Canucks already dealing with saga surrounding new head coach Adam Foote

On Wednesday, the Vancouver Canucks promoted assistant coach Adam Foote to head coach. He replaces Rick Tocchet, who parted ways with the Canucks last month. With the promotion in Vancouver, Foote is the 22nd head coach in franchise history and the fourth since December 2021. He has been on the Canucks bench as an assistant since January 2023 when Tocchet was hired as head coach.

While the news is exciting for the Canucks and captain Quinn Hughes, who was apparently hoping that Foote would land the job, some controversy has emerged in Vancouver and Canada, seeing that Adam’s son, Cal Foote, is one of five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team currently on trial for sexual assault in London, Ont. Foote, along with Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, and Dillon Dube, have all been accused by a woman of having non-consensual group sex with her in London, Ontario, seven years ago. They have all pleaded not guilty.

On social media, several fans questioned the Canucks’ decision to name Adam Foote as their new head coach seeing that his son is currently charged with a serious crime.

In his introductory press conference on Thursday, Canucks’ management had to field questions about their new head’s coach’s son.

“Adam is not in trial,” said general manager Patrik Allvin. “Obviously we respect the process that’s going on, but Adam is not in the trial there.”

Adam Foote himself also addressed the question, saying:

“I respect your question. I understand that it’s your job to do that,” Foote said in response to the question posed by TSN’s Farhan Lalji. “You know I can’t comment on the trial, and I won’t. I’m there for my family, as we all would be. We’ll get through this.”

I tend to agree with Allvin and the fans protecting Adam Foote in this situation. His son is on trial, not him.