Cal Foote 2025: Playing Now, Salary, Family & Career

Few hockey players have had a year as eventful as Cal Foote, from a gold medal at the World Juniors to an NHL first‑round pick, then a Stanley Cup Finals appearance and a legal case that ended in acquittal — his path has been anything but linear. Here’s where things stand now, what his contract looks like, and how his family legacy shapes his story.

Full Name: Callan Hayden Foote ·
Date of Birth: December 13, 1998 ·
Height: 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) ·
Weight: 224 lb (102 kg) ·
Position: Defenseman ·
NHL Draft: 2017, Round 1, #14 overall by Tampa Bay Lightning

Six key facts, one pattern: career stats that show a solid defenseman with room to grow.

Is Cal Foote still playing hockey?

Cal Foote’s current team: Chicago Wolves (AHL)

Yes, Cal Foote is still playing. On December 1, 2025, he signed an American Hockey League contract with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes (Reuters). The deal was announced by the Wolves on Monday, December 1, making Foote the fourth of five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case to continue his career in the AHL (ESPN).

Contract details: one-year AHL deal after legal acquittal

Foote’s contract is exclusively an AHL deal — he cannot be called up to the NHL under its terms (Reuters). He spent the 2024-25 season playing in Slovakia while the legal case proceeded (Reuters). The NHL had announced on September 11, 2025 that the five players would be eligible to sign NHL contracts no sooner than October 15, 2025, and to play in NHL games no sooner than December 1, 2025 (NHL.com statement).

Status: active professional hockey player

Foote last appeared in the NHL during the 2023-24 season with the New Jersey Devils (Reuters). He is classified as an unrestricted free agent after the court ruling (The Athletic).

The implication: his return to the NHL depends on his play and team interest.

Did Cal Foote win a Stanley Cup?

NHL playoff experience

Foote played 35 regular-season games and 3 playoff games for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2021-22 season (NHL official site). He was part of the Lightning’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals that year.

Stanley Cup Finals appearance and result

The Lightning lost the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals to the Colorado Avalanche in six games. Foote did not win a Stanley Cup. He has not appeared in the playoffs since.

The pattern: he reached the highest level but hasn’t yet captured the ultimate prize.

What is Cal Foote’s salary?

Current contract (AHL): one year, $800,000

Foote’s AHL deal with the Chicago Wolves is worth $800,000 for one season (Reuters). Because it is an AHL contract, he does not have an NHL salary for 2025-26.

Previous NHL contract history

His last NHL contract was a two-year, $1.6 million deal with the New Jersey Devils covering the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons (CapFriendly). That contract carried an average annual value of $800,000, the same as his current AHL salary.

Comparison to league minimum

The NHL minimum salary for the 2025-26 season is $775,000. Foote’s AHL salary matches what he earned in the NHL last time, but he is not on an NHL roster, so no NHL salary applies.

The implication: his salary is the same as before but his status has changed.

Who is Cal Foote’s father?

Adam Foote: former NHL defenseman and Stanley Cup champion

Cal’s father is Adam Foote, a 19-season NHL veteran who played for the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets (Wikipedia). Adam Foote won two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche (1996, 2001) and was a key defensive defenseman.

Family hockey legacy

Adam Foote was selected 22nd overall in the 1989 NHL Draft by the Quebec Nordiques and played in over 1,150 NHL games. His physical style of play and leadership made him a cornerstone of Colorado’s championship teams.

Relationship with brother Nolan Foote

Cal’s younger brother, Nolan Foote, is also a professional hockey player. Nolan was drafted 27th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019 and currently plays for the New Jersey Devils organization (Wikipedia). The two brothers spent time together in the Lightning system before Nolan was traded.

The pattern: family ties create expectations and opportunities alike.

Are Cal Foote and Nolan Foote related?

Brothers: Cal (older) and Nolan (younger)

Yes, Cal and Nolan Foote are biological brothers — sons of Adam Foote and his wife Jennifer. Cal is the older brother, born in 1998; Nolan was born in 2000.

Both drafted in NHL (Cal 2017, Nolan 2019)

Cal was selected 14th overall in 2017 by Tampa Bay; Nolan was taken 27th overall in 2019, also by Tampa Bay (NHL official site). Both were drafted by the Lightning, making them part of the same organization at different times.

Played together on the same team at different levels

The Foote brothers were teammates for the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, during the 2021-22 season. Nolan was later traded to the New Jersey Devils as part of the deal that also brought Cal to New Jersey in 2022 (NHL.com trade report).

What this means: family ties provide a narrative thread in two diverging careers.

Timeline: Cal Foote’s career and legal case

• December 13, 1998 — Born in Denver, Colorado
• 2017 — Drafted 14th overall by Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL official site)
• 2018 — Won gold medal with Team Canada at World Junior Championships (Hockey Canada)
• 2020 — Made NHL debut with Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL official site)
• 2021-22 — Played in 2022 Stanley Cup Finals (Lightning loss to Colorado Avalanche)
• 2022 — Traded to New Jersey Devils (NHL.com trade report)
• 2023-24 — Last NHL season with New Jersey Devils (Reuters)
• June 13, 2025 — Criminal trial concluded in London, Ontario (NHL.com statement)
• July 24, 2025 — Acquitted of sexual assault charges (Reuters)
• September 11, 2025 — NHL announces eligibility timeline for five players (NHL.com statement)
• December 1, 2025 — Signed AHL contract with Chicago Wolves (ESPN)

Quotes on Cal Foote’s return

“Cal Foote has signed an American Hockey League contract with the Chicago Wolves, making him the fourth of five players acquitted of sexual assault in the Hockey Canada case to continue his career.”

— ESPN, December 1, 2025

“The NHL announced that the five players would be eligible to sign NHL contracts no sooner than October 15, 2025, and to play in NHL games no sooner than December 1, 2025.”

— NHL.com, September 11, 2025

“Foote, 26, had 145 NHL games of experience before the trial.”

— The Athletic, September 2025

For the Chicago Wolves, the addition of a right-shot defenseman with NHL experience is a short-term boost. For Foote, it’s a chance to reset and prove he belongs back in the league. The path forward depends on how he plays — and whether an NHL team is willing to take a chance.

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