In a shocking development, the Vancouver Canucks have made a major change to their coaching staff by promoting Marko Torenius, the development coach and goaltending coach of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, to the position of goaltending coach of the Canucks. This move comes as Ian Clark, who previously served as Vancouver’s head goalie coach and director of goaltending, requested a new role within the organization. Clark will now transition to a new position as a goalie scout and goaltending development coach.
TSN’s Farhan Lalji weighed in on the news, emphasizing the significance of the change. Lalji noted, “Very few goalie coaches have had as much influence within an organization as Clark does.” This sentiment was echoed by general manager Patrik Allvin, who explained the decision to restructure the coaching staff. “When Ian approached me to say that he needed to make a change in his role to transition off the ice, we quickly went to work to find a solution. With Clarkie wanting something different at the hockey club, we were extremely fortunate to have Marko in the system and ready to take on the responsibility of becoming our new goaltending coach in Vancouver,” Allvin said.
Allvin also highlighted the valuable role Clark will play in his new position, stating, “having Clarkie going out to find and develop talent will be a big asset to the organization.” Clark has a long history with the Canucks, having first been a member of the coaching staff from 2002 to 2010 before spending time with the Columbus Blue Jackets. A Vancouver native, Clark returned to the Canucks in 2018 and has been a key part of the organization ever since.
Meanwhile, Torenius brings a wealth of experience to his new role as goaltending coach. He has worked in Abbotsford for the past two seasons after spending a decade in the KHL. The Canucks are hopeful that Torenius will continue the strong goaltending development tradition set by Clark and contribute to the team’s success in the seasons to come.
