Canucks hire Adam Foote as head coach

The Vancouver Canucks are staying in-house for their next head coach.

Assistant Adam Foote was named as the next head coach for the Canucks, the team announced on Wednesday.

Foote and the Canucks agreed to a three-year deal, reported Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK News.

“Adam is a strong leader, good teacher and person who knows what it takes to build a great culture and winning attitude,” said general manager Patrik Allvin in a statement released by the team. “He knows this group better than anyone else we interviewed and has inside knowledge and understanding of what it will take to get us back to where we want to be. Adam brings structure, accountability, and a detailed orientated approach to his coaching, a process that will send a clear message to our group about the way we want to compete, practice, and play hockey.”

The 53-year-old spent the past two seasons working for the Canucks under Rick Tocchet. However, Tocchet left the team in April and is expected to be hired as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Now, it’ll be up to Foote to lead the Canucks after a tumultuous season featuring in-fighting resulted in missing the playoffs.

It marks Foote’s first career head-coaching job.

“I think they’re pretty comfortable with that,” Friedman said on Wednesday’s episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “They want somebody who’s going to want this job, want this opportunity.”

Foote played 19 season in the NHL as a defenceman from 1991-2011, winning a pair of Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and 2001. The Toronto native also suited up for the Quebec Nordiques and Columbus Blue Jackets in his 1,154-game career, recording 66 goals and 242 assists while making a name for himself as a reliable stay-at-home blue liner.