NHL News: Canucks HC Adam Foote makes something clear to Elias Pettersson after drama-filled NHL season

The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a disappointing NHL season, failing to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one year after winning the Pacific Division. Their year was far from peaceful, and brand-new head coach Adam Foote is determined to calm the waters for Elias Pettersson and the Canucks, who are embarking on a search for their new identity.

The 2024-25 NHL season was one that the Canucks won’t be able to live down fast enough, though they would sure love to. It was a campaign marked by letdowns, rifts, and all-around drama. However, it is also one that could deliver key lessons for Pettersson and the rest of the team.

Following Rick Tocchet’s exit, Vancouver opted for Adam Foote to take over behind the bench. In many ways, the decision made a lot of sense—the Canucks embraced a coach with a similar philosophy to Tocchet’s, and someone who was already familiar with the group. In that sense, this upcoming season won’t feel like a complete reset for Pettersson and the locker room at Rogers Arena.

However, Foote is determined to approach things quite differently in Vancouver during the 2025-26 campaign, resolved never to feel last season’s sorrow again. He made that clear with a powerful statement regarding his handling of Pettersson’s situation.

Adam Foote stands on the bench for his first ever WHL game as a head coach for the Kelowna Rockets against the Swift Current Broncos at Prospera Place on October 23, 2018 in Kelowna, Canada.

Turning the tide

“We’re going to turn the page on what happened last year, I’m not going to talk about the [relationship] with J.T. Miller, or things like that,” Foote said about Pettersson, in dialogue with Sportsnet’s Halford and Brough in the Morning show.

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“I think a lot happened at once. I think [Pettersson needs] a fresh start, he needs to feel that support. I want to help him figure out how to be a true pro… I want this group to hold each other accountable.”

Trade talks

While Foote’s statement emphasized Pettersson’s crucial role for the Canucks during the upcoming NHL season, much uncertainty has grown around the star centerman, whose name has popped up in several trade rumors.

Regardless of the outside noise, the Canucks are still exploring their options, with a decision yet to be made about the 26-year-old forward. The clock is ticking, however, as Pettersson’s contract will include a no-movement clause on July 1st, which would complicate any deal involving the star in Vancouver.