Three weeks after Adam Foote was named Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks, he announced his assistant coaching staff.
Foote enjoyed the process of putting his coaching staff together and is excited about the knowledge and expertise the group brings to the organization. He addressed the media Thursday afternoon to discuss what each coach brings to the table and which areas of the ice each coach will focus on.
Kevin Dean will oversee with the Canucks’ defensive unit and penalty kill. Foote said Dean is a great communicator, and he could tell early in their discussions that he was going to be a great fit. Dean also keeps the same philosophy as Foote – that the defence is the anchor during tough stretches in games or in hard arenas to play in – until the team can gain control of the game.
“I believe his personality and the way he carries himself, with that calm demeanor, is what I was looking for,” Foote said.
“He's got a ton of experience, and the way we spoke about the game, I felt like I’ve known him [for] a very long time. I knew within the second or third phone call that this was the guy for us. We’re very excited about him being down that side of the bench and letting him do his thing. I think he'll do a great job with our d-core.”
Dean is coming off his third season as an Assistant Coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, also focusing on the defence. He was also an Assistant Coach for Team USA at the 2025 World Championships that recently won gold, working with Conor Garland and Drew O’Connor.
Brett McLean will run the power play and is coming off of two seasons as the head coach of Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate, Iowa Wild. Foote likes the fact that McLean has not only worked with star players, but has also forged successful relationships with them.
“His presentations and game plans are big, and it's something I always felt about Brett, and I love. To hear [Dean] Evason speak that highly of him, and then also, Anaheim was after him real hard,” Foote said.
“He's a great addition, a little bit younger than maybe a couple guys that we were looking at, which I love. He’s got the energy, great practice plan, he can dig and show guys the things maybe a Yogi or the Sedins would show on a regular basis. So, we're really excited to have him.”
Scott Young will have a number of duties, including working on special projects with Player Development Coaches Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Jason Krog to make sure everyone is aligned. Young will also help on the power play with McLean.
“I'm really excited to have his knowledge, and he’s there to support all of us in that coaching group,” said Foote, who went on to compare Young’s role to his first year under Rick Tocchet. “My first year with Rick, I wasn't doing PK, but I was supporting [former assistant coach Mike Yeo] and I call it the “glue guy” just going around and making sure everyone's just okay and sending the message out. I think he's a big part of this, a big piece,” Foote said.
Young has spent the last three seasons as the Director of Player Personnel for the Vancouver Canucks. He brings a wealth of playing experience – 17 years in the NHL and two Stanley Cups – one with Pittsburgh in 1991 and the other with Colorado in 1996. He has also represented the United States at the Olympics, World Cup and World Junior Championships.
When asked if Foote could see the Sedins taking on a larger role within the coaching group, Foote said he’d welcome it with open arms, but the decision is ultimately theirs.
"They're the type of guys that are there to work and go to battle with you. They’re open to anything, I would just like to maybe do more of a schedule with them. We're going to utilize them and take everything we get from them -- they're great hockey minds, and they'll help us a lot,” Foote said.
Foote and Dean will work together on the role that Sergei Gonchar held previously. The Canucks new Head Coach wanted to continue the standard they’ve set in Vancouver and bring in coaches who are great teachers. The goal is to foster a culture where players can thrive and develop, and with the assistant coaches in place, the coaching cohort is set to guide the team.
