The Vancouver Canucks may have lost head coach Rick Tocchet to uncontrollable external factors, but there remains the possibility they try to keep things the same by hiring assistant coach Adam Foote.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, this possibility of turning the keys over to Foote is distinctly legitimate.
“I think Adam Foote would have a serious chance there in Vancouver,” Friedman said in the latest episode of his "32 Thoughts" podcast. "First of all, he’s a really smart guy. That’s number one. But number two, I’d be curious to see if that was something that would sort of be 'Quinn Hughes approved'. Foote has really helped Hughes improve as a player, given him good advice, and they bounce things off each other very well. I wouldn’t be surprised if, in addition to the fact I think he really knows hockey well, that would have Foote on Vancouver’s shortlist.”
Piggybacking off Friedman's latest comments, it is worth noting that Canucks captain Quinn Hughes publicly went to bat for Tocchet before, as well as Foote. If Foote is really in consideration for the vacant head coaching position, that's a good sign the Canucks are letting Hughes dictate their present and future.
This would also prove, however, that the Canucks have not learned from their past mistakes and are doomed to repeat them if this continues.
Foote, 53, has never served as a head coach in professional hockey, coming into the picture with one full season at the helm of a real team--the 2018-19 season with the WHL's Kelowna Rocket. He was fired during the 2019-20 season, one year later.
So, not only is Foote not really qualified for the job, he doesn't have a whole lot of experience, either.
The Canucks are closer to a rebuild than to a Stanley Cup, and they are attempting to put Hughes before the team and before the franchise. As good as Hughes is, he has one foot out the door ahead of the 2027 offseason.
And if the Canucks are not truly competitive by then, Hughes will be out the door fully. At that point, the Canucks will have wasted two years achieving nothing.