Rumor: The Canucks have fired Jim Benning.

We have learned tonight that the Vancouver Canucks have hired a new coach, and now we are hearing multiple reports that Canucks general manager Jim Benning is out in Vancouver. Much like all of the news that has come out this evening this has not yet been officially confirmed by the Vancouver Canucks themselves, however there are now multiple reports that indicate Jim Benning has been relieved of his duties. 

The first news on this front came courtesy of Sportsnet's Irfaan Gaffar who is reporting on sweeping changes that have been made to the Canucks front office today. On top of Travis Green being let go as head coach it now sounds like he will be joined by Nolan Baumgartner from his coaching staff as well as the aforementioned Benning and assistant general manager John Weisbrod as well.

If Gaffar is indeed correct, this represents a housecleaning on the part of Canucks ownership which quite frankly is exactly what a large and vocal segment of the Canucks' fan base has been demanding for quite some time now.

Gaffar is not the only one reporting this news however, National Hockey League insider Darren Dreger is also seemingly echoing that report based on his comments during tonight's NHL broadcast.

"Multiple reports that Jim Benning is out as general manager and perhaps also John Weisbrod, also in the management group of the Vancouver Canucks, so some pretty seismic shifts I would say in Vancouver from the Aquilini's the owners of the Vancouver Canucks," said Dreger during Sunday night's NHL broadcast.

These will all be viewed as largely positive moves and quite frankly they should, the Canucks have fail wholeheartedly to put a compelling product on the ice this season and currently sit in the basement of the Pacific Division, even behind a Seattle Kraken expansion team that has struggled to find its footing. 

These changes behind the bench and in the front office however aren't going to alter the fact that some of Vancouver's top stars have largely failed to deliver on their promise this season, and unless that turns around this team won't likely be going anywhere this season. 

Update: It sounds like the Canucks interim management team will function as a group for the remainder of the season.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has indicated he does not believe the Canucks will hire a new general manager during the regular season.