WHL Giants fire Lorne Molleken; Mike Johnston expected to take over dual roles

The Vancouver Giants fired head coach Lorne Molleken on Friday afternoon – a move, which is part of a larger plan for the Western Hockey League franchise.

Mike Johnston has been long-rumoured as the lead candidate to replace departing general manager Scott Bonner, who is joining Edmonton-based The Sports Corporation as a player agent. Johnston became available after being fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins after a 15-10-3 start.

With Molleken out of the picture, it appears Johnston is now expected to take over both the coach and general manager roles with Vancouver.

"It was time to start fresh. The new guy will be coach and GM,” Giants majority owner Ron Toigo told Vancouver radio station CKWX News 1130. “We will get back to being a proud franchise, the last three years have been tough but this is fixable."

Johnston previously held both titles with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks from 2008-2014 where he guided the club to a 231-114-10-10 record. The 59-year-old also has ties to Vancouver having served as an assistant coach with the Canucks on Marc Crawford’s staff.

Molleken compiled a 23-38-5-4 record behind the Giants bench. This season marks the third in four years that Vancouver has missed the playoffs.

Assistant coach Tyler Kuntz will coach the WHL club for the final two games of the regular season beginning Friday night when the Giants play host to the Kelowna Rockets. It could be the club's final home game at the storied Pacific Coliseum. Once home to the Vancouver Canucks, the Giants have played at the rink, which originally opened in 1968, since the team’s inception in 2001.

Ewen has reported the Giants have been in talks with the Langley Events Centre – 38 kilometres east of their current residence.

According to CKWX, the club has also spoken to the City of Abbotsford about a possible relocation. The Abbotsford Centre opened in May 2009 and played host to the now defunct Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League.

The City of Abbotsford is now talking with the #WHLGiants about moving to the Fraser Valley. Giants need to make up minds in June.

The Giants must decide by June on relocation plans.