Canucks pluck assistant GM from the Calgary Flames

Brand new President and interim GM Jim Rutherford has officially hired Calgary Flames pro scout and former Pittsburgh Penguins executive Derek Clancy as the Vancouver Canucks' new assistant general manager. 

"We are building a front office with people with a variety of backgrounds," said Rutherford in a prepared statement. "Derek has excellent experience and has played an important role on three Stanley Cup winning teams. He will be a key member of our leadership team as we create a progressive, collaborative hockey operations group that can support our team and players at all levels."

More from NHL insider Frank Seravalli:

Clancey, 52, was hired in Calgary this past summer. He spent the previous 15 years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He was originally tapped as a pro scout in 2007 by then-GM Ray Shero. Rutherford inherited Clancey as director of pro scouting, then promoted him in 2019 to director of player personnel after becoming a trusted advisor on transactions and signings.

- Frank Seravalli

Interestingly enough though, Rutherford won't stop at Clancey as his assistant-GM hiring. It's expected that he'll hire up to three assistant GMs and, of course, a proper GM, as well. 

Again from Seravalli:

Clancey is expected to become one of three potential assistant GMs in Vancouver – all with different roles, voices and hockey backgrounds. That trio would report to the yet-to-be hired GM, and all four will work under the tutelage of Rutherford, who will guide in addition to mentor.

- Frank Seravalli

It's expected that franchise icons Stan Smyl, Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin will also be part of the team's executive staff, as well. In other words: Rutherford is going big. In contrast with the Canucks' management staff under former GM Jim Benning, the team will now bring in lots of people and lots of voices in order to get different perspectives. Under Benning the team essentially had a two man management group with Benning and his assistant John Weisbrod once Trevor Linden resigned from his position. It's believed that Benning and Weisbrod essentially made all of the team's on-ice decisions with heavy input from owner Francesco Aquilini.

With Rutherford now running things, it looks like the team's management structure is going to change immeasurably. This represents a bit of a return to the Mike Gillis era where the team employed a number of front-office executives and experts.