Vancouver, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that Ryan Johnson has been extended and promoted to Assistant General Manager and will retain his role as General Manager of the Abbotsford Canucks. Cammi Granato and Émilie Castonguay have also both received extensions as Assistant General Managers.
“RJ has been an invaluable resource for me and the entire front office,” said Allvin. “Not only has he done an excellent job in running our American Hockey League affiliate in Abbotsford, but he has also done a lot of great work on the hockey operations side. His player assessment and insightful advice has been a key driver for our improvement at both the AHL and NHL level.”
“I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I can’t thank the Canucks enough for providing me with the chance to learn and grow,” said Johnson. “Working alongside Patrik and Jim has been an incredible experience and I have learned a lot from the both of them. Helping this organization improve is my number one priority and I am confident we will continue take positive steps forward because of all the incredible people that work in both Abbotsford and Vancouver.”
Johnson was named the first General Manager of the Abbotsford Canucks, leading the team to the playoffs in their inaugural season. He previously served as the General Manager of Vancouver's AHL affiliate Utica Comets since 2017 and as Senior Director of Player Development since 2018. He initially joined the organization in 2013 as a Player Development Consultant and became Director of Player Development in 2016.
Johnson played 701 regular season NHL games from 1997-2011, amassing 122 points (38-84-122), including 120 games in a Canucks uniform (3-11-14). He also appeared in 29 career playoff games, adding five points (1-4-5) and 12 penalty minutes. Over his 13-year NHL career, Johnson led all NHL forwards in blocked shots (455) and blocked shots per 60 minutes (38.96).
“Solidifying our hockey operations team was a key priority for me after I signed my extension,” said Allvin. “Cammi and Emilie fit in nicely with the group and I look forward to working with them and continuing our partnership moving forward. Having a strong, intelligent and diverse leadership team sets us up nicely for future success.”
Granato joined the Canucks from the Seattle Kraken, where she was the first female scout in NHL history. She previously captained the 1998 USA women's team to an Olympic gold medal that inspired a generation of female players. She was a key member of 10 world championship medal-winning teams (one gold, nine silver) plus a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Participating in seven 4 Nations Cup tournaments, she and her teammates collected two golds and five silvers.
Granato is the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. women's team with 343 points, including 186 goals and 157 assists. She was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010, along with Canada great Angela James. They were the first two women inducted. She was also recently named to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s selection committee, joining Cassie Campbell-Pascall as the two women currently on the HHOF selection committee.
Émilie Castonguay became the first female Assistant General Manager in team history on January 24, 2022. She joined the Canucks from Momentum Hockey where she became the first female NHLPA Certified Agent in Canada in 2016, representing numerous players at all levels including the NHL, AHL, Junior and internationally.
Castonguay, who was named one of the 25 most powerful women in hockey by Sportsnet in 2020, played four years of NCAA Division 1 hockey at Niagara University, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance in 2009 and won a National Scholar Athlete award for her success both on the ice and in the classroom. Following her studies at Niagara, she earned a law degree from l'Université de Montréal in 2012 and is a member of the Quebec Bar Association.
