"Foote gets the boot as the Canucks take a step forward."

- ‪Petrishriekandgo on Bluesky

RJ made his first 'tough call' today by firing Adam Foote. We knew that he knew that it had to happen as there was no point keeping the Traitor Hughes pick for coach behind the bench. Foote wasn't the sole reason Nucks stinky season stank like month-old hockey socks, however he did Footey his way to successful tank commander. We tank him for his excruciating-to-watch 82 games of service. Also the associate tank drivers, Scott Young, Kevin Dean and Brett McLean have been relieved of service.

Foote was tripped up early in the season by the Faeries who kicked the Canucks square in the Nucks. By December with what's-his-name getting traded, there was no way the team could be retreaded in time for a playoff run, despite Foote giving Kane prime minutes all the freaking time. We're not putting our Foote down. That was Ryan's job.

Despite being 'right there' game after game, Foote's overarching strategy was to overplay the vets - especially Kane - at the expense of the youngins. Kane got the most 5v5 minutes - even after the basement rent had been paid. Karlsson, Nucks best 5v5 player, was ranked 17th for TOI. As a rookie NHL coach, Foote heeled it. And the rookies paid for it.

Flat-Footed Defense System

So obtuse and incomprehensible were the Footenotes, no amount of Footesplaining could convey the D-process to fans and worse to pro hockey players. Nucks PK finished last in the NHL at 71.5% — the second-worst penalty killing percentage in franchise history and the tenth-worst in the NHL ever. D-zone got off on the wrong Foote and couldn't step up until late in the season. After the team purged some more toxins from the locker room, Canucks exchanged the fancy Footework for better self-coached defense.

Adam's Footeprint will linger on with us whenever the Nucks pull the goalie late in the 3rd and give up a Footey. Or two.

Here's how secure Nucks coaching position has been since 2021:

• Travis Green
• Bruce Boudreau
• Rick Tocchet
• Adam Foote

Now going for the 5th coach in 5 years. In reality only the 2nd or 3rd. Bruce replaced Green, but JR couldn't abide the guy who scored his 1st NHL goal on him - so hired TraitorToc who went off the rails to Philly, getting a Foote in the door.

For a couple more years, Franny has to Foote the bill for another couch coach. Good thing Franny doesn't know how many unpaid couch coaches NM employs deploys. Doesn't matter.

What matters is...

THE NEXT COACH

Will it be Manny Malhotra or Torts or Berube or Bruce - our Bruce or the other Bruce no one can talk to or Manny Malhotra?

As RJ said to day: “It’s hard to be ignorant of an internal candidate that we obviously have, so I’m not going to deflect that Manny has shown his ability to develop young players, to build a connection, and obviously win a championship with a very young group... I won’t be ignorant to the fact that I am going to speak with him, sit down with him, and talk about the future.”

Canucks new braintrust will cast the coach net wide and then select... Manny.

While we're not hoping Foote feels defeeted, even if we were month after month, he proved to be a terrible coach for young player development and old fan engagement. That game is no longer aFoote.