Vancouver Canucks add three assistants to Adam Foote’s coaching staff

Chicago Blackhawks interim head coach Anders Sorensen, left, listens to assistant coach Kevin Dean during an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

VANCOUVER — Newly minted Vancouver Canucks head coach Adam Foote is rounding out his coaching staff with three new additions.

The team announced Thursday that former Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Kevin Dean, former American Hockey League head coach Brett McLean and Vancouver’s former director of player personnel Scott Young have all been named assistant coaches.

“The coaching search was a very thorough process as we wanted to find the best fit for our hockey club,” Canucks general manager Adam Foote said in a release.

“Once Adam was hired, we set out on selecting a team of assistant coaches who are good teachers, good communicators, and good people. Footey has done a great job in assembling a well-rounded staff with a strong mix of experience and position specific expertise. I am excited to watch this group come together and am ready to support them in every way I can to help them prepare for the upcoming season.”

Dean, 56, comes to Vancouver following three seasons as an assistant coach with the Blackhawks. He also helped the United States — including Canucks forwards Conor Garland and Drew O’Connor — to a gold medal at the 2025 world championships last month.

Known as a defensive specialist, Dean will take over Vancouver’s penalty kill, Foote told reporters Thursday.

“I knew within the second or third phone call that this was the guy for us,” he said on a phone call from Toronto, where he was taking in a Blue Jays game. “I’m very excited about him being down that side of the bench and letting him do his thing. I think he’ll do a great job with our d corps.”

McLean will be responsible for the power play, Foote added.

The 46-year-old McLean joins the Canucks after two years as head coach of the Iowa Wild, the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate. He previously spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Wild, and played professional hockey for 18 seasons across seven different leagues, including the NHL.

Young will be Vancouver’s “glue guy” who will help out with several different aspects of the team, Foote said.

Young has been with the Canucks for three seasons and previously spent five years as director of player development for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He spent 17 years playing in the NHL and won Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh (1991) and Colorado (1996).

The Canucks also announced Thursday that assistant coach Yogi Svejkovsky, defensive development coach Sergei Gonchar and video coach Dylan Crawford will not return next season.

The moves come after former head coach Rick Tocchet parted ways with Vancouver in April and the club promoted Foote following his two years as an assistant coach on Tocchet’s bench.

Tocchet was later named head coach of the Flyers and Svejkovsky will join him in Philadelphia.

“There’s zero hard feelings. (Svejkovsky) is a friend of mine,” Foote said. “Rick developed me, developed him. And if that’s where he’s going to feel more comfortable … that is just fine.”

Dean, McLean and Young join a Canucks’ staff that includes player development coaches Daniel and Henrik Sedin, goaltending coach Marko Torenius, assistant video coach Ian Beckenstein, and skills and skating coach Jason Krog.

The team is still looking to add another video coach, Foote said.

This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith of The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.