Canucks Fire Head Coach Adam Foote

The Vancouver Canucks are officially cleaning house. On Tuesday afternoon, newly promoted General Manager Ryan Johnson announced that the organization has fired head coach Adam Foote, confirming a complete reset of the franchise's leadership structure.

This is the first notable move by Johnson, who was officially hired last week, as the Hockey Hall of Famers Daniel and Henrik Sedin were promoted to co-presidents of hockey operations.

“We would like to thank Adam, Scott, Kevin, and Brett for all the work they did for us this season,” said Johnson. “It was a challenging year on several fronts and truthfully, Adam and his staff were dealt a very difficult hand. That said, as we head into a rebuild, our group feels new coaching voices are needed to chart the path forward. Establishing the proper environment and culture is a vital first step in creating a solid and authentic connection throughout the entire organization. At the start of next season, our coaches will need to do a lot of work with our players, to instill in them the traits and habits they will rely on moving forward. The process to bring in a new staff begins immediately.” 

Foote, a two-time Stanley Cup champion during his playing days with the Colorado Avalanche, was originally brought in by the previous management regime of Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford. Tasked with stabilizing the locker room, Foote implemented a demanding, defense-first system that instilled accountability and a gritty physical identity. However, with Allvin fired last month and Rutherford stepping down after the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, Foote was left as the final remnant of an era the Canucks are rapidly moving away from.

Vancouver finished with a 25-49-8 record, with their 58 points placing them last in the league, 14 points clear of the Chicago Blackhawks, who finished 31st this year. It was the Canucks’ worst performance since the 1998-99 campaign, when the team won just 23 games and amassed a measly 58 points.