New Vancouver Canucks head coach Adam Foote has the chance to build his coaching staff from the ground up, and one intriguing candidate with Canucks ties has recently become available: Brad Shaw.
Shaw, 61, served as interim head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers after previously working as their associate coach for three seasons. Despite a strong showing, he lost out to Rick Tocchet—ironically, the former Canucks bench boss—for the permanent role and won’t be returning to Philadelphia, according to multiple reports.
Shaw is no stranger to Vancouver, having been an assistant under Travis Green during the 2021–22 season. He’s now being viewed as a potential addition to Foote’s new coaching staff, which is expected to include one offense-focused and one defense-oriented assistant. Shaw’s strength clearly lies in defense—he was praised in Philly for reviving the careers of players like Rasmus Ristolainen and Travis Sanheim, and for helping Cam York, Egor Zamula, and Nick Seeler become regular NHL contributors.
It’s unclear whether Shaw still aspires to a head coaching job, but NHL insider Andy Strickland reported that several teams are interested in him, viewing him as one of the league’s top assistants. Given Shaw’s experience and familiarity with the Canucks organization, he could be a stabilizing presence—and potentially a future interim option should Foote face challenges.
Meanwhile, former Canucks coach Rick Tocchet, now officially with the Flyers, took a subtle parting shot at Vancouver during his introductory press conference. Tocchet highlighted the Flyers’ state-of-the-art practice facility—complete with three rinks and extensive amenities—as a major draw, contrasting it with Vancouver’s lack of a dedicated practice rink, something no other NHL team lacks.
Tocchet praised the Flyers’ resources, saying, “As a coach, you’re like, ‘Oh my God.’ These are the things you want… to help me be an even better coach.” His comments, though measured, underscored a long-standing concern within the Canucks organization and may add pressure on Vancouver to modernize its infrastructure as it builds around Foote’s new regime.
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