UPDATE 8:19 AM: GM Patrik Allvin announced that Clark asked for a new position with the team and will now work as a goalie scout and goaltending development coach.

“When Ian approached me to say that he needed to make a change in his role to transition off the ice, we quickly went to work to find a solution,” said Allvin. “With Clarkie wanting something different at the hockey club, we were extremely fortunate to have Marko in the system and ready to take on the responsibility of becoming our new goaltending coach in Vancouver. Unfortunately, Ian can no longer go on the ice regularly to do the things that have made him successful. But this new role will fit with his expertise and having Clarkie going out to find and develop talent will be a big asset to the organization.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

Ian Clark is stepping aside as the Vancouver Canucks’ goalie coach, according to a report from Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dhali — The Team.

According to Dhaliwal, Abbotsford Canucks goalie coach Marko Torenius will take over as his replacement.

Torenius, a native of Helsinki, Finland, spent the past six seasons prior to joining Abbotsford as the goaltending coach for SKA St. Petersburg. He is credited — along with Rashit Davydov — as one of two goaltending coaches to develop New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin during Shesterkin’s five years with SKA.

Philosophically, Clark and Torenius are very similar goaltending coaches. For the most part, they believe in the same systems, and expect greatness from the goaltenders they work with. Torenius has been mentored by Clark and has worked with the goaltenders in the Canucks’ organization for the past two seasons.

Clark has been the Canucks’ goalie coach for over 10 seasons, first from 2002-2010, then again from 2019-now.

Clark had a title change this past season to Director of Goaltending, which better reflected his role in the Canucks’ organization. Since re-joining the organization in 2019, he has taken on the responsibility of helping the Canucks scout draft eligible goaltenders and is the brains behind the Canucks’ picks of prospects Arturs Silovs, Aku Koskenvuo, and Ty Young.

The Canucks signed Clark to a five-year contract to match that of starting goaltender Thatcher Demko beginning in the 2021-22 season. Clark is entering year four of that contract.

This move could be as simple as Clark taking on more responsibilities as Director of Goaltending and giving the day-to-day duties of an NHL goalie coach to the certainly qualified Torenius, who Clark handpicked himself to join the Canucks’ organization. Or it could be a completely new goaltending-related role with the team.

We reached out to the Canucks for comment on the report and will update this story if and when we have one.

More to come.