On Monday, Nashville Predators’ general manager Barry Trotz announced that he plans to retire at the end of this season. Trotz, who is 63 years old, has been serving as Nashville’s GM since 2023 and was the team’s first coach when they joined the NHL in 1998. Throughout his distinguished career, Trotz has achieved numerous accolades, including winning a Stanley Cup, two Jack Adams Awards, and a Calder Cup.
Although the announcement is recent, discussions are already underway regarding Nashville’s next GM, with lists of potential candidates being compiled. In the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman highlighted several promising contenders. One name familiar to Vancouver Canucks fans is Rian Johnson, who currently works with the Canucks organization.
Friedman differentiated between seasoned executives and rising stars, referring to the latter as the “next generation” expected to become NHL GMs eventually. Among those considered are Ryan Martin, Evan Gold, Jamie Langenbrunner, Sunny Mehta, Ryan Bowness, Scott White, and Canucks assistant GM Rian Johnson.
Johnson’s career in the NHL took off after he joined Vancouver during the 2013-14 season. He ascended through various roles within the organization and is now an assistant general manager for the Canucks and the general manager of the Abbotsford Canucks. Notably, Johnson is the only GM in the history of Abbotsford and previously served as the GM of the Utica Comets from 2017 to 2021.
Under Johnson’s leadership, the Abbotsford team won the Calder Cup in 2025. The organization has also consistently made the playoffs over four seasons and helped develop NHL talents such as Arturs Sirovs, Linus Karlsson, Max Sasson, and Noah Juulsen. Besides nurturing young players, Johnson has signed key contributors like Chase Wooters and Jujhar Khaira, who played a role in the Canucks’ Calder Cup victory last summer.
Fan Take: This coaching and leadership shuffle at the GM level is a crucial moment for hockey fans, as it signals potential shifts in team strategies and the future direction of franchises. Recognizing emerging executives like Rian Johnson could reveal new philosophies that shape the league’s evolving style of play and talent development.
