In this edition of Vancouver Canucks News and Rumours, the search for Rick Tocchet’s successor is over as it was announced on Wednesday that Adam Foote has been promoted from assistant to head coach. The news didn’t stop there, as Tom Willander signed his entry-level contract (ELC) shortly after. Finally, Anthony Romani has committed to the NCAA for the 2025-26 season, leaving the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after four seasons with the North Bay Battalion and Barrie Colts.
It was reportedly down to Foote and Manny Malhotra, and the Canucks simply decided to promote their assistant coach from the last two seasons to the top job. While both of them have extensive NHL experience as players, they have never been head coaches in the league. In fact, Foote only has his time behind the Canucks bench on his resume, alongside a short stint in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2019-20 when he was head coach of the Kelowna Rockets. Malhotra, on the other hand, has seven seasons with the Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant and a very impressive first season in the American Hockey League (AHL) where he has led the Abbotsford Canucks to the third round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
But the Canucks chose to go with continuity and keep a coach that has been here the last two seasons and knows this roster inside and out. He also has a great working relationship with captain Quinn Hughes, someone that everyone wants to keep happy right now so that he doesn’t bolt for the East Coast in two years. Hughes himself has said that Foote is the best defence coach he’s ever had, so mission seemingly accomplished on that front. Since Foote signed a three-year contract, he will be here for the next two years to convince Hughes that this is the place to be, not New Jersey alongside his brothers.
Led by a more defensively-conscious Hughes, the Canucks’ defence and penalty killing were transformed by Foote, making it a strength rather than a weakness, which it arguably was under Bruce Boudreau and Travis Green. Now, all they need is an assistant coach that has some offensive creativity to spark Elias Pettersson back to his 100-point self – and the front office to work some magic in the offseason to add more talent to the forward group – and the team will be golden for 2025-26 and beyond.
Tom Willander Saga Ends, Signs 3-Year ELC
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