Will Adam Foote be back? Here's what new Canucks GM Ryan Johnson said
Patrik Allvin was fired. Jim Rutherford has stepped down. But what does the future hold for Adam Foote?
After arguably the worst season in Vancouver Canucks history, change was inevitable.
It’s still unclear if that’ll include Foote, as the Canucks’ head coach has been in limbo since the season ended.
Rutherford said the new general manager would decide what to do. But new GM Ryan Johnson wasn’t willing to go there on Day 1, as he was introduced alongside Henrik and Daniel Sedin as the new hockey ops bosses.
A new era of Canucks leadership (Rob Williams/Daily Hive)
Johnson didn’t say Foote would return, but he also seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“If you look at last year as a whole, it’s really tough to evaluate a coach or anyone, with all the adversity of the injuries, the goaltending — everything that went on,” Johnson said.
Foote was dealt a bad hand, there’s no doubt.
“There were so many variables that changed during the course of the season. Obviously there was some drama around the group. So, to evaluate Adam just on that is unfair. This is Day 1 on the job. We’re going to talk about things, as we will top to bottom in the organization. Areas that we can improve. But that’s going to take us some time.”
It was a diplomatic answer from Johnson, but given that he and the Sedins have been in the organization longer than Foote, they should be well versed on what he brings to the table.
Given everything that has happened, wouldn’t it make sense to make a clean break from the head coach, whether it was his fault or not? Things went off the rails last season, under his watch. The team was dysfunctional before then, with him in the room as an assistant coach.
And given Manny Malhotra is waiting in the wings, with strong ties both to Johnson and the Sedins, it shouldn’t be surprise if the team moves in a new direction.
It’ll be Johnson’s first big decision.
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