Much to the disappointment of their increasingly disenchanted fans, the Vancouver Canucks have hired Adam Foote, Rick Tocchet's old assistant coach, to be their new head coach going forward.
Foote, 53, has served as an assistant coach on the Canucks for parts of the last three seasons and has only completed one full season where his only responsibility was to serve as head coach. That was the 2018-19 season with the WHL Kelowna Rockets, and he was fired in the middle of the following season.
So, the Canucks are banking on being competitive with a guy in Foote who has almost zero significant coaching experience and even less success doing it. Was Manny Malhotra really a better option? Well, his deep run into the Calder Cup playoffs with the Abbotsford Canucks is already greater than what Foote has accomplished in his coaching career, which dates back to 2012.
The Canucks are putting all their eggs in the Quinn Hughes basket, doing everything they can to try and keep their captain in Vancouver, and in Vancouver past the fated 2027 offseason, when he is expected to join brothers Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes on the New Jersey Devils.
“Adam is a strong leader, good teacher, and person who knows what it takes to build a great culture and winning attitude. His past experiences on the ice have translated nicely into a coaching style that fits our organization’s goals and vision. He has worked extremely hard the past few years, gaining our players' respect and trust for his strong communication and honest, straightforward opinion," Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said of Foote in a statement Wednesday. "He knows this group better than anyone else we interviewed and has inside knowledge and understanding of what it will take to get us back to where we want to be. Adam brings structure, accountability, and a detail-oriented approach to his coaching, a process that will send a clear message to our group about the way we want to compete, practice, and play hockey. "
They already failed to keep Tocchet, but Foote, who is equally liked by Hughes, will provide some continuity and familiarity. But will he provide wins and player development? Foote has a lot to prove during the three-year deal the Canucks have signed him to.