Meet the Canucks’ New Assistant Coaches Ryan Mougenel, Jordan Smith & Jason Krog – The Hockey Writers – Vancouver Canucks

It took over a month, but the Vancouver Canucks now have a full coaching staff for the 2026-27 season. General manager (GM) Ryan Johnson announced on Friday (June 10) that Ryan Mougenel, Jordan Smith and Jason Krog would be the trio of assistants joining head coach Manny Malhotra behind the bench. Andrew Shaw was also named assistant to video coach Ian Beckenstein.

While many people have already pointed to the lack of NHL coaching experience, Johnson made a point of saying that character and the ability to teach were bigger priorities.

“When we started this process with Manny, we wanted to find quality people first and foremost, who are good teachers and have intelligent hockey minds. We have assembled a group that can help us build a solid foundation, connect with both our veterans and younger players, and put in place the system and style of play that Manny wants to see on the ice…”

Among the new hires, Malhotra is the only coach with NHL experience, having served as an assistant in Vancouver from 2017 to 2020 and in Toronto from 2020 to 2024. That being said, it’s not like Mougenel, Smith and Krog are fresh-faced rookies coming directly from their playing days. Let’s find out more about them in the latest edition of “Meet the New Canucks”.

Ryan Mougenel

Mougenel is the elder statesman of the trio, with 20 years of experience. He is coming off a very successful regular season with the Providence Bruins, where he led them to a 54-16-0 record and won American Hockey League (AHL) Coach of the Year. In the five seasons he was head coach, they never had a losing record, finishing 217-103-40 and making the Calder Cup Playoffs every year. Unfortunately, despite the regular season success, they never made it past the first round.

Mougenel also spent time as an assistant with the Worcester Sharks/San Jose Barracuda from 2014 to 2018 and one season with the Hershey Bears in 2013-14. Before that, he was in the ECHL as an assistant with the Fresno Falcons and head coach/GM with the Las Vegas Wranglers. Similar to his time in Providence, he had a lot of success in the regular season, but not the playoffs, only making it past the first round once – an appearance in the Kelly Cup Final in 2012.

Looking back at a quote from Mougenel’s opening presser as Providence’s head coach, you can see why Johnson and Malhotra targeted him for this job. He seems to align perfectly with what they value in a member of the organization.

“I’m a player-first coach. I want to give the player the why, the how. I think that’s important for the players, especially in today’s game. The commitment to the player, not just on the ice, has to be evident. They have to feel it and it has to be genuine. I think if you talk to a lot of players that have played for me, I think they’ll say that I definitely value that. I value them as people first and care about their development.

“The trust you build with players is really important to me. You’re going to hear people talk about details and coaches talk about the details. It’s great, but one of those details that goes into it is getting to know the players and making sure they have the courage and confidence to go out and play.”

When it comes to coaching style, Mougenel is structured and employs a system that limits mistakes. He also values work ethic, compete and what he calls “strong teammate values.” Overall, it looks like Mougenel will be a solid addition to the Canucks’ bench and dressing room.

Jordan Smith

Smith is a holdover from the Abbotsford Canucks’ coaching staff, having spent the last two seasons under Malhotra in the AHL. He was an assistant with the Springfield Thunderbirds for two seasons before that and an associate coach with the Soo Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2017 to 2022. He began his coaching career in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) as a head coach with the Thunder Bay North Stars in 2012-13 and went on to have a memorable four-season stint in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), where he earned back-to-back Coach of the Year awards and led the team to a championship in 2015-16.

A rugged, physical defenceman during his playing days, Smith spent his junior career in the OHL with the Greyhounds before being drafted 39th overall by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2004. He turned pro with their AHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, in 2004-05 and played 55 games with the Portland Pirates in 2005-06, recording six goals and 14 points.

Unfortunately, Smith’s NHL dreams were derailed in 2006 when he was hit in the face by a deflected puck and lost sight in his left eye. While he couldn’t play in either the NHL or AHL, he was determined to continue playing hockey and enrolled at Lakehead University. He spent five seasons there and graduated in 2011 with two national championship appearances and a “C” stitched onto his jersey in 2009-10. He then joined the coaching ranks in 2012 with the North Stars, and the rest is history.

It was less than a year ago, on Oct. 9, 2025, that Smith was asked about potentially returning to the NHL someday. Now, that is no longer a dream; it’s a reality.

“That was something, when the injury did happen, I wanted to get back there. Through a lot of hard work and perseverance, I feel like I put myself in that position. If it happens in the near future, great. If not, I’ll continue to do the best job where I am,” Smith said. “It’s been a roller coaster. You can’t really plan too much. Just do your job and see what happens.”

Jason Krog

Krog is another internal hire, promoted from skating/skills coach to an assistant. He will be moving from behind the scenes to the main stage, likely in charge of the forward group and the power play. His only previous coaching experience came from the Burnaby Winter Club U15 prep/varsity team and the West Van Academy U15 varsity team. He has never been behind the bench in a pro league.

What Krog does bring is a ton of experience from his playing days in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL), NCAA, NHL, AHL and overseas. While his success in the NHL was limited (22 goals and 59 points in 202 games), he was a prolific player in the AHL. Over 535 games, he had 190 goals and 408 assists for 598 points. His best season came in 2007-08 with the Chicago Wolves, where he led the league with 39 goals and 112 points and was named MVP of both the AHL and Calder Cup Playoffs.

Krog’s best season in the NHL came in 2002-03 when he was part of the Mighty Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. He had a career-high 10 goals and 25 points in 67 games and three goals in the playoffs. He was briefly a Canuck for four games in 2008-09, during which he scored his final NHL goal, against the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 25, 2008.

Offseason Focus Shifts to 2026-27 Roster

Now that the coaching staff is in place, Johnson’s focus will shift completely to the 2026-27 roster. Elias Pettersson has been in trade rumours a lot, with the latest destination being the Pittsburgh Penguins. They have also been linked to Shane Wright, but the cost is reportedly too high, as the Seattle Kraken want either Tom Willander or Zeev Buium in return (a non-starter in my opinion).

As the rumour mill continues to churn, we will just have to wait and see what this new coaching quartet will have at their disposal when the puck drops in September. Until then, stay tuned to The Hockey Writers as the dog days of summer continue.