Pierre Dorion Interviews for Canucks GM Vacancy After Senators Exit

Key facts

• Pierre Dorion interviewed for the Vancouver Canucks GM vacancy last week.
• Dorion served as Ottawa Senators GM from 2016 to 2023, posting a 225-261-59 record.
• He was fired in 2023 due to the Senators' failure to disclose Evgenii Dadonov's no-trade list, costing Ottawa a first-round pick and a $1M fine.
• Dorion drafted franchise cornerstones Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, and Shane Pinto.
• The Canucks fired Patrik Allvin on April 17 after finishing last in the NHL with a 25-49-8 record.
• Vancouver has a 25.5% chance of winning the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday.
• Other candidates interviewed include Shane Doan, Patrick Burke, Brad Pascall, Bill Scott, Ryan Bowness, and Evan Gold.

A Familiar Face in Vancouver’s GM Search

Pierre Dorion, the former general manager of the Ottawa Senators, has interviewed for the Vancouver Canucks’ vacant GM position.’s Darren Dreger. The 53-year-old Ottawa native spent eight seasons as the Senators’ GM from 2016 to 2023, leading the team to a single playoff appearance in 2017. He has been out of hockey since his dismissal in November 2023. Dorion is the only candidate publicly confirmed to have interviewed who has previously held an NHL general manager title. The Canucks fired Patrik Allvin on April 17 after a disastrous 2025-26 campaign that saw Vancouver finish last in the league with a 25-49-8 record.

The Dadonov Trade and Its Fallout

Dorion’s tenure in Ottawa ended in controversy over the botched handling of Evgenii Dadonov’s trade to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2021. The Senators failed to disclose Dadonov’s no-trade list, which later derailed the Knights’ attempt to trade him to Anaheim. As punishment, the NHL docked Ottawa a first-round draft pick and imposed a $1 million fine. The Senators were scheduled to forfeit their first-round pick this year, but Commissioner Gary Bettman recently allowed them to keep it. Ottawa will now select 32nd overall in the 2026 draft regardless of lottery outcomes. The incident highlighted organizational dysfunction under late owner Eugene Melnyk, who was known for meddling in hockey operations.

Draft Success and Difficult Trades

Despite the missteps, Dorion’s draft record stands as his strongest credential. In the 2020 draft, he selected Tim Stützle and Jake Sanderson in the first round, along with Ridly Greig, and later signed Stützle and Sanderson to team-friendly long-term deals. Other notable picks include Brady Tkachuk (2018), Drake Batherson (2017), and Shane Pinto (2019). Dorion also executed major trades, including the 2018 Erik Karlsson deal with San Jose that brought back Josh Norris, Dylan DeMelo, Chris Tierney, and the first-round pick used to select Stützle. He moved Mika Zibanejad and Mark Stone as the team’s competitive window shifted. While the returns were mixed, the decisions were necessary for a rebuild.

Parallels to Ottawa’s Post-2017 Decline

The situation Dorion would inherit in Vancouver mirrors the one he faced in Ottawa after the 2017 Eastern Conference Final run. The Canucks have missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and nine of the last eleven. They finished last in the league this year with a 25-49-8 record, giving them a 25.5% chance of winning Tuesday’s draft lottery. Pro Hockey Rumors noted the uncomfortable resemblance, warning that repeating Ottawa’s slow rebuild under Dorion would draw criticism. Vancouver has not named a hire before the lottery, where Daniel and Henrik Sedin will represent the franchise on broadcast.

Competition and the Road Ahead

Dorion faces competition from a deep candidate pool. The Canucks have interviewed or been granted permission to speak with Shane Doan (Maple Leafs), Patrick Burke (NHL VP of player safety), Brad Pascall (Flames AGM), Bill Scott (Oilers AGM), Ryan Bowness (Islanders AGM), and Evan Gold (Bruins AGM). Notably, Bowness served as Dorion’s assistant GM in Ottawa and stayed on under new GM Steve Staios after Dorion’s firing. Dorion’s experience navigating a rebuild under challenging ownership could give him an edge. As one senior hockey insider noted, no other candidate can match his firsthand knowledge of the pitfalls and pressures of the role.

What Dorion Brings to the Table

Dorion’s eight-year tenure in Ottawa produced a 225-261-59 record and just one playoff appearance, but that run went to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final. He has worked draft nights, managed salary cap crises, and handled the day-to-day demands of running an NHL franchise. His ability to identify and develop talent, particularly through the draft, remains his most compelling asset. Whether the Canucks will entrust him with another rebuild remains to be seen. The team is expected to make a decision after the draft lottery, with Dorion’s experience both a strength and a potential liability given his past mistakes.

The bottom line

• Pierre Dorion is the only candidate with previous NHL GM experience in the Canucks’ search.
• His tenure in Ottawa was marked by strong drafting but ended over the Dadonov trade scandal.
• Vancouver finished last in the NHL this season and has a 25.5% chance at the first overall pick.
• The Canucks have interviewed at least seven candidates, including Dorion’s former assistant Ryan Bowness.
• Dorion’s experience with a rebuild under difficult ownership may be seen as an asset or a warning.
• A hire is not expected before Tuesday’s draft lottery.