Sportsbook Offers Odds on NHL Canucks New GM



Sportingbet, the publicly traded UK-based sportsbook, is taking bets on who will become the new General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks.

The National Hockey League team is currently interviewing candidates for the vacant GM's position after firing former boss Dave Nonis on April 14. Nonis replaced Brian Burke as the Canucks' general manager in 2004.

The favorite to become the Canucks' new GM at Sportingbet is former Dallas Stars general manager Doug Armstrong, at +350 moneyline odds.

Armstrong, who joined the Stars in 1991 and was appointed General Manager in 2002, was fired on Nov. 13, 2007 after the team started the 2007-08 season with a 7-7-3 record. His dismissal came three days after the Stars blew a 4-0 lead to the Los Angeles Kings with seven minutes remaining in the game and ended up losing 6-5.

The next leading candidate is Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill, who is a +400 favorite at Sportingbet to take over in Vancouver. Nill, a native of Vernon, B.C. who played three seasons for the Canucks in the early 1980s, is considered a keen judge of talent, having overseen the selection of Detroit stars Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk in the late rounds of the NHL draft.

Bob Murray, the senior vice president of hockey operations for the 2007 Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks, is +450 to become the Canucks' new GM.

Like Nonis, Murray worked for Burke, now the GM in Anaheim, when Burke was GM in Vancouver. Murray is also a former Canucks scout.

Another top pick is current Canucks Assistant General Manager Steve Tambellini at +650 odds. Born in Trail, B.C., Tambellini just finished his 17th season with the Canucks.

Other top candidates include player agents Mike Gillis (+750) and Brian Lawton (+1000), former Canuck GMs Burke (+2200) and Pat Quinn (+1000), Canucks player Trevor Linden (+1200), who is expected to announce his retirement this summer, and former New York Rangers GM Neil Smith (+1600).





Sportsbook Offers Odds on NHL Canucks New GM