The Vancouver Canucks are heading into a new era behind the bench.
The team officially named Adam Foote as the 22nd head coach in franchise history on Wednesday, promoting him from assistant coach after a year and a half with the organization.
Foote, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime NHL blueliner, steps into the role following the departure of Rick Tocchet, who guided the Canucks to the playoffs in 2023-24 but couldn’t get the group back into the postseason this year.
The team finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 38-30-14 and fell short of expectations, leading to a change in leadership.
Tocchet is reportedly set to take over as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.
In a statement, Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin praised Foote’s leadership qualities and familiarity with the group.
“Adam is a strong leader, good teacher and person who knows what it takes to build a great culture and winning attitude,” said Allvin. “He has worked extremely hard the past few years, gaining our players’ respect and trust for his strong communication and honest, straightforward opinion. He knows this group better than anyone else we interviewed.”
Foote was originally hired by the Canucks on January 22nd, 2023, joining Tocchet’s coaching staff to work specifically with the team’s defencemen.
His influence helped elevate the play of key blueliners like Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek, and he played a role in improving the team’s defensive structure and penalty kill.
Prior to his time in Vancouver, the 52-year-old from Toronto had built up a coaching resume that included four years as a development consultant with the Colorado Avalanche, two seasons behind the bench as head coach of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, and a gold medal run as Director of Player Development for Team Canada at the 2017 Spengler Cup.
As a player, Foote brings a wealth of experience and championship pedigree. Drafted 22nd overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1989, he played over 1,100 NHL games—most notably with the Colorado Avalanche—and won two Stanley Cups with the club in 1996 and 2001.He also represented Canada in three Winter Olympics and two World Cup of Hockey tournaments, capturing Olympic gold in 2002 and World Cup gold in 2004.
Foote now takes the reins of a team that’s in transition but still packed with talent, and management believes he’s the right voice to lead them forward.
“Adam brings structure, accountability, and a detail-oriented approach to his coaching,” Allvin added. “A process that will send a clear message to our group about the way we want to compete, practice, and play hockey.”
