The Vancouver Canucks have appointed Adam Foote as the new head coach, the team announced Wednesday.

Foote, 53, has served as assistant coach for head coach Rick Tocchet in the past three seasons. His only previous head coaching experience was a season behind the bench for the WHL Kelowna Rockets, trailing 29-28-6 in 63 games in 2019-20.

He is the 22nd head coach in franchise history. TSN reported Foote agreed to reach a three-year agreement.

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the team has hired Adam Foote as the 22nd head coach in team history. pic.twitter.com/djtdh8xohb

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) May 14, 2025

At the end of the 2024-25 season, Tocchet resigned after his three-year contract expired. The Canucks chose not to exercise their contact option on Tocchet, but instead offered him a large contract extension. Team president Jim Rutherford said the Canucks "do their best" to keep Tocchet, but "he may have his own ideas elsewhere."

Sources told ESPN Wednesday that Tocchet will be the next head coach for Philadelphia Flyer, with whom he played for 11 seasons.

Foote won two Stanley Cups in the Colorado Avalanche (1996 and 2001) and is considered one of the NHL's premier defensive defenders in its 19-season career. Foot also plays for Quebec Nordic and Columbus blue jackets.

“His past experiences on the ice have translated well into a coaching style that fits the goals and vision of our organization. Over the past few years, his efforts have been very hard and have inspired respect and trust from our players. His communication is good and honest and straightforward opinions. He knows this group better than anyone we interviewed and has internal knowledge and knowledge we are going to go back to where we want to go," we are going to go back to where we want to go. ”

Foote isn't the only internal candidate to accept the job of Canucks head coaching. AHL ABBOTSFORD head coach Manny Malhotra is also considering it.

Foote takes over a Canucks team that failed to make the playoffs after the second round of 2023-24. Vancouver has only two playoffs in the past 10 NHL seasons. From the fate of free agent Brock Boeser to how to get 26-year-old star center Elias Pettersson back on the offensive track, the Karnaks face a series of problems for the next season. But hiring Foot could solve another uncertainty in Vancouver: Captain Quinn Hughes's fate.

The defense will sign for the 2026-27 season, but Rutherford has recently sparked speculation that Hughes may try to eventually leave Vancouver to play with the Jack and Luke brothers, who are currently with the New Jersey Devils.

"He had said it would be partially out of control before he wanted to play with his brothers," Rutherford said.

Foote has worked with the team’s defensemen over the past two seasons. They were the two best seasons of Quinn Hughes’ NHL career, winning the Norris Trophy in 2023-24 and again being finalists for the award this season. Now, the guy who got the best guy from the captain has been sticking with their new head coach.

His son, Cal Foote, is one of five players in Canada's 2018 World Youth Championship, faces allegations of sexual assault in an incident in a hotel room in London, Ontario. The trial is in progress. All five players pleaded not guilty.