The Vancouver Canucks‘ decision to appoint Adam Foote as their new head coach, bypassing highly-regarded candidate Manny Malhotra, has ignited debate across the NHL community.
While many had expected Malhotra—who has been excelling as the head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks—to take the reins following Rick Tocchet’s departure, new information has emerged shedding light on why the organization opted to elevate Foote instead.
According to veteran NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the decision centered around player comfort and internal stability after a turbulent 2024–25 season.
“You can’t always make your players happy,” Friedman said, “but this was a situation where the Canucks knew after the year they had last year, they had to do something with this hire that the players were at least comfortable with.”
Friedman emphasized that Foote’s existing relationship with key players played a decisive role. As a former assistant coach with the Canucks, Foote already had strong rapport with the team’s leadership core—an asset that management viewed as critical in restoring cohesion and trust in the locker room.
Malhotra, meanwhile, has attracted attention league-wide for guiding Abbotsford deep into the Memorial Cup Playoffs. His growing reputation even has him reportedly linked to the Dallas Stars’ head coaching vacancy.
That development has intensified scrutiny of Vancouver’s decision, with critics suggesting they may have let a future star coach slip away.
Still, the Canucks are standing by their move. Patrik Allvin and the front office appear confident that Foote’s familiarity with the team and his leadership style will yield results. Whether that gamble pays off remains to be seen.
As Friedman pointed out:
“The comfort level with Adam Foote… was the number one thing… and I believe the reason the Canucks made the choice.”
For now, Canucks fans and analysts alike will watch closely as Foote prepares to guide Vancouver into a new chapter. His first season will likely determine whether the decision to pass over Malhotra was a bold masterstroke—or a costly misstep.