Adam Foote is now set to officially take over as the Vancouver Canucks’ new head coach. The franchise announced the decision as the NHL world awaited news of former head coach Rick Tocchet’s successor.
Vancouver kept their move simple as they replaced Tocchet with his assistant coach. This, though, drew mixed reactions from Canucks fans.
Canucks Fans React to Adam Foote’s Appointment
One of the fans minced no words, calling the hire as one of the worst decisions made by the franchise. “The absolute worst hire you could ever make. What an absolute joke,” the tweet read.
Another fan zeroed in on Foote’s style of hockey, calling it boring and one that would have him sacked in a couple of seasons.
Fired in two years, tops
— USF Muscovy (@SoFloMuscovy) May 14, 2025
Another believed it was a “great hire”. However, the brickbats outweighed the bouquets that poured in after the announcement.
One believed there was no hope for the team elevating itself with the decision.
Foote was brought in along with Tocchet when the latter was hired as Vancouver’s head coach in January 2023. Leading up to the role, he spent four years as a development coach with the Colorado Avalanche and had a rather forgettable stint as head coach of the Kelowna Rockets.
Foote’s chemistry with Tocchet and the Canucks’ stars has been well-documented as the duo together transformed the side into one of the best defensive teams in the league. Whether he can bring the same transformation as the head coach remains to be seen.
Rick Tocchet On Adam Foote’s Impact – ‘He Knows What I Want’
Earlier, Tocchet lavished Foote with praise as his assistant coach as he thrived in the Canucks fold.
According to Yahoo! Sports’ Patrick Johnston, Tochhet lauded his ability to keep things calm, while adding, “He kind of dipped his toe when he first got here, and now he’s got it. I walk in and he’s got s — t already done. I appreciate that. He’s got practice under control. He knows what I want. He’s got it dialed.”
In the statement, Canucks GM Patrik Allvin highlighted that Foote’s comfort and in-depth knowledge of the team was a key point in appointing him as Tocchet’s successor.
The Canucks interviewed over half-dozen or so other candidates, including their AHL coach Manny Malhotra, along with Washington assistant Mitch Love and LA’ AHL head honcho Marco Sturm. Now, they will hope to fare better with a familiar face at the helm.
