Halford & Brough in the Morning - Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote

Episode Date: June 6, 2025

In hour three, Mike & Jason get a 'Nucks update from Donnie & Dhali's Rick Dhaliwal (1:32), plus the boys are joined by new Canucks head coach Adam Foote (25:32).  This podcast is produced by Andy Cole and Greg Balloch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall

It's time for Dolly Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Rick Dolly Wall Rick Dolly Wall It's time for Dolly. Rick Dollywall. It's time for Rick Dollywall. Rick Dollywall. It's time for Rick Dollywall. Rick Dollywall. It's time for Rick Dollywall. Rick Dollywall. It's time for Rick Dollywall. Rick Dollywall. 802 on a Friday. Happy Friday everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halford Brough for the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. BC's first and trusted choice for dead help with over 3,000 five star reviews. This is them online at Sands-Trustee.com. We are now in hour three of the program. We got Rick Dollywall coming up first, then Adam Foote, new head coach of the Vancouver Canucks coming up second.

Big final hour on a Friday. Hour three of this program is brought to you by Campbell & Pound real estate appraisers. Trust the expertise of Campbell & Pound. Visit them on the internet at Campbell-pound.com today. We are coming to you live from the Kintec studio. Kintec footwear and orthotics working together with you in St. Louis, Texas. We are here to help you get the Kintec studio. Kintec footwear and orthotics working together with you in step. Guests on Sportsnet 650 call in on the hotline powered by Power

West Industries. Don't get caught in the dark when it matters most. Visit them at Power West.ca today. They keep the lights on. Let's go to that hotline right now. As mentioned, powered by Power OS Industries, Rick Dollywall from the Donnie and Dolly show on CheckTV joins us here on the Halford and Bref show on Sportsnet 650. What up Ricky D? Gentlemen, all good. Let's go, it's Friday.

What did you think of the coaching staff additions? Well, Adam Foote, boy did he round out his staff and Kevin Dean, Scott Young and Brett McLean, zero NHL head coaching experience adjacent on the Canucks staff. I see people saying they took the cheap route, but I will say this. Dean was one of the most sought after assistant coaches on the market after Luke Richardson, who I feel most people feel is going to end up in Philly with Docket. To get him to commit to Vancouver, took a lot of heavy recruiting

and the Canucks deserve credit for that. That's a good hire. McLean's a BC boy who played in Kelowna, the Western Hockey League. He joins the Canucks from the Minnesota Wild organization. A source in Minnesota told me McLean relates to the players very, very well. He was very well liked by the wild organization.

Young moves from director of player personal in Vancouver the past three years to be on the bench, real sharp guy, but something that's where he does his best work scouting and player development. So time will tell, but he's going to go behind the bench, but, um, a lot of respect for this guy for sure. What I have liked to see more experience hired for Foot who's a rookie coach himself, yes, but I don't think people realize how big the Dean signing is. He picked Vancouver over a lot of teams, that's the best hire of the bunch, there's no question for me. Now the Yogi Sapskoski departure, very

interesting. The Canucks did not want him to go. The Sedin twins, the players, very well respected. Everybody likes this guy. For him to leave Vancouver where he's got deep roots in the local minor hockey community with his spring programs, one of the best skilled guys in the lower mainland, to get up and leave and go all the way to Philly, caught a lot of people off guard. But he's got a great, great relationship with Rick Tauket, loyal to Tauket, who gave him his first shot in the NHL. Okay, now,

why did Tauket want him? This is why Tauket wanted Seth Skosky. His work ethic, the way he puts practice plans together, and his individual teaching. Miller, Hughes, Besser, just some of the guys who absolutely love working with the Yogi. Now, for those people ripping Yogi for the power play last year, he had a number one center man who went from 100 points to 45. He had no second line center after Miller left.

The single most important person on the power play, Quinn Hughes, missed 14 games. And you guys know he played the second half of the season with multiple injuries you saw is uh... is rep his wrist was that picked up for most of the season what power play guru it would have done better than fifteen to overall in the n.h.l. so look steps koski is pocket first deal out of vancouver who is going to be talk it's next deal besser

sooner juleson time will tell now another thing can actually a lot of coaching uh... news and announcements one thing they didn't say anything about what he and clark that's because he and clark's got one year left on his deal that is to get expires at the same time

as that your damn close contract in Ian Clark was pushed to you know as scout this year he wasn't active in Abbot's for Vancouver on the ice with the goalies so there was a lot made of you know him being pushed to the side but it clearly looks he's coming back it looks like he's coming back with one year left on his deal. So Ian Clark, who's one of the best goalie coaches known around the national hockey league, a one year left on his deal and, and it looks like he's coming back as well. Coming back in what capacity?

Well, probably the same Jason. Like, I mean, when they pushed him to scout, um, raised a lot of eyebrows around the national hockey league, right? And, you know, I mean, he's scouting and he's not on the ice is the, have his first got a goalie coach, Vancouver's got a goalie coach. So guess what?

Um, they're paying a ton of money. He is still one of the highest paid goalie coaches in the national hockey league. And he is basically essentially not on the ice with the goalies. Um, okay. What are you hearing about Canucks trade talks? And he is basically essentially not on the ice with the goalies. Okay. What are you hearing about Canucks trade talks? Can I, uh, can I give you a UFA Demco update first?

Sure. Okay. So Brock Besser, uh, not hearing anything new, but they talked to Brock's agent this week when they cut the Forbert deal, right? Because Forbert and Brock have the same same agent but I can report all quiet suitor when I checked in a couple of days ago quiet but Brock Nelson 33 years old over a seven million pop center off the market July 1st good news for suitor Vancouver's gonna wait and see how they do looking for top six help right they're not discarding suitor. They're keeping them in mind before engaging with them seriously on contract

talks. Um, they're going to first try to see if they can get that elusive second line center or top six forward. So suitor is kind of, you know, they keep in touch with them, but they kind of tell them, okay, we'll keep you in line in line in mine sorry but we got to deal with some of this other stuff first. Noah Juleson no talks but I will tell you if the Canucks trade will lander or Mancini or a defenceman PD you might have to keep Juleson around as a 6-7 guy and there's not a better 6-7 guy in the national hockey league than Noah Juleson so Juleson's in

waiting mode as well. Now when it comes to Demko, I don't think contract talks have started with Demko. Everybody's guessing at this point. Before you put Demko on trade market or you put them on all these great trade boards, don't you think it'd be in the best interest of the Canucks to know if you're going to resign them first? Vancouver is strong in goal, they're strong on defense. To trade a major piece from the blue line or the crease, you might want to find out first what the goalie is asking for on a long-term deal. But as of now, I do not think contract talks have started with Demko, but we have a lot of time here before the NHL draft in

July 1st. But it's interesting to me how everyone's throwing Demko's name out there, but they, in, you know, first you got to find out Jason, does the guy want to come, well, he does want to come back, but can you work out a long-term deal? Do you think the signing of Brock Nelson, and I know Brock Nelson's a good player, but he's 33 years old and it didn't look all that great for him in Colorado.

Do you think the fact that they signed him to that deal just goes to show how hard it is to find center men around the league? Bingo, bingo. They would have tried. Colorado would have tried calling other teams first to see if they can get another alternative. It's a week july first for her first ever met and brock nelson was one of the guys

uh... uh... jason teams were looked at a lot of teams are looked at on they look at how the teams looked at a bit the trade deadline and but it's great new pursuer because you just take a better off visitors coming up to twenty five gold season you know the gold barb Nelson out last year 26. Suiter's in a good spot if he's not in Vancouver he's gonna do fine on July 1st and you know I can't see his number not starting with a 4 for Pia Suiter and he's put it excuse me out of

frog in the throat I can look after Elys Pettersson got hurt in the Rangers at Madison square and his season was over. Suiter did an incredible job of filling in as the number one centre for Vancouver. Teams noticed. Teams are on the national hockey league noticed. Uh, Jason, he's in a good spot. He's going to do fine.

And he's a great penalty killer too. Like he's, he's a, he's a good player. He's going to do fine. And he's a great penalty killer too. He's a good player. He's a really smart player. I want to talk about, we were talking earlier in the show about Rossi out of Minnesota and you know, people were texting in various trade proposals. And one of the things we said was like, I don't, I really don't think, like I think DPD is untouchable.

I think Tom Willander is pretty close to untouchable. I'm not sure about Mancini and I'm not sure about Lekker Mackey. And I was sitting there going, well, if Bill Guerin in Minnesota thinks Marco Rossi is too small to perform in the playoffs, then is he even going to be interested in a player like Lekere Maki? What is the market value for this guy right now? That's a great question. Absolute great question, Jason. I'll tell you why. Top six pieces are expensive. So you just went through Lekere Maki, Willander, Mancini, Demko, the first round pick. When it comes to Lekere Maki, his struggles are coming at the absolute worst time for the Canucks. How can the Canucks move this guy when he's got one goal in 12 playoff games? He was a healthy scratch last

game, no points, five games. You don't think pro scouts are watching atmosphere right now? You bet they are. 19 goals in the regular season. The Canucks need the regular season Liqueur of Mackie to resurface and resurface real fast. Teams may back off on him due to his playoff performance. The American Hockey League playoffs are a war. It's hard hockey. LaKara Mackie has never had a season this long with that much travel, that much physicality. He's only 20 years old, not the biggest guy as you just mentioned, but it's a learning curve for him right now. It's a massive learning curve for him. He will be better for this experience in the long run. Absolutely he will be. The worst thing about this long season for La Caramaca

is it means that it's going to be a real short summer to put on the necessary weight and the muscle required for next season. But do not write this kid off he is going he has never in his career in Europe the Sweden had a season like this and he also went through dental surgery you know he has had physicality wise travel wise it just has been and he's only 20 years old like you know I have dated the worst thing we in the media and fans do is write kids off.

The only guy that's going to write the Karen Mackey off is his himself, but he's going through a tough stretch right now. And if the Canucks have his name out there and teams are going to scout him and he's a healthy scratch sitting in the press box, eating popcorn, that's not good. Yeah. You got to stay patient with players and a lot of people, watch this thing in our trigger Dolly Watt right now.

A lot of people said Canucks made a mistake trading way Pod Colson. Stop, stop, stop. Canucks did not make a mistake trading Pod Colson. He went from the bottom six in Vancouver to the bottom six in edmonton he didn't go from bottom six in vancouver to forty goals in edmonton he is a very well-liked hard-working player everybody cheers for pod coals and travis green bruce budrow rick pocket they couldn't turn into a ninety-point player

not sure how those those coaches ruined him. Pod Colson had four goals in his last 54 games in Vancouver. He should have spent three or four years in the minors. They rushed him up to the pro level. What's the ceiling with Pod Colson? He isn't top six. He's found a niche in Edmonton. You know, you saw him in game one of the Stanley Cup finals coming off the boards, driving in the net. it was so where was that in vancouver he needed a fresh start Adam foot would have been pod colson's fourth coach in vancouver he had one or two or three i think an abysspurt as well this guy needed a change don't rip the knox for trading pod colson you can rip them

though for passing on Matt Boldy and Cole Caulfield for sure, but he's doing what he was doing in Vancouver, Jason, and that is a bottom six role. Everybody's happy for him. Troy Stetcher on our show this week, absolutely raving about him, called him the hardest working player Stetcher said that he's ever seen. Everybody loves Pod Colson, even the Canucks did, even pocket did, everybody did. He couldn't score though. He couldn't score.

Yeah. A 10th overall pick, you are, I'm sorry, but when you're a 10th overall pick, you are expected to produce offense. He couldn't do that. He couldn't do that. If he was a fourth or fifth round pick, nobody would be talking about him. Right? They'd be saying, Hey, look at that fourth round pick.

He's found a nice role at Edmonton but he unfortunately for him he went tenth overall the expectations were high the points weren't there Vancouver tried everybody tried with them the Sedeem twins tried with them in Avis for every a Boudreau green everybody tried like there did there was no stone unturned with Pod Colson in Vancouver. Like he's doing there what he was doing in Vancouver, but good for him. He's a great kid. You will not find anybody in Vancouver organization that says a bad word about that kid. You won't find anybody.

It is interesting though that you got Pod Colson on the Oilers and you got Gajdjovic playing a similar role to what Pod Kolzin does in Edmonton. Maybe a bit of a lesser role with the Panthers, but he's in the Stanley Cup final and Gustav Forsling is in the Stanley Cup final, but he needed to go to a couple of teams before he really found his game in the NHL. Jason, every team has four or five guys.

It didn't work out and then they go somewhere else and flourish. You know who had a good year this year that nobody's talking about that was in Vancouver was his goalie, Mike DiPietro. If he doesn't resign with Boston, he's a UFA, there's like, he was one of the top goalies, if not the top goalie in the American Oculee.

A lot of teams are going to be after that guy on July 1st. He's going to have a good interest. It's just, you know, you come to Vancouver and for whatever reason, it didn't work out. It doesn't mean it can't work out somewhere else, but every team's got a list of guys that it didn't work out there, but they went somewhere else and

it worked out. So, but again, uh, good on Pod Coulson and, uh, you couldn't be happier for the guy. He really, really is, uh, just a super person. And I think everybody be happier for the guy. He really, really is just a super person. And I think everybody is happy for him. Hey, real quick, Rick, the Victoria Royals must be pretty upset about losing these players to the NCAA. And it looks like the real winner in all these new rule changes is the NCAA and only the NCAA.

They're very upset and they should be. Two very good young stars got up and left for the NCAA. Why are these kids leaving at a young age, the Dubb? These kids are so good at age 16 to 17, that's the hard part of the Dubb, 16 to 17. Those are the tough years, ages 16 to 17. When you get to 18 and 19, now it's time for a new challenge. Play against 22,

23-year-olds, travel on planes, big rinks, big crowds, more time in the gym, less travel, more buses. That's why play less hockey, more time lifting weights, lack of development, time in the dub, and because of their heavy schedule, it's a new world order. Universities are impressive. The Western Hockey League right now is talking to a lot of potential owners in Chilliwack for that expansion team. It's going to cost you $16 million. You spend hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars on bantam scouting for the bantam

draft, then you are watching high draft picks walk at age 17 from the Dub to the NCAA. That's a massive, tough pill to follow, swallow if you're an owner. If I'm spending that money on a junior team, I don't want my elite high band of picks to walk to the NCAA after only one or two years. Everett's got that 15-year-old defenseman, Landon Dupont, 16 points this year. Medicine Hat, Gavin McKenna, 97 points as a 15-year-old. Vancouver Giants have a 16 year old Ryan Lynn 53 points the Western Hockey League Can't afford to lose these guys and they are losing these guys to the NCAA and it is frightening if you are In the Western Hockey League Rick. This was great buddy. Thanks for doing it. We appreciate it. Sorry guys.

Rick Dollywall connects reporter here on the health and brush on sports net six 50. Okay. We've been a pretty wild show already. Peter DeBoer got fired in Dallas. Casey missed that. We got Adam foot coming up on the show, which is great. You can talk to the new Canucks head coach. This white cap story has just taken a crazy turn. So for those that missed it, the white caps issued a statement yesterday saying that upon return from Mexico, after that debacle in Mexico city, where they lost five nil in the CONCACAF cup final,

they closed team training yesterday and shut out the media from attending the session and getting into the facility because of a gastrointestinal issue that and getting into the facility because of a gastrointestinal issue that was spread throughout the team, players and staff. They said that they had called Vancouver Coastal Health in the match on Sunday, which is supposed to be easy place against Seattle is kind of hanging in the balance because the entire team is sick. This morning, Jesse Marsh spoke to the media ahead of Canada's friendly against Ukraine on Saturday.

Jesse Marsh addressed this because he's got three white caps players on the Canadian men's national team, Sam Atacube, Ali Ahmed and Jaden Nelson. Jesse Marsh said to the media in no uncertain terms that the white caps were poisoned in Mexico. He saw that he was asking about the health of his players for the weekend, right? So when you say poisoned, it means intentionally done. How about I read it? Okay. It's a long one. Bear with me. I'll go fast.

This is me as Jesse Marsh. He's asked about his players health. He says, quote, Everyone is healthy and ready to go. The only thing we had was that the three Vancouver players were poisoned. They're better now. They're probably not ready for 90 minute performances. But for me, appalling that this is the second year in a row that CONCACAF and the powers that be have allowed an MLS team to go down to Mexico for a big

final and get poisoned. It's ridiculous. Something has to be done to protect these environments. Look in the past when you would go down there. I remember being with the U S national team and club teams going down to Mexico and it was, will the fire alarm be pulled in the middle of the night? Will there be dancing and singing? And those are somewhat spirited competitive advantages created when you go down to Mexico.

But poisoning the team is another version. Look, I don't have any proof that this happened, but it's not random. It's not random that two years in a row this has happened. If I were the Vancouver Whitecaps and if I were the Columbus Crew, the team had happened to last year, if I were MLS, I would be absolutely angry that this has been allowed to happen.

When all three of them are sick, it's clear it wasn't just, I don't feel so great. There was talk of whether it was an infectious virus, but in the end, I don't wanna speak, but the results are that it was food poisoning. Okay. I got food poisoning in Mexico. Like I don't think I was intentionally poisoned. So who's he mad at here? Mexico?

No, no, no. But like, is he saying that someone's going to... No, well, he's saying that if I think the results are that it was food poisoning, okay, that doesn't necessarily mean that there's some villainous Mexican down there poisoning their food. Maybe he's talking about like, we need to do a better job of providing the right food because there's, I mean, how many people have gone down to Mexico and got food poisoning? It's a thing. Yes. I think what he's saying is that in two

consecutive years in the same tournament, in the same final, two MLS teams went down to Mexico and an entire, either gastrointestinal virus or food poisoning spread throughout the entire team. I guarantee there are people listening right now that are like, I went to Mexico once, stayed in all inclusive, nice place, still got food poisoning. Sure.

Now the question is did 20 plus members, in the case of the White Gap, 75, who all received food and meals from the same vendors, including on the flight back home. But there's a question of intent here. That's the big thing. I mean, if I'm Mexico, like if I'm the Mexican soccer federation.

Our food poisoning division had nothing to do with this. Yeah. Like crap. No, but do you know what I mean? Like that's a heavy, I feel like Jesse Marsh is just kind of lashing out here. Probably. And he doesn't have, he's doing a Pete DeBoer

lash out. Yeah. But like who are his targets here? I don't know. Like isn't it partly on the, isn't it partly on the teams themselves to make sure that they're, the food that they're giving their players is good? Like, I don't know how you do that.

Again, you can get food poisoning for some pretty nice places down there. I don't know what it is about the food, but I know the people that live down there, their bodies have become used to it. I don't know what it is about the food, but I know the people that live down there, their bodies have become used to it. I don't know. I don't have any answers to this. This just happened.

But when I heard the, when I heard and saw the white caps initially. We should be packing peanut butter sandwiches for everyone. Safety first. Like Alfaghetti. No. Just canned food.

Nothing like canned food. No highly trained athlete can fuel better than a couple of and J's they packed on the way down to Mexico Laddies on uncrustable. Yeah, there you go. Can I just I want to fray again I read this because the comments are explodes. Absolutely comments are explosive. Yeah. Yeah, so two were the results of the food They were also explosive I'll say this Marsh is a passionate guy Yeah. So two were the results of the food. They were also explosive. I'll say this. Marsh is a passionate guy and you know, we talked to him earlier in the week and he

alluded to the lack of respect that he thinks that Canada gets in CONCACAF competitions. And he talked about it in the context of the red card that he took almost to stand up for his guys for the Jonathan David foul. I think this probably is all lumped into the same thing. I wouldn't be surprised if maybe he's going to walk

this back at some point, because it seems like there's a lot of finger pointing and accusations. And he's saying like, I have no proof of anything, but this is ridiculous. Like, yeah, it happens in Mexico. We got saying like, I have no proof of anything, but this is ridiculous. Like, yeah, it happens in Mexico. We got someone texting, I've been to Mexico probably 10 times, I've had stomach issues every time. Adam Foote is going to join the Halford and Braff

show next on Sportsnet 650. Hey, it's Mick Nazar. Have your say and join me on the People's Show with big takes and even bigger bets, weekdays three to four on Sportsnet 650 or wherever you get your podcasts. 832 on a Fiesta Friday here on the Haliford & Brough show on Sportsnet 650. Haliford & Brough of the morning is brought to you by Sands & Associates. Learn how a consumer proposal reduces your debt by up to 80% with no more interest.

Visit them online at Sands-Trustee.com. We are in hour three of the program. A little bit of a different programming note. A new Canucks head coach Adam Foote is going to join us in just a moment here for the final segment of the final show of the week. Our three of this program is brought to you by Campbell and Pound real estate appraisers, trustee expertise of Campbell and Pound. Visit them on the internet at Campbell dash pound.com today to the phone lines.

We go the power West industries hotline. Happy to be joined by the head coach of your Vancouver Canucks, Adam Foote joins us now on the Halford and Breff show on Sportsnet 650. Good morning, Adam. How are you? Good guys. How you doing? We're well. Thanks for taking the time to do this today. We appreciate it. So first, congrats are in order on the gig. I know you've been named head coach for a while now, but things are still unfolding, including the completion of your coaching staff behind the Vancouver bench now. So first question for you, Adam,

how does it feel to have everything sorted out and your coaching staff filled? Well, it's a good feeling. I mean, it's a lot. It takes a lot of, it's a long process for sure. You know, there's a lot of great coaches out there. I guess we want to try to get the right mix, the right feel. I enjoyed speaking to so many people and opening up some new relationships as well. And I think I feel real comfortable with the guys we got. Was one of the questions you asked to these guys, how can you help us score more goals? Everyone's back on that one, aren't they?

Wow. Yeah. No, you know what? Yeah, they really are. And that's fine. Uh, you know, we always go at one thing, but, uh, no, you know what? We've got great minds there with, you know, Scottie Young was the guy that's done all, and you know, you look at his career and, you know, he was kind of like

I was with, with, with my family. He wanted, he wanted to coach. He did two years with Quinn at Boston university. And then he did a couple of Olympic teams and power play things like that. But his mind is, is I played with him. He's great offensive score. Really, really one of those guys with that shot that you need those guys with those shots, you got a couple of guys, you know, a guy named Sackett, it's pretty good.

Um, but he can put the buck in that, but he also played the wall work. as little shots uh... a couple guys more than a second pretty good input but i think we also put a wall or can really go on the wall really defensively and group i felt like uh... when the game got tougher uh... she she you know how to survive in those came in those moments you look at playoff hockey the pickup dot supports and the grinds and still be able to do these guys a lot of good tips for this you know she's done it here. He I've watched him do it and he had success doing it.

So really excited about that. His life changed where he can now take that time to coach all in. And I'm very excited. He'll teach these guys a lot of a lot of on the offensive side, but also on the defensive side and wall work, you know, and then you get a guy like McClain. I'm excited. I knew about McClain a long time ago, met him years ago and knew what he was all about. But, you know, he took over that power play in 2021 with Kaprizov, his first season.

You know, by the time in his third season, that power play was running at a 25% at some times in that season. And, you know, then Kaprizo gets hurt, just like he did this year. They dipped from 10th last year to 20th this year when Capricev got hurt for 40 games. But you look at his numbers, what he did, he was able to groom Capricev. And that third year, Addison had trouble playing

five on five hockey as a smaller defenseman. So I think Minnesota made a little bit of a change talking to Billy Garron and, and, uh, Hendrix and that, that they had to get a, get another defense from a man before a favor came in and Spurgeon and Brodean were good defense from, but not necessarily quarterback quarterback defenseman, like you see favor doing it or, or Hughes, what we got. So running at that numbers and talking to Ebison, I really, I love

talking to a guy like Ebison. You know, I knew a lot about Brett McClain. I liked him a lot, but hearing a guy like Ebison say that he would, he would bring him right now if he had, if he needed them, but the Jeopardy coach for Canada and Brunette wasn't sure that he was going to go or not. And I really liked that. Ever since said to the group, uh, I'd like to take McLean if, if, if can't come.

And they were like, well, you know, those strong personalities, how he would get him handled, you know, guys like Crosby and McKinnon and I was just said, no, no problem at all. The way he presents and the way he carries himself at one father of all. So that was just another extra, you know, check mark for me. And then obviously a guy like Joel Climbal, I think they're going to offer them to be honest with me. I don't know for sure, but I've had.

And, um, you know, Joel coached me as a defense coach. He was my defense coach when we won the first cup. And then obviously we know what Joel's done and he coached me as a head coach. So I respect Joel a lot. He's won in this league and just gave you another good feel about picking the right guy and he's got to do your homework. And you guys are great when you call them, all these different coaches and different players you played against.

And it was a great, great process. I learned a lot. So, you know, a lot of when, when a power play goes, goes bad. And I'm not saying the Canucks power play was bad last season, although I think there were definitely times when it wasn't clicking and it wasn't working. A lot of the blame immediately goes to the coach. Um, it's almost like when a football team isn't, you know, doing well on offense, you talk about the offensive coordinator and the plays that are being called. What specifically does a power play coach do? Like, why are they important? Because me personally, I tend to look

at the players on the ice and whether or not they're performing. But obviously if there is a power play coach job, then the power play coach is important. Well, yeah. And it's a loaded question, right? And you know, you look at, I'll give you an example of Capri soft, he meets in there as a young kid as a rookie, right? The claims got to make rooms on their 24th and they enroll up in three years and pushing 25 and, and

you know, they go down to 21, he's hurt for 15, maybe more. Don't, don't quote me on that. Like games, you know, this year he lost the lunch, the 20th from the year before you lose a guy at that caliber. It's like taking the homes out of, out of KC. Think about that. Uh, he was a potent guy, you know, hugging is going to be injured. You know, you want to have a little bit more structure to power play around

running together. The players, when a big guy's out, it's going to affect your numbers, no question. I would say, chilling in my college middle school life, I knew what I didn't like, I knew what Dr. Quod didn't like, I knew we didn't want to give them what we wanted to take away, things like that. I would say, you know, these guys are world class athletes. They're very intelligent, always powerful, you guys are smart. I think, just when I said about Emerson talking about McClain and the amount of... I mean, he's a very intense, he's got a lot of passion and he can be a guy that you have to have presence with him.

I'm hearing what Addison said to me. I knew what Brett's work ethic was. I knew his history. I knew he was a good coach. But for me, as a power play coach, once in a while you're going to say, no, you know, or no, we're going to do this. And you do it in your way where you're not losing the players either. And, you know, I don't mean no, like a bracelet or like that, but communicate it and get them to trust you. And, you know, you don't want to have a ton of players. I'm not like, you have to attack. I think you have to attack.

Every time you take too many set plays, it slows it down. I know for me, you know, I'm, I'm a shot guy. Like I think when I have a shot from the top coming at me early in the power play, I don't like it as an defenseman. But now I have to trust my forwards are returning in the right way. Right. So I can't be as aggressive. I mean, so I mean, it's more on conversations.

I'm not a power play specialist. That's for sure. But I do, I do know from killing all these years, what I don't like seeing and what I, what makes me, fears me, you know what I mean? So, you know, things like that. So I think we just got a little bit stagnant at times. We got to get that PD movement a little bit. Sometimes we play those diamonds, you know,

he's got that good shot from there, but sometimes we have a real disciplined diamond. You've got to move. If they're going to give us the top, we'd go down into spread, you know, he's got that good shot from there, but sometimes we, we have a real disciplined diamond, you've got to move the top. We'd go down into spread, you know, things like that. Are you looking Dallas? They've real good job. We've had Colorado PK made a few mistakes. Um, I know they got rid of their power play coach, but like I thought they're

PK made big mistakes, letting Colorado have the top, letting them move around, having won it or sorry, Dallas and Dallas got that spread two guys on the goal line and then that's when your D get rotated in a diamond and see the car in the moment around how they want it, or sorry, Dallas. And Dallas got that spread, two guys on the goal line. And then that's when your D get rotated in a diamond. You see the Carrot Tays get really rotated in that diamond. And for a minute there, that back door is open. The flank doesn't know if he's going to take them or that's going to be passed off as a testament.

And that's just a very simple thing that teams are doing when they play these diamonds, they're trying to rotate them. And when you have rotation, there's a pause in coverage and that's exactly what happened when we saw Ranton have that big night. So, you know, things like that, we'll, we'll have discussion, but Brett's one of those guys, like I said, the main thing is how he'll conduct himself with these guys and the presence.

And I'm looking forward to watching him do that. I did hear you had a good chat with Elias Pettersson about a week ago or something like that. Yeah, well, we got together. We went and played some golf with Hughes and Demer. I was real happy that PD came across. He was excited. I was gonna go see him and I just threw an idea out

and said, hey, why don't you come over and play some golf? Demerite had just had his second child and you know, we'll have some fun and chat. And I was real happy that toward the five day later he was over here. So it worked out well. Um, we had a good time and uh, you know, we were

just, we were just talking and having a couple of dinners and it was a lot of fun. What's, uh, what does Elias Pettersen need from the coaching staff? Well, I just think, you know, we're, we're going to turn the page on what happened the last few years with the other relationship he had. I'm not going to talk about it with Miller

and things like that. I think it just, you know, a lot happened at once. It seemed last year know, a lot happened at once. It seemed last year, I think such a great previous year that, uh, you know, I think you'll a fresh start, uh, you know, um, I get, I'm getting to know him. Like I was the assistant coach and I was dealing more with D, but I did have a pretty good relationship with PD, but you know, he just, I think he needs to feel that support, but also, um, you know, I don't want him to be, I wouldn't say he was confused or anything like that. Uh, that's the wrong word or term, but just keep, I want to keep a separate

one of them and just have a very good communicate what he needs to bring, uh, and help them, help them figure that out. So you know how to be a true pro day in and day out. And, um, you know, he jumped in the league with that success quick. And, uh, you know, we've all been there. You call it a sophomore junction or things like that is because you get there and sometimes I'm not saying he thought it was easy after, but it's, it's easily you can get caught in that trap as a professional athlete. And, um, you know, I'm just there to support them, communicate with them. They'll know the non-negotiables, we'll discuss that in our leadership group.

We really want to talk to the leadership group and there's going to be some non-negotiables, but these guys are going to make up their own contract in this leadership group as far as the standards and how we're going to carry ourselves as pros. It starts now, the process of running starts now every day. That's something we're're gonna target on. You know, we got together with Huggy, Demar, and Petey. That's one of the first things I wanted to hit on was,

you know, who's gonna be in this leadership group and how we're gonna hold each other accountable, you know. I wanna get it to a point where I can just look at one of them and they'll know what I mean by that and they'll fix what needs to be fixed. I think a dress room's got to take care of itself and they got to get, for me, I'd like to see them connect better and be a group that supports each other no matter what and holds each other accountable from day one.

You can't turn on the switch when playoffs start or you're in a big game or the heat gets turned up or, you know, I always say the waves, you know, you're playing an actual game, but the wave is three, four feet high, the fans are replaying and you get in the playoffs, everyone's up to 12 feet, you get a championship game, everyone's up to 15,

they're really not. And that's part of the process I'm talking about. If we understand that as a group, and we do the work together in the right way, day in and day out, and hold each other accountable, when those big games come, you know, we can put the noise away, and we'll know how to do it, support each other,

and then just stay calm in those moments and play as a team. So that was pretty much what we were hitting on first, when we met, something we felt we needed to get working on right away We're speaking to Connex head coach Adam foot here on the health of the brush show on sports net 650. I know Like it in here that oh I'm just resetting that we are speaking to Connex head coach Adam foot here on the health of the brush show on sports net 650 I know it's early days in your head coaching tenure Adam, but, but I asked this question of Rick Taukett early in his tenure as well. What's been the biggest

difference so far being an assistant head coach to then becoming a head coach? What's the biggest change? You're on the phone a lot longer during the day, that's for sure, right? Yeah, listen, it's, you know, I watched Rick, he conducted it, did so well with it. He had this energy. Um, it was unbelievable to watch him do it. You know, he, he had this energy and he always gave people the time and, uh, you know, uh, I really learned a lot from that to see it didn't matter if it, you know, if it was just one of our stick, got sick boys, you know what I really learned a lot from that to see it didn't matter if it was just one

of our stick boys. You know what I mean? He looked at people in the eyes and he listened to them and I think that's huge. He taught me that, watching him conduct himself was, and he told me, he wanted me to be a head coach. He wanted, he's proud of it. And, uh, you know, he's a huge part of it. And he, he taught me a lot. He, he told me like, could these people, um, depend on you?

Or they want to be, you know, everyone matters. Like that's where we're going to talk about our group. And Rick, Rick taught me this. Everyone matters from day one, whether you're, you know, you're sharpening skates or you're the therapist or you're the strength coach, our doctors, they have to feel a part of it. And for me, um, one thing Rick changed and I came in, I was fortunate to be with them as we changed a place that was, I felt very negative. Um, um, you know, everyone was just down.

It didn't feel like it was a committed group or team. And I'm not just talking about the players. It was the whole thing. And to see Rick turning around and yeah, we had a blip last year with some injuries and we all know what happened up through the days on that one. But I'll continue that. I'm a, I know I'm a people person. I really enjoy being around people and talking to them and helping them out

and making them feel and get a good space. That's, that's huge, right? And that's how you win. And even when we were players, it didn't matter. The fourth line guy or the black aces, they were, it mattered. They felt a part of it when we had our winning years in Colorado.

And that's something Rick did and I'll continue to do. How different is the player coach relationship now compared to like, when you broke into the NHL and you had Pierre Paget as your head coach and then you had Crawford and then you had Hartley like I imagine the relationships now are maybe a little different than the ones that you had with your coaches daily daily hugs with those guys. Guys it's the same as parenting right like how hard is it to parent like how we were raised it it was so different, right?

And the world's evolved. We talk about hockey, but it's everything. Everything's changed. I think, yeah, hardly I wouldn't say I'd want to hug him or he'd want to hug me, that's for sure. But it was just a different time. And having young kids and doing a lot of player development, coaching young kids and you know doing a lot of player development coaching young kids you know I think every player I hope every player has a mentor or someone they can talk to I think it's it shows strength to be able

to do stuff like that and have that what you want to call it a team or you know therapists I call us whatever you want to call it I did a ton of that when I retired, I wish I did it when I played and it really helps out, um, to understand the different people, where they're from and what makes them tick and what doesn't. I think with our guys now and young people, they'll do it. They'll go through the wall.

They just want to know why you're asking them to do it, like give them a reasoning. So, you know, you do that, you spend that time. And I call it a contract, like they're, they're going to make up, this leadership group plan is they're going to make up a lot of their own contract because they want to win. And once they know it and recognize it, I just look at it, they go, you know, guys, you decide you want to do this. So, you know, that's the accountability. And I think I like the communication. I like, you know, when we did our penalty kill, when we, well, I played probably my last seven or eight years, maybe 10, you know, one, I were the ones we had a PK

coach, but we would, we would see what the other team's going to do, what their major weapons were or plays. And one, I would, at the end would have that discussion and with a guy like Mike Keene and say, okay, what do we finally do on? And I want our players, they're not going to, you know, tell us we're going to not set up a set up a bunch of plays and things like that. But I want them to be involved and feel a part of it and have an open book communication. And obviously I'm the one that'll have to say it's got to be this way.

And they know that they totally know that. have to say, it's gotta be this way. And they know that they, they totally know that. So, but yeah, it's different, but it's okay. The world's different. You have to, you have to change and evolve with it. Um, one final question for you, Adam. Um, is it, how different is team bonding in the NHL now compared to when you were playing? We hear lots of stories about how the young guys, you know, they take better care of their bodies so they're not going out and drinking every night

that they have a night off. But they also are more like, I don't want to generalize all the young players, but they like to maybe stay home, play video, and just hang out that way. And I wonder if that makes it more of a challenge to get the guys together and get together as a team. I think that's a great question. And it's, it's on, we're going to have a leadership zoom here field going on in the end of the week with our group. Um, and that's part of it where you nailed it. I mean, when the young guy comes up, I don't want to see him going to dinner alone. You know what I mean? Like the

guys have to reach out and there's nothing worse as a young guy when you're sitting in your hotel room alone every night. And sometimes you're nervous and sometimes you need your night off and things like that. But you can do things like that. You have to. And it doesn't matter. One thing for me is, yeah, guys need their space. We're around each other a lot to travel, but there are times where you want these guys to take care of each other that way and bond and I totally groups you.

And it's just like, Pierre Lacroix was one of the best at it where we would have a get together with our families right out of the gate. And I want to do that with this group. I wanna meet their girlfriends or wives and things like that. And I think it's important to do that and to get everyone together.

And I'm a big believer in that. And I love the question because it's something I'm gonna address with the group. I'd like to see even more of that go on. And it's not like what you said, not going out drinking or anything that but just you know breaking the ice and getting to know each other you know there's so many times you got guy gets traded your team you're like oh my god I can't stand this guy I hate

this player but once you get them home you like well he's pretty good guy and I love your question and it's something I part of this leadership group we're gonna discuss part of things that I think can be better with the group. Adam, this was great. Thank you very much for taking the time to do this today. We appreciate it. Travel safe and let's do this again as we get closer to the season.

Okay guys, thanks for having me. Yep, thank you. That's Adam Foote, Canucks head coach here on the Haliford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650. I got a great question. Jason into the weekend on a high. I almost was gonna close. I'm like, Adam, if you did nothing else on this call, you said Jason I got a great question. I sent Jason into the weekend on a high. I almost was gonna close. I'm like, Adam, if you did nothing else on this call,

you said Jason gave you a great question. That's all that matters. Nevermind. The relationship building. And the fact he's a people person, I don't think I've ever heard a head coach say that he was a people person before. I need validation as well.

No way. No way. Okay, the music means we gotta go. It's been a fun week and a fun show. Thank you all for listening. Congrats to Noah from the WAC. He's the winner of the $100 gift card to AJ's. And with that, we say goodbye.

Thank you all for listening. Signing off, I have been Mike Alford. He's been Jason Breff. He's been Adog and he's been a laddie. This has been the Alford and Breff Show on Sportsnet 650. I can't see his number not starting with a four on Sportsnet at 6.50.