Confirmed with Link: Adam Foote Named Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks

[Ghetty Green]

Andrew Brunette and Milan Hejduk would make awesome assistant coaches.

Would Sakic come here to GM?

Wes Walz for team president

 

[PuckMunchkin]

I mean, we just acquired two pending UFAs mid-way through the season and both re-upped almost immediately for lower dollars than expected and raved about the city and the organization.

As much as a tiny minority of self-loathing fans want this to be another Benning era, it pretty clearly isn't the case and the couple organizational setbacks that have happened in the last year haven't somehow turned us from one of the better-run organizations into one of the worst. The hot takes of a few chicken-little fans aren't representative of the league-wide view of the team.

Like, if you're inventing narratives out of thin air that Malhotra probably just turned down the team because we were such a stupid joke ... you might want to check your biases.




I honestly wonder what people like you will find to complain about in two years when we win the Cup.

See how dumb this is?

Also, being a quality organization and having Quinn Hughes leave aren't mutually exclusive.

It's been a shitty year, obviously. Last year was utterly fantastic. We'll see where things sit another year from now but the sky isn't falling and we aren't back in 2015.

Oh man... I cant.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

You wrote, "We are not a serious organization and wont be until Aquaman is gone."

@Andy Dufresne wrote "You're aware Aquilini became full owner 2006 right... We weren't a serious organization with Mike Gillis as GM... We weren't serious when we went to Game 7 of the Finals?"

Like you don't have to agree with what he said, but how are you not understanding what he's getting at?

Ok. So he is genuinely disputing that Aquaman is the issue? That is ACTUALLY the point he is trying to make?

 

[Deeds26]

Would have been nice to bring him in again to run the defensive side.

 

[ephmrl]

I am trying to be positive about the hire but there is some doubts about him. I mean, listen to this sigh

If you're trying to be more positive, I'd suggest listening to less of Sekeres and Price.

 

[DiggerDan]

I mean, we just acquired two pending UFAs mid-way through the season and both re-upped almost immediately for lower dollars than expected and raved about the city and the organization.

As much as a tiny minority of self-loathing fans want this to be another Benning era, it pretty clearly isn't the case and the couple organizational setbacks that have happened in the last year haven't somehow turned us from one of the better-run organizations into one of the worst. The hot takes of a few chicken-little fans aren't representative of the league-wide view of the team.

Like, if you're inventing narratives out of thin air that Malhotra probably just turned down the team because we were such a stupid joke ... you might want to check your biases.




I honestly wonder what people like you will find to complain about in two years when we win the Cup.

See how dumb this is?

Also, being a quality organization and having Quinn Hughes leave aren't mutually exclusive.

It's been a shitty year, obviously. Last year was utterly fantastic. We'll see where things sit another year from now but the sky isn't falling and we aren't back in 2015.

Thank you for bringing some basic logic to the conversation. It's really not that complicated and the childish, outlandish conjecture by some here is laughable. Chicken little, indeed.

 

[mossey3535]

Every coach in the NHL started with no NHL coaching experience—they deserve a chance. Alvin mentioned interviewing numerous candidates: experienced NHL coaches and up-and-comers likely from the AHL. Let’s see how Foote does. Remember, the greatest Canucks coaches, Pat Quinn and Alain Vigneault, were also defensemen.

I mean he's the coach now so I hope he succeeds. But it's foolish to claim that Foote has a track record of success as a head coach. I remember the news of him clocking it up in Kelowna. And some argue he just built on what Yeo built the foundation for.

At least Manny has worked his way up in the traditional way with assistant coaching gigs and now a stint as a successful head coach in Abby. I think that's a big deal to show you can coach pros vs junior kids.

Oh well, I guess we'll find out. We need to surround him with some experienced assistants IMO.

 

[tantalum]

I mean he's the coach now so I hope he succeeds. But it's foolish to claim that Foote has a track record of success as a head coach. I remember the news of him clocking it up in Kelowna. And some argue he just built on what Yeo built the foundation for.

At least Manny has worked his way up in the traditional way with assistant coaching gigs and now a stint as a successful head coach in Abby. I think that's a big deal to show you can coach pros vs junior kids.

Oh well, I guess we'll find out. We need to surround him with some experienced assistants IMO.

Sure but at the same time this is the Kelowna Rockets success:

Year before Foote - Out of playoffs
Foote year - There were no playoffs...kelowna would have been in the thick of things
No playoffs the next year (and only a handful of games)
1st round loss
1st round loss 2nd round loss
Out of playoffs

It's not like he sunk a high powered team which then immediately rebounded.

He now has some experience as an assistant in the NHL so we will see. But one thing we do know is he has done a great job working with the blueline.

But yes, experienced assistants is a must.

 

[Attack Vector]

I think Canucks are gunning for Mitch Love as an assistant

 

[Delocatedfan]

I think Canucks are gunning for Mitch Love as an assistant

Not sure it makes sense for him to leave the same job he has in Washington unless he believes he would eventually get a shot at the head coaching gig or his contracts up in Washington.

 

[Vector]

Luke Richardson

• Interviewing for head coaching positions; mentions the Bruins
• If he doesn’t become a head coach, will be candidate to be an assistant coach with the Canucks

Bob Boughner

• Wonders if Foote would have interest in bringing in Boughner; former Panthers head coach and currently an assistant with the Red Wings

Mitch Love

• Doesn’t see him leaving the Capitals for an assistant coaching position

 

[Attack Vector]

Not sure it makes sense for him to leave the same job he has in Washington unless he believes he would eventually get a shot at the head coaching gig or his contracts up in Washington.

yeah it doesn't, the only pitch is if he wants to come back closer to home.

Brad Shaw would have been my #1 pick but he prefers to stay East, those other candidates above are bottom barrel.

 

[Vector]

Luke Richardson

• Interviewing for head coaching positions; mentions the Bruins
• If he doesn’t become a head coach, will be candidate to be an assistant coach with the Canucks

Bob Boughner

• Wonders if Foote would have interest in bringing in Boughner; former Panthers head coach and currently an assistant with the Red Wings

Mitch Love

• Doesn’t see him leaving the Capitals for an assistant coaching position

To follow up on this, Boughner is not currently employed by the Red Wings. He was let go when the Red Wings fired Lalonde.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Oh so we have consistently made the playoffs under this regime?....


We have one of the worst records of drafting in the league, we have the least amount of picks that are actually playing NHL games, compared to the rest of the league, no, we haven't drafted developed a high amount over the last decade, unless I'm mistaken I count a few players at most and is EP even considered high value anymore?


So this doesn't point to a quality organization, for free agents, at best a mediocre, I will say at least this regime, isn't overpaying like the previous one.

We are the only team in the league that doesn't have a facility, it was a point of contention for the previous coach, this is not merely a fan issue. come on man.

Hey, I hope I am wrong, I just see the same things happening over and over, trading away picks, letting players walk for nothing etc. now add in the drama and it looks awfully bleak man.

The single biggest difference between Rutherford and Benning is pro scouting execution. Particularly, in the beginning of the 2023-24 season. They brought in Cole, Soucy, Suter, Blueger and Zadorov all within a few months. Benning would dream of that type of conversion...

That said, there are a lot of similarities in how the two regimes operate: They trade peak futures for now players (Hronek, MPetey). They bleed picks for little reward (Their pipeline is weak as a result). UFAs have walked or have not been traded for value. Turmoil behind the scenes. All while chasing a low ceiling... There's a lot to rectify.

Would I trade it for the Benning era though? Not a chance in hell. However many mistakes this regime has made, and they've made some doozies imo, they are still light years ahead of Benning.

I think your post is highly negative, while certain other posts are overly positive. The truth is that Allvin/Rutherford are just average, and the results of the team have toggled a shade on either side of average.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Thank you for bringing some basic logic to the conversation. It's really not that complicated and the childish, outlandish conjecture by some here is laughable. Chicken little, indeed.

Yeah.

I mean these three years have been so good. Cant remember anything going wrong apart from evil fans and fake news media.

Why would anyone be worried!?

#Chickenlittle #videogamelogic

 

[PuckMunchkin]

The single biggest difference between Rutherford and Benning is pro scouting execution. Particularly, in the beginning of the 2023-24 season. They brought in Cole, Soucy, Suter, Blueger and Zadorov all within a few months. Benning would dream of that type of conversion...

That said, there are a lot of similarities in how the two regimes operate: They trade peak futures for now players (Hronek, MPetey). They bleed picks for little reward (Their pipeline is weak as a result). UFAs have walked or have not been traded for value. Turmoil behind the scenes. All while chasing a low ceiling... There's a lot to rectify.

Would I trade it for the Benning era though? Not a chance in hell. However many mistakes this regime has made, and they've made some doozies imo, they are still light years ahead of Benning.

I think your post is highly negative, while certain other posts are overly positive. The truth is that Allvin/Rutherford are just average, and the results of the team have toggled a shade on either side of average.

The worst thing,to me, about what has already happened post-Benning is that all this will likely cost us this management.

Its a decent group of professionals with a extremely flawed plan that has already failed spectacularily.

If they were allowed to take, what almost everyone here and from my experience in the hockey watching world knew to be the standard path, we could be well on our way to becoming a relevant team in stanley cup contention.

Instead... Rutherford now had 2 more years and after that I doubt we are hiring a president of hockey ops. Who knows what that will look like.

 

[arttk]

The single biggest difference between Rutherford and Benning is pro scouting execution. Particularly, in the beginning of the 2023-24 season. They brought in Cole, Soucy, Suter, Blueger and Zadorov all within a few months. Benning would dream of that type of conversion...

That said, there are a lot of similarities in how the two regimes operate: They trade peak futures for now players (Hronek, MPetey). They bleed picks for little reward (Their pipeline is weak as a result). UFAs have walked or have not been traded for value. Turmoil behind the scenes. All while chasing a low ceiling... There's a lot to rectify.

Would I trade it for the Benning era though? Not a chance in hell. However many mistakes this regime has made, and they've made some doozies imo, they are still light years ahead of Benning.

I think your post is highly negative, while certain other posts are overly positive. The truth is that Allvin/Rutherford are just average, and the results of the team have toggled a shade on either side of average.

Amateur scouting is a big difference, roster building is another, not giving out stupid contracts to crappy players is a difference.

It’s hard to tell if JR and Allvin is average because of how bad Benning was and how much of a mess he left behind. Rarely do you see a team lacking in cap, roster players, picks, prospects and have a bunch of anchor contracts.
I think there are a bunch of management missteps, specifically around how they managed Petey and Miller and if not for that, they have done a wonderful job but that one misstep is so bad, we’ll have to see if they can rescue the situation.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Amateur scouting is a big difference, roster building is another, not giving out stupid contracts to crappy players is a difference.

It’s hard to tell if JR and Allvin is average because of how bad Benning was and how much of a mess he left behind. Rarely do you see a team lacking in cap, roster players, picks, prospects and have a bunch of anchor contracts.
I think there are a bunch of management missteps, specifically around how they managed Petey and Miller and if not for that, they have done a wonderful job but that one misstep is so bad, we’ll have to see if they can rescue the situation.

Respectfully, if one's evaluation comes down to the Pettersson/Miller situation alone, then one has accepted the scapegoat management has propped up.
They have failed far more than just this. But you also said there have been "a bunch of missteps" so it's a bit confusing.

Their amateur scouting record is uncertain and sparse. The way they built the defense coming into this year was poor. They've had questionable work with Horvat, Lindholm, Zadorov, Mikheyev, Kuzmenko, Heinen, Desharnais, Soucy and more. The quick re-tool failure. Etc... In other words, there's a lot to talk about on both sides of the ledger.

 

[arttk]

Respectfully, if one's evaluation comes down to the Pettersson/Miller situation alone, then one has accepted the scapegoat management has propped up.
They have failed far more than just this. But you also said there have been "a bunch of missteps" so it's a bit confusing.

Their amateur scouting record is uncertain and sparse. The way they built the defense coming into this year was poor. They've had questionable work with Horvat, Lindholm, Zadorov, Mikheyev, Kuzmenko, Heinen, Desharnais, Soucy and more. The quick re-tool failure. Etc... In other words, there's a lot to talk about on both sides of the ledger.

Well that was the biggest misstep, the thing around Petey and Miller.

Amateur scouting has produced Lekk, DP, Willander and Fernstrom, Brewz had enough value to be traded as a B level prospect in a trade, all in like 3 drafts? I think that’s a higher output compared to the Benning drafts.

I don’t know what is questionable about the Horvat situation, they traded him for essentially Hronek and Raty, I think that’s a trade anyone would make over and over again.
I think not being able to retain Z and Lindholm is an issue, but at least they were good targets compared to the Benning targets.
Soucy got us back a high 3rd and gave us 1 good season out of 2 he was here.

Yes Kuz, Desharnais, Mik, Heinen didn’t work out but good GM is not about making zero mistakes, nobody is perfect, it about being humble enough to recognize a mistakes has been made and you go out to fix it instead of doubling down on it which is a hallmark of the Benning era where he double or triple down on mistakes like Gubrandon, Sutter,Granlund, Sbisa and etc.
so far pro scouting wins (ability to identify good players) are, Z, DeBrusk, Suter, MP, Hronek, Bluegar, Sherwood, Lankinen which is already a way longer list than Benning. Is that average for the league, I have no clue, someone can do an analysis of all the moves a GM has made in the last 3 years and come up with a ranking but I am sure I don’t want to spend the time on that.

Like I said, the retool WAS successful until the Miller Petey nuke. So they were successful in retooling, can they fix it is something we’ll see soon enough. If they can then I don’t think we should have any doubts about the competency of this group.

We haven’t even touched on the work they have done around the farm team. Karlsson is like the prime example of the before and after of having proper development environment.

 

[Bleach Clean]

The worst thing,to me, about what has already happened post-Benning is that all this will likely cost us this management.

Its a decent group of professionals with a extremely flawed plan that has already failed spectacularily.

If they were allowed to take, what almost everyone here and from my experience in the hockey watching world knew to be the standard path, we could be well on our way to becoming a relevant team in stanley cup contention.

Instead... Rutherford now had 2 more years and after that I doubt we are hiring a president of hockey ops. Who knows what that will look like.

Yes, that Sat Shah tweet about management's future being tied to Foote is alarming. Their quick re-tool failure and Tocchet's departure, it's all just tightened the noose... So to speak.

Question is, how good is the group really if the plan is "extremely flawed"? I think they thought they could pull it off, they just didn't, and so there are consequences.

Initially, I wanted a tenured voice like Rutherford to hold Aquilini at bay, but now I'm not so sure that it's a requirement. Any GM would re-tool with Hughes+Pettersson. The only question is how they go about it.

 

[God]

Yes, that Sat Shah tweet about management's future being tied to Foote is alarming. Their quick re-tool failure and Tocchet's departure, it's all just tightened the noose... So to speak.

Question is, how good is the group really if the plan is "extremely flawed"? I think they thought they could pull it off, they just didn't, and so there are consequences.

Initially, I wanted a tenured voice like Rutherford to hold Aquilini at bay, but now I'm not so sure that it's a requirement. Any GM would re-tool with Hughes+Pettersson. The only question is how they go about it.

It's definitely a requirement. The first year of Rutherford's tenure was basically him subtly hinting that ownership wasn't giving him free reign to fire Boudreau. Now it's about the practice facility, and I think public opinion has swayed in his favour (particularly with Tocchet leaving and mentioning that), which puts pressure on the owners.

I think the management group has done the best they can in spite of weird scenarios (not having the coach they want, both star forwards feuding), and it kinda sucks if they're on a tight leash because of it. But they also made the choice to hire Foote, so I guess they have to live with that too if it blows up in their face.

 

[arttk]

It's definitely a requirement. The first year of Rutherford's tenure was basically him subtly hinting that ownership wasn't giving him free reign to fire Boudreau. Now it's about the practice facility, and I think public opinion has swayed in his favour (particularly with Tocchet leaving and mentioning that), which puts pressure on the owners.

I think the management group has done the best they can in spite of weird scenarios (not having the coach they want, both star forwards feuding), and it kinda sucks if they're on a tight leash because of it. But they also made the choice to hire Foote, so I guess they have to live with that too if it blows up in their face.

Well they 100% know what would happen if the next coach doesn’t work out so they made the Foote hiring knowing that reality.

I find it strange that people would view it as, oh they hired Foote and now their future is going to be dependent on that as if that was not the case.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Well that was the biggest misstep, the thing around Petey and Miller.

Amateur scouting has produced Lekk, DP, Willander and Fernstrom, Brewz had enough value to be traded as a B level prospect in a trade, all in like 3 drafts? I think that’s a higher output compared to the Benning drafts.

I don’t know what is questionable about the Horvat situation, they traded him for essentially Hronek and Raty, I think that’s a trade anyone would make over and over again.
I think not being able to retain Z and Lindholm is an issue, but at least they were good targets compared to the Benning targets.
Soucy got us back a high 3rd and gave us 1 good season out of 2 he was here.

Yes Kuz, Desharnais, Mik, Heinen didn’t work out but good GM is not about making zero mistakes, nobody is perfect, it about being humble enough to recognize a mistakes has been made and you go out to fix it instead of doubling down on it which is a hallmark of the Benning era where he double or triple down on mistakes like Gubrandon, Sutter,Granlund, Sbisa and etc.
so far pro scouting wins (ability to identify good players) are, Z, DeBrusk, Suter, MP, Hronek, Bluegar, Sherwood, Lankinen which is already a way longer list than Benning. Is that average for the league, I have no clue, someone can do an analysis of all the moves a GM has made in the last 3 years and come up with a ranking but I am sure I don’t want to spend the time on that.

Like I said, the retool WAS successful until the Miller Petey nuke. So they were successful in retooling, can they fix it is something we’ll see soon enough. If they can then I don’t think we should have any doubts about the competency of this group.

We haven’t even touched on the work they have done around the farm team. Karlsson is like the prime example of the before and after of having proper development environment.

The goal of a re-tool is cup contention. To that end, they have failed.

It isn't just to get back into the playoffs. Like, would you say the re-tool was still on track had they squeaked into the playoffs despite the Miller/Pettersson incident? I hope you would not, but that's what you're implying here.

That Miller/Pettersson feud was a self inflicted wound going back to the Horvat/Miller feud. These people knew what was going on, they just let it happen. That's on them. They wear it.

On the different aspects you've listed:

- Other teams have players like Lekk and Willander within a 3 draft span. MIN with Yurov + Ohgren, STL with Dvorsky + Snuggerud. etc...
- They have bled future assets at an alarming rate. Lindholm and Zadorov are examples of this.
- I keep Horvat over Hronek. Besides, they could have gotten Hronek by dealing their 1st rounder. Plus, Horvat trade was bad value.
- They signed Soucy to play here for 3 years. Good pro scouting? Kuzmenko? Mikheyev? And on and on...

Judge them by what you see around the league, not the Benning standard. And yes, average GMs do good things and bad things. To maintain that they've been good overall despite the turmoil and mistakes they've made though... I mean, you're welcome to that assertion. I would say it's not accurate.

 

[Bleach Clean]

It's definitely a requirement. The first year of Rutherford's tenure was basically him subtly hinting that ownership wasn't giving him free reign to fire Boudreau. Now it's about the practice facility, and I think public opinion has swayed in his favour (particularly with Tocchet leaving and mentioning that), which puts pressure on the owners.

I think the management group has done the best they can in spite of weird scenarios (not having the coach they want, both star forwards feuding), and it kinda sucks if they're on a tight leash because of it. But they also made the choice to hire Foote, so I guess they have to live with that too if it blows up in their face.

Right, Foote was management's choice. Sink or swim. As was retaining Miller over Horvat, and keeping Miller in the same room with Pettersson.

To the requirement of a OBC tenured POHO: We should remember that non-OBC Gillis held sway over Aquilini once upon a time too. He didn't need tenure to do it. It's why I think a more competent re-tooler would hold sway with Aquilini in much the same way, despite not having the resume Rutherford has. Results are what he's after.

Anyway, though I feel it's not a requirement to success, at least a lack of experience isn't a question mark.

 

[Vector]

Recap of Rick Dhaliwal's interview. I'll break this up to the relevant threads.

Possible Assistant Coaches

• Luke Richardson is talking to team about becoming a head coach and if he doesn’t get a head coaching job, he’s a candidate to be an assistant coach; Canucks talked to him about their head coaching job
• Foote didn’t interview with any other team
• Wouldn’t surprise Dhaliwal if Bob Boughner is on Foote’s radar; played together and is an experienced coach

Malhotra

• Would leave Malhotra in Abbotsford
• His coaching this season has been noticed around the NHL
• His son may not return to the BCHL next season and instead go back to the OHL
• They interviewed him for the head coaching position, they like him, and his day will come