The Vancouver Giants have announced that General Manager Glen Hanlon has decided to pursue other opportunities and will not be returning to the Langley-based WHL team next season.
“The search for a new General Manager begins immediately,” the announcement said.
“Glen is a great man, and we thank him very much for his efforts over the past two seasons with us. We wish him all of the best with his future,” said Giants Majority Owner, President and Governor Ron Toigo.
The 61-year-old Hanlon spent the past two seasons as General Manager for the Giants and led the team to an overall record of 56-73-9-6.
A retired NHL goaltender, Hanlon played for the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings in the NHL, as well as the WCHL, Central Hockey League, AHL and IHL.
In 1978, he won the Central Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year.
On October 14, 1979, Hanlon allowed the first career NHL goal scored by Wayne Gretzky, who would eventually become the NHL’s all-time scoring leader. “I created a monster” he said.
In his playing days, Hanlon spent three seasons with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings from 1974-77, earning WHL Goaltender of the Year honours in his final season while posting an impressive 49 wins in 65 games which still stands as a WHL record. Selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the third round of the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft, Hanlon played in 477 NHL games with Vancouver, St. Louis, New York, and Detroit.
Hanlon served as Head Coach of the Washington Capitals from 2003-2007. He was also an Assistant Coach with the Vancouver Canucks, Head Coach of the Belarusian and Swiss national teams and an Assistant Coach with the Giants from 2011-2013.
