NHL News

Vancouver - The Canucks on Wednesday announced the hiring of Jim Benning as their general manager. He replaces Mike Gillis, who was let go last month after the Canucks were eliminated from contention for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Canucks president Trevor Linden delivered the news to season-ticket members attending a Canucks Town Hall Meeting in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Benning, 51, who had been assistant general manager of the Boston Bruins, will be introduced Friday in a press conference at Rogers Arena as the 11th general manager in Canucks history. He joined the Bruins as director of player personnel in 2006 after 12 years with the Buffalo Sabres organization. The Canucks finished 12th in the Western Conference with a record of 36-35-11. Linden was named president in early April, and the Canucks fired coach John Tortorella on May 1.

"There were moments of clarity for me in speaking with Jim that we just really connected on a hockey level," Linden told the Canucks website. "Our beliefs on how success is built in the National Hockey League were very aligned."

Pittsburgh - Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta had surgery Thursday to repair a labral tear in his shoulder, the team announced. His recovery time is expected to last 4-6 months. Maatta was third among rookie defenseman this season with nine goals and 29 points in 78 games. He was a plus-8 while averaging 18:29 of ice time per game. The news of Maatta's surgery comes one day after the Penguins announced top defense prospect Derrick Pouliot will need 4-6 months to recover from surgery to repair a labral tear in his shoulder. In 70 games with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, Pouliot 17 goals and 70 points. He also led all WHL defensemen in the playoffs with 32 points in 21 games. Pouliot (No. 8) and Maatta (No. 22) were taken by the Penguins in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft.

Washington - Barry Trotz interviewed for the vacant coaching job with the Washington Crapitals on Tuesday, according to a TSN report Wednesday. Trotz reportedly met with president Dick Patrick and owner Ted Leonsis. Trotz was fired by the Nashville Predators on April 14 after 15 years. Trotz has history with the Crapitals organization. He was the coach of the Portland Pirates when they were the Crapitals' American Hockey League affiliate and was an assistant coach with the Baltimore Skipjacks when they were the Capitals' AHL team. The Crapitals are looking to replace coach Adam Oates and general manager George McPhee, who were fired April 26. CSNWashington.com reported Wednesday the Crapitals have interviewed Boston Bruins assistant general manager Don Sweeney and Nashville Predators assistant general manager Paul Fenton for the GM job, and might bring in former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero for an interview.