Benning is the first significant hire made

VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks have named Jim Benning as their new general manager. Benning is the first significant hire made by new Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden, who was handed the franchises reins after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in six years following a disastrous 2013-14 campaign. Benning spent the last eight seasons with the Boston Bruins, including seven as the clubs assistant general manager. A former Canucks defenceman during his playing days, the 51-year-old Benning is the 11th general manager in franchise history -- a post he has never held with an NHL club. "Jim brings a wealth of hockey experience as a builder and talent evaluator that will benefit this team for years to come," said Linden in a statement. "We are aligned on how we want to build this team and Jims level of commitment to building a championship team is exciting. I look forward to re-introducing him to Vancouver on Friday." The Edmonton native replaces Mike Gillis, who was fired as Vancouvers president and general manager a day after the club was eliminated from playoff contention with three games left in the regular season. Bennings first order of business with the Canucks will be to hire a new head coach after Linden axed John Tortorella earlier this month following one tumultuous campaign. Benning will also have to prepare for next months NHL draft and assess a roster that Tortorella accused of being "stale" at his end-of-season press conference. Apart from helping to shape a Bruins team that defeated the Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup final, Bennings managerial resume also includes 12 seasons with Buffalo Sabres, with eight of those spent as that clubs director of amateur scouting. Selected sixth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1981 NHL draft, Benning played nine seasons with Toronto and Vancouver, collecting 52 goals and 191 assists in 610 career games. 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We have the strength of a nation behind us. We were raised on ice and in snow. "And as we said in our note to the Canadian hockey team, we also fight to the bitter end." Only twice before has Canada had two people share flag duties: pairs figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier in 2002, and rowers Marnie McBean and Kathleen Heddle in 1996. Womens hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser carried the flag into the opening ceremony in Sochi. Humphries, from Calgary, and Moyse, from Summerside, P.E.I., displayed steely nerves in their come-from-behind victory. The Canada 1 sled had a gap of 11-100ths of a second to close entering the final run. Moyse delivered with a strong push at the start, then Humphries took over from there. In the end the USA-1 sled came up short on its final run, giving Canada the win by a tenth of a second. "We were able to show the world that were fierce, were proud, were determined, were not going to settle for anything less than being the very best, and were going to do it in our own way," Humphries said. "Heather and I in our race. . . neither of us gave up and we knew we had a nation behind us, pushing us, and not giving up either, and that gave us the strength to really go all in and never let up." Humphries and Moyse were underdogs when they won at the Vancouver Games four years ago but were favourites this time around. The Canadians had at least silver locked up after their final run at the Sanki Sliding Center, and then had a nervous two-minute wait in the finish area while Americans Elana Meyers and Lauryn Williams completed their run. The pressure seemed to get to the Americans, who came up one-10tth of a second short with a wobbly run, meaning Canadas women were golden once again.dddddddddddd Humphries and Moyse received the flag news very early Sunday morning. Theyd been at the bobsled track late watching the Canadian men race. When the 28-year-old Humphries got the call from Canadian chef de mission Steve Podborski, she thought shed pocket-dialled him. "He was like No, I called you," Humphries said. "To get that phone call to be told that you get to walk into a ceremonies with your countrymen behind you, your teammates, your family, and to know that youve been chosen as one to represent. . . goes beyond just words." As the women pointed out, they represent Canada almost from coast to coast. After the Vancouver Games, there were references about the two being meat and potatoes -- Alberta beef and P.E.I. potatoes. "That steak and potatoes, that gold-medal meal," Humphries said. "We tie in everywhere from coast to coast, and its not just (an honour) to represent our country, but to represent the athletes who are here, the best of the best who already represent our country so well." Podborski said the bobsledders embody the values the Canadian Olympic team set for the Sochi Games -- stoked, proud, inspired, fierce and unstoppable. "By defending their Olympic championship in a four-run come-from-behind battle that was clinched in literally the last few seconds, the last few metres," he said. The Canadian Olympic Committee had "an embarrassment of riches," to choose from as well, he added. Among other likely candidates: womens and mens curling champions Jennifer Jones and Brad Jacobs, moguls champion Alex Bilodeau, and sisters Justine and Chloe Dufour-Lapointe sisters, gold and silver medallists in womens moguls. Hours before they were to march into Fisht Olympic stadium, Humphries was hoping to control her nerves while Moyse was worried about crying. "Im so nervous and so excited for it and I was not even close to this nervous competing by any means," Humphries said, laughing. "For me the nerves will probably be to try to get through it without sobbing," Moyse added. "Its an extremely emotional feeling, so if I get through it without crying, that will be a huge step." ' ' '