General manager Mike Gillis signs extension to lead Vancouver Canucks

Two weeks after they were unceremoniously eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the opening round by the Los Angeles Kings, the Vancouver Canucks have granted Mike Gillis a contract extension. Terms of the deal were not announced.

Gillis has been at the helm of the Canucks since April 2008 and was set to enter the final year of a five-year contract next season.

In a club-issued release, owner Francesco Aquilini called the past four seasons "the most successful in Canucks history", and says he has confidence that under Gillis the Canucks "will continue to compete at the highest level."

Under Gillis, the Canucks have had the best record in the National Hockey League in each of the past two seasons and reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final a year ago.

While the core of the club is primarily the one he inherited when he took the job four years ago, Gillis has been responsible for re-signing key players like Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows, and Alex Edler. His best free-agent signing was defenseman Dan Hamhuis in the summer of 2010.

During his tenure, Gillis has also made questionable moves like the 12-year contract given Roberto Luongo, adding Mats Sundin at the end of his career, and trading for the likes of Keith Ballard, David Booth, and Zack Kassian, all of whom have yet to have any impact on the hockey club.

While the Canucks have announced the new deal for Mike Gillis, there is still no word on the future of head coach Alain Vigneault, who is set to enter the final year of his current contract.

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