VANCOUVER — One day after dismissing first-year head coach Adam Foote following a last-place finish in the NHL's Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks officially opened their head coaching search on Thursday, with general manager Patrik Allvin confirming the organization is evaluating both internal candidates and experienced names from around the league.

Foote, the son of NHL legend Adam Foote Sr., was handed the reins last summer after the Canucks parted ways with Rick Tocchet, but the team struggled throughout the 2025-26 season, finishing at the bottom of the standings and failing to qualify for the playoffs for a second consecutive year. Assistant coaches Kevin Dean and Scott Young were also let go as part of the overhaul.

Allvin addressed media at Rogers Arena Thursday morning, stressing that the Canucks need a proven communicator capable of developing the team's young core — including Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes — while restoring accountability in the locker room. 'We need a coach who can get the best out of our talented players and build a culture that competes every night,' Allvin said.

Among the names circulating in Vancouver media circles are former NHL bench bosses with recent playoff experience, as well as current AHL coaches within the Canucks' own development pipeline. The search is expected to move quickly, with the team hoping to have a new coach in place before the NHL Draft in late June.

The firing caps a turbulent season in which Vancouver ranked last in goals scored and surrendered the most goals-against in the conference. With the team holding a top-five draft pick, the new coach will inherit a franchise at a crossroads — tasked with jumpstarting a rebuild around one of the league's most talented defensive blue-liners in Hughes.