Three Intriguing Vancouver Canucks Coach Candidates To Consider

The Vancouver Canucks fired coach Adam Foote and assistant coaches Scott Young, Kevin Dean and Brett McLean on Tuesday.

The search for Vancouver's next coach is now underway.

"It's less about change and the past and more about implementing something for the future," new Canucks GM Ryan Johnson told reporters Tuesday. "Speaking with them this morning, it just felt from the organization the alignment and what we were looking for that just wanted a new voice and a new group to come in and start this next era of the franchise."

With the Canucks finishing this past season at the bottom of the NHL standings and kicking off a rebuild, it is clear that their next coach will have a tough task in front of them. But Johnson knows what he's looking for in a new bench boss.

"Consistency, patience, the ability to connect with a young group and realize that we can't blanket players, that they each have their own path, their own journeys that you got to be attentive to," Johnson said.

‘It's Hard To Be Ignorant Of An Internal Candidate': Canucks GM Ryan Johnson Discusses Where Malhotra Fits Into Head Coach Vacancy

The Vancouver Canucks fired head coach Adam Foote and his coaching staff earlier today.

David Carle

It would not be terribly surprising if the Canucks expressed interest in David Carle for their coaching job. The 36-year-old has done so well in college hockey and at the world juniors that he'll be a coaching candidate for most openings, but whether he wants to leave the stability of his NCAA program for a typically unstable job is up to him.

Nevertheless, Carle would be an exciting young coach for the Canucks to bring in as they continue the early stages of their rebuild.

Carle has done an outstanding job at the University of Denver. He just won his third NCAA title since 2022, and he won world junior gold twice with Team USA. There is a lot to like about the Anchorage, Ala., native, who has clear experience working with a young group.

David Carle Is An NHL-Worthy Coach Who Looks Better Off In The NCAA

University of Denver coach David Carle continues to win at the college hockey level. But while there's been NHL interest in the past, that league goes through coaches more often than the NCAA does.

Jay Woodcroft

If the Canucks want to hire someone who has already led a bench in the NHL, Jay Woodcroft could make sense for the Pacific Division club.

The 49-year-old is currently an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks, but his strong resume makes him one of the most interesting coach candidates in the NHL right now.

While Woodcroft had a tough finish to his stint as the Edmonton Oilers' coach, he still did well in the role overall. He had a 79-41-13 record, including a 50-23-9 record after taking over in the 2022-23 campaign. Woodcroft showed he can turn a team around and work with players up and down the lineup, no matter how good they are.

It seems like only a matter of time before he gets his next chance as a head coach in the NHL.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 3:53 PM.