Nolan Foote Bio
Nolan Foote is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 27th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Foote is the son of former NHL defenseman Adam Foote and the younger brother of defenseman Cal Foote, giving him one of the most recognizable hockey pedigrees of his generation.
Born in Englewood, Colorado, on November 29, 2000, Foote developed through elite youth programs in the United States before moving to the Western Hockey League (WHL). After parts of five seasons within the New Jersey Devils organization, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2025.
Early Life and Background
Nolan Foote was born in Englewood, Colorado, on November 29, 2000. He grew up in a household shaped by professional hockey, as his father Adam Foote enjoyed a long and distinguished NHL career as a stay-at-home defenseman, winning two Stanley Cup championships with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and 2001. That family background gave Nolan an early and consistent exposure to the rhythms of a professional hockey life, from training habits to locker room culture.
Foote played his youth hockey in Colorado, including time with the Colorado Thunderbirds of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL) at the under-16 level. It was there that he built the two-way foundation that has defined his game: a willingness to play through contact, a reliable defensive game, and a heavy shot that scouts noticed early. He also shared the rink with his older brother Cal, who was three years his senior and would go on to be drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017.
Path to Professional Hockey
Foote was selected by the Kelowna Rockets with the 43rd overall pick in the 2015 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft while still playing for the Colorado Thunderbirds. The pick reunited the Foote brothers within the Rockets organization, as Cal had been selected by Kelowna two years earlier in 2013. After his bantam draft year, Foote moved to British Columbia to begin his major junior career in the WHL.
Across three full seasons with the Kelowna Rockets, Foote developed into one of the WHL’s most productive power forwards. By the time he was eligible for the NHL Draft, he had played 168 career WHL games, recording 68 goals, 70 assists, and 138 points. That production, combined with his 6-foot-3 frame and NHL bloodlines, made him a clear first-round candidate in 2019.
Nolan Foote Career
Draft and Entry-Level Contract (2019)
On June 21, 2019, Foote was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning 27th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, joining his brother Cal as a Lightning draft pick. Just four days later, on June 25, 2019, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Tampa Bay. The Lightning had identified him as a power forward with a heavy shot and a mature two-way game, projecting him as a middle-six winger with penalty-kill value.
Trade to New Jersey and NHL Debut (2020–2021)
Foote never played a game for the Tampa Bay Lightning. On February 16, 2020, his contract rights, along with a first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, were traded to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Blake Coleman. He began the 2020–21 season with the Binghamton Devils of the AHL and was called up to the Devils’ taxi squad on April 17, 2021. The following day, Foote made his NHL debut against the New York Rangers and recorded his first NHL point, assisting on a goal by captain Nico Hischier.
New Jersey Devils Years (2021–2025)
Over the next several seasons, Foote split time between New Jersey and its AHL affiliates, working to translate his WHL scoring touch into NHL production. Entering the 2023–24 season, which briefly saw the Foote brothers reunited under contract with the Devils, Nolan sustained an upper-body injury in training camp and began the year on injured reserve. Although the initial expectation was a late-November return, he did not return to play until February 26, 2024, when he was assigned to the Utica Comets of the AHL on a conditioning loan. After his loan, he appeared in four NHL games and scored one goal.
On August 12, 2024, Foote signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Devils for the 2024–25 season. After five seasons within the Devils organization, he left as a free agent upon not being tendered a qualifying offer.
Florida Panthers Era (2025–Present)
On July 1, 2025, Foote signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers for the 2025–26 season. The move gave him a fresh opportunity to compete for a bottom-six NHL role in Florida while remaining eligible for AHL duty with the Panthers’ top affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. The signing was a low-risk bet for Florida on a 24-year-old power forward still seeking to establish himself as a full-time NHLer.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the ice, Foote is recognized as a prototypical power forward: 6 feet 3 inches tall and listed at 186 pounds, he plays a north-south game built on driving the net, winning battles along the boards, and getting his shot through to the net. Coaches have praised his two-way reliability, his penalty-kill awareness, and his willingness to play through contact, all of which made him a long-term prospect despite uneven NHL scoring totals.
Notable Events and Milestones
Foote’s most memorable early NHL moment came on April 18, 2021, when he recorded his first NHL point on an assist to Nico Hischier in his debut against the New York Rangers. The trade that sent him from Tampa Bay to New Jersey alongside a first-round pick for Blake Coleman is also among the most notable transactions of his career to date.
Nolan Foote Career Statistics
Foote’s professional career has been split between the AHL and the NHL, with a productive WHL foundation that prepared him for the pro game.
Junior and AHL Highlights
In 168 career WHL games with the Kelowna Rockets, Foote recorded 68 goals, 70 assists, and 138 points, establishing himself as a first-round NHL talent. He has since spent time with the Binghamton Devils and the Utica Comets at the AHL level, working to refine his game against professionals.
NHL Highlights
Foote made his NHL debut on April 18, 2021, against the New York Rangers and recorded his first NHL point that same night. Across limited NHL action with the New Jersey Devils, he has produced a small number of goals and assists while continuing to compete for a full-time roster spot.
Nolan Foote Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Nolan Foote is the son of Adam Foote, a longtime NHL defenseman who played 19 seasons in the league and won two Stanley Cup championships with the Colorado Avalanche. He is the younger brother of Cal Foote, a defenseman who was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The Foote hockey lineage is one of the more established in North America, and Nolan has often cited his father and brother as central influences in his development.
Personal Life
Foote holds both American and Canadian citizenship, having been born in Englewood, Colorado, while maintaining strong ties to Canada through his junior career in Kelowna, British Columbia. He is not publicly known to be married and has no publicly confirmed long-term partner at this stage of his career.
2025–26 Season Performance
Foote enters the 2025–26 season with the Florida Panthers on a one-year, two-way contract signed on July 1, 2025. The deal gives him a clear opportunity to compete for a bottom-six forward role in Florida, with the Charlotte Checkers serving as his AHL landing spot if he is not in the NHL lineup on a given night. His blend of size, defensive responsibility, and net-front scoring touch fits the profile of a depth forward the Panthers have historically valued.
Key storylines to watch include how quickly Foote adapts to Florida’s pace-and-skill system under head coach Paul Maurice, and whether his shot volume and net-front presence can translate into sustained NHL production. With the Panthers contending annually in the Eastern Conference, even a fourth-line role would put Foote on a deep playoff roster, offering him the kind of postseason exposure he did not have in New Jersey.
For Foote, the 2025–26 season represents something of a reset: a new organization, a defined role, and a contract that runs through the end of the campaign. A productive year in either Charlotte or Sunrise could set up a longer-term NHL home for the 24-year-old power forward, while also extending the Foote family’s multi-generational presence in professional hockey.