Adam Foote

Adam David Vernon Foote (born July 10, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, the current Assistant Coach of the Vancouver Canucks of National Hockey League, and the former head coach of the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League.

He was best known for his physical presence and gritty play as a stay-at-home defenceman.

He was a teammate of future NHLer Keith Primeau for several years, leading their teams to several OMHA "AA" Championships in the early 1980s.

After a successful midget season with Brooklin-Whitby's AA team, Foote was a second-round underage choice, 21st overall, of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the 1988 OHL Priority Selection.

Foote went on to play three OHL seasons with the Greyhounds, winning a J. Ross Robertson Cup and appearing in the Memorial Cup in his final season under future NHL head coach Ted Nolan.

Foote was drafted out of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) 22nd overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques.

Foote was selected 22nd overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.

He began his National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Nordiques in 1991–92 before the franchise relocated to Colorado, where he won two Stanley Cups in 1996 and 2001.

He played for Quebec for four seasons until the franchise moved to Colorado to become the Avalanche in 1995–96.

Foote won his first of two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche that year, sweeping the Florida Panthers in the Finals.

Five years later, Foote helped the Avalanche to a second Stanley Cup championship in 2001, defeating the New Jersey Devils in seven games.

The following season, in 2001–02, Foote recorded a career-high 22 assists in the regular season before missing out on his second straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance with the Avalanche, losing in seven games to the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Finals.

Internationally, Foote won a gold medal in 2002 Winter Olympics and a World Cup championship in 2004 with Team Canada.

Foote is the father of NHL players Cal and Nolan Foote.

Foote grew up playing hockey for the Brooklin-Whitby Minor Hockey Association (OMHA).

In 2002–03, Foote had another career-year offensively, scoring personal bests of 11 goals and 31 points.

After a 30-point campaign in 2003–04, he remained inactive in 2004–05 due to the NHL lockout.

In 2005, Foote signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he served as team captain for three seasons.

When NHL play was set to resume in 2005–06, Foote parted ways with the Avalanche franchise after 13 seasons, signing a three-year contract worth $13.5 million with the Columbus Blue Jackets on August 1, 2005.

He was immediately named an alternate captain for the upcoming season, but was assigned the Blue Jackets' captaincy in December 2005 when defenceman Luke Richardson stepped down from the position.

He became the fourth captain in franchise history.

He then returned to the Avalanche in 2008 via trade, where he would eventually complete his playing career.

Foote was the last active NHL player from the Quebec Nordiques.

Three seasons later, with his contract set to expire, Foote was traded from the Blue Jackets back to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for two conditional draft picks on February 26, 2008.

The trade occurred amid speculation that the Blue Jackets were trying to re-sign Foote to keep him in Columbus, but could not meet Foote's asking price.

Later that night, he arrived in Calgary during the first period to play against the Flames.

Foote managed one goal and 15 assists for a total of 16 points in 75 games with the Avs and Blue Jackets combined.

On June 30, 2008, Foote agreed to re-sign with the Avalanche with a two-year $6 million deal at $3 million per season.

His first full season back in Colorado was cut short by injury and he managed just 42 games.

Further major injuries to key players in the lineup resulted in the Avalanche finishing in last place in the Western Conference.

The following off-season, long-time Avalanche captain Joe Sakic announced his retirement.

As training camp was set to begin for the 2009–10 season, Foote was named Sakic's successor on September 11, 2009, becoming the eighth captain in franchise history (including the Nordiques) and just the second in Avalanche history.

On May 25, 2010, the Avalanche re-signed Foote to a one-year contract extension for the 2010–11 season worth approximately $1 million.

On April 10, 2011, Foote played his last game with the Avalanche, winning 4–3 in overtime against the Edmonton Oilers during the season finale.

He was awarded first star of the game.

Foote was the last former Nordique to be active in the NHL.

After his playing career, Foote was hired by his former club the Colorado Avalanche as a defensive coach from 2011 to 2017.

On November 2, 2013, Foote had his number 52 jersey retired by the Avalanche, joining elite company in Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg in sharing the honour.

On October 23, 2018, It was announced that Foote had been named the head coach for the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League.

He was subsequently fired as head coach by the Rockets in February 2020.