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
''This is an exciting day for the future of the Vancouver Canucks,'' said Francesco Aquilini, Chairman, Canucks Sports & Entertainment. ''Mike's involvement with the National Hockey League dates back 30 years as a player and player representative. We believe that he brings a wealth of experience to this role and will embrace the opportunity to lead our Hockey Operations department.''
The 49-year-old began his NHL career in 1978 as the 5th selection of the Colorado Rockies. In 246 NHL regular season games, Gillis recorded 76 points and 186 penalty minutes with Colorado and Boston before a leg injury forced him to retire in 1985.
