Vancouver, B.C. (June 21, 2018) – Canucks Sports & Entertainment announced today the hiring of Port Coquitlam’s Dan Richardson as General Manager and Pitt Meadow’s Chris Gill as Head Coach for Vancouver’s National Lacrosse League team.
“We are very pleased to add two local and well-respected figures in the lacrosse community to help shape our new franchise,” said Jeff Stipec, COO, Canucks Sports & Entertainment. “It was important for us to find hometown leaders who share our values and who could build this team for both next year and many seasons to come.”
“Dan has nearly 20 years experience as a lacrosse executive, while Chris is a hall-of-famer with a decorated career as a player and he is a young coach on the rise,” added Stipec. “Dan and Chris have extensive experience, in-depth knowledge of our community and we believe they will thrive in their new positions.”
DAN RICHARDSON, GENERAL MANAGER
“I am extremely excited to be given the chance to be the first GM of the Canucks Sports and Entertainment Lacrosse Team,” said Dan Richardson. “We’re looking forward to assembling a competitive team that will be proud to put the Vancouver Jersey on and represent our core values as a club on and off the playing surface.”
General Manager Dan Richardson joins the new NLL team from the New Westminster Senior Salmonbellies, where he served as President & GM for the past 15 years. During his tenure, the Salmonbellies reached the Mann Cup on four occasions (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2017) and the WLA Finals four times (2006, 2007, 2011 and 2015). In 2009, Richardson won the BC Lacrosse Association’s Presidents award for outstanding service. He also won the Western Lacrosse Association Executive of the year three times (2005, 2007 and 2010).
CHRIS GILL, HEAD COACH
“I’m excited for the opportunity to be coaching in my hometown,” said Chris Gill. “The Aquilini family and CSE’s management have laid out an exciting vision for the future, which I am very passionate about being apart of. We have some work to do and I can’t wait to get started.”
“I would like to thank Dan Carey and the Colorado Mammoth for being a first class organization.”
Head Coach Chris Gill spent last season as an Assistant Coach with the Colorado Mammoth and Head Coach of the Maple Ridge Burrards. Gill served in a coaching capacity with Colorado for four seasons, over the span of 2015 to 2018. Prior to his coaching career, Gill played professionally with Baltimore, Ontario, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Colorado where he collected 354 goals and 235 assists in 186 career games and was apart of three NLL Championship teams (two with Toronto and one with Colorado). Previously, he spent 13 years in the WLA with the Burrards and Salmonbellies, recording 833 points (482-352-833) in 282 regular season and playoff games. Gill led the league in scoring on two occasions (1997 and 2000), named a WLA All-Star five time, won the Three Star Award in 1997 and named WLA MVP in 1998.
Following his accomplished career he was named to the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, becoming a fourth generation inductee after great grandfather Robert “Les” Dickinson, grandfather Bill Dickinson and father Sohen Gill.
