After the Vancouver Canucks dropped their 11th straight game - a tough 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders at Rogers Arena - head coach Adam Foote finally broke his silence in a way that turned heads. And not just because of what he said, but because of who he said it about.
For weeks, Foote has been the steady hand, shielding his players from the growing frustration outside the locker room. He’s defended them after losses, leaned on phrases like “we were right there,” and tried to keep the focus on effort rather than outcome.
But on Monday night, that tone shifted. And for a team stuck in a brutal skid, it felt like a much-needed jolt.
Foote didn’t call out any names, but his message was clear: the team’s veterans aren’t doing enough to steady the ship - and, in fact, might be making things worse.
“Our veterans are the ones that feel defeated first,” Foote told reporters postgame. “It’s been going on here for a few years.
You know, we get off our game, we get frustrated, we overcomplicate it, slamming the gate, things like that. It’s something we’ve got to get out of our culture.”
That last word - culture - is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Because what Foote is pointing to isn’t just a bad stretch of hockey.
It’s a mentality that’s seeped into the foundation of this team. When things go sideways, the response isn’t resilience - it’s frustration, deviation from the game plan, and visible signs of defeat.
That’s not just a problem in the moment. That’s a blueprint for continued losing.
Foote’s comments weren’t just a critique of a single game; they were a line in the sand. And for a rookie head coach still trying to establish his voice in the room, that’s significant. He’s watched this pattern unfold, and now he’s calling it out - publicly - in hopes of breaking it.
“I’ve been watching this for too long,” he said. “We’ve got to stop burning ourselves by getting frustrated.
We’ve got to stay within the plan. The plan’s working.
And it’s our vets ... they’ve got to hang in there.”
It’s a rare moment of candor from a coach who’s largely tried to keep things in-house. But with the team in freefall - just four home wins in 21 games - something had to give. And if this message lands the way Foote hopes, it could be a turning point.
The Canucks don’t lack talent. But what they’ve lacked lately is composure, leadership, and the kind of mental toughness that’s supposed to come from the top of the roster. Foote’s challenge to his veterans is simple: be the ones who steady the group, not the ones who spiral first.
This isn’t just about snapping a losing streak. It’s about changing the identity of a team that’s been stuck in the same cycle for years. And if the veterans in that room are truly ready to lead, now’s the time to show it.