Confirmed with Link: Canucks announce HC Rick Tocchet will Not Return

[iceburg]

Overall a weird scenario. Team could've opted into their team option and just kept him another year no questions asked. The fact that Rutherford took that off the table so long ago meant that they were willing to pay him more and all but if he was truly their number one pick why take it off the table? I suspect that maybe one of the other coaches out there are actually high on their list.

Laviolette and Sullivan are the coaches that won all of Rutherfords Stanley Cups. So maybe them being out there factored into how this played out (in addition to Tocchet not wanting to stay or being insanely greedy if reports are right).

It seemed like a weird move to say they weren't going to exercise the option but maybe we can read something into the rationale? They said they wanted a coach that wanted to be here and weren't going to prevent one that didn't from leaving (paraphrasing). Maybe we can take this at face value. Maybe they knew that Tocchet just didn't want to be here. They made him a decent offer, he thought about it, and said no. All seems to add up without complicating it too much.

 

[I am toxic]

//

Laviolette and Sullivan are the coaches that won all of Rutherfords Stanley Cups. So maybe them being out there factored into how this played out (in addition to Tocchet not wanting to stay or being insanely greedy if reports are right).

 

[Nucky]

I disagree, they handled this one fairly. I don't think that Tochett was that great of a head coach. If he wants to leave, let him.

Yeah I've questioned plenty of this management's decisions, but I don't see how this one is on them. By all accounts they were ready to talk months ago and Tocchet wanted to wait. They made him a strong offer and he chose to leave.

 

[Bubbles]

 

[rebuildorbust]

Selfish plug used us and left

Traded kuzy for nothing too

 

[Vector]

"There's lots of good candidates out there, like Sheldon Keefe in New Jersey." - Rutherford probably

Not enough Pittsburgh connections.

 

[VanJack]

Next season could end up being some kinda transition year which will lead us to losing Hughes. We don’t have a legitimate top 6, we don’t have a coaching staff and we don’t know what system we will have. I think they knew Tocchet was leaving which is why they brought up the idea of Hughes leaving, we’re being set up for disappointment because they know we’re likely going to lose Hughes with the loss of Tocchet and all the questions going into the next season.

Speaking of Quinn Hughes, by next season he'll be playing for his fourth coach in his six professional seasons in Vancouver--and he clearly stated that Tocchet was the one he wanted to continue to play for.

At this rate, it'll take a miracle to re-sign him before the end of the 2026-27 season. He's as good as gone imo.

 

[Canuckle1970]

When Torts was fired by Philly on March 27, that was the "opportunity" that was waiting for Toc. If it's true that Toc asked for $5M, then you can bet it was a way for him and the team to part ways, both sides knowing that the price was too high. And it is too high for a coach that's never won a Cup.

Onwards.

 

[ExarKun80]

Most overrated HC coach in canucks history with one good season due to some absurd luck and a talented squad. The dude is 61 and used the canucks to revitalize his career. He is going to get paid stupid money for one good season in 9 years of coaching.

 

[pitseleh]

Montreal hired MSL with less so idk.

Agree generally it’s probably a reasonable thing to do, but this team needs to win next year and I’m not sure they can take the risk it totally blows up.

 

[Brookbank]

He used Van to relaunch his career. He is a fully Amerincanized easterner who couldn't give a single f*** about Vancouver. He was going to cost us a bloated contract so good riddance.

Maybe Peter Laviolette would be willing to take a short cheap deal. Not that I am particularly interested in that but Rutherford might go there. Get ready for this guy

 

[WTG]

Speaking of Quinn Hughes, by next season he'll be playing for his fourth coach in his six professional seasons in Vancouver--and he clearly stated that Tocchet was the one he wanted to continue to play for.

At this rate, it'll take a miracle to re-sign him before the end of the 2026-27 season. He's as good as gone imo.

I mean, with Tochetts system, where we really going to be winning things? What's the point of having a top end player and a middling coach who can't bring it over the line. At the end of the day, you aren't going to be winning anything anyway.

 

[calnuck]

Please don’t bring Sullivan back. Idc if he was an assistant, I don’t want any retreads. This team needs to keep moving forward

 

[drax0s]

Watch Rutherford step away now too.

 

[Brookbank]

Like what others have said, the practice rink sounds like a noble excuse to leave. Even if they'd announce the plan to build a rink, it would take years for it to be complete. Is Rick looking that far ahead? He join the Canucks even when there were no immediate plans to build one.

Tocchet being coach here was like Messier being captain. He has zero sentimental connection to Vancouver. Our roster was good enough on paper to relaunch his coaching career. And it worked for him. He'd rather be in Pit, Philly or NY

 

[iFan]

if you’re a head coach do you really want to be the guy here given our track record with head coaches short shelf life

 

[Breakers]

I disagree, they handled this one fairly. I don't think that Tochett was that great of a head coach. If he wants to leave, let him.

I agree
It’s more the revolving door from an owner who is on record saying he likes to keep the money on the ice and not on a coach

 

[Nucky]

Watch Rutherford step away now too.

I fully expect him to leave if/when Hughes does lol

 

[Vector]

if you’re a head coach do you really want to be the guy here given our track record with head coaches short shelf life

Every coach has a short shelf life now. NHL coaches last about two years and part of that is inflated with Jon Cooper being around so long.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Todd Nelson is probably my top choice for the role.

 

[EpochLink]

Alright, who is the next head coach?
Does Manny get a promotion? We go to experience?

 

[wonton15]

I fully expect him to leave if/when Hughes does lol

He’s going to “retire” next offseason after Hughes asks out and sending us back into the perpetual retool. I would put money on it.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Hard to know exactly where to stand on this.

On the one hand, definitely feels like Tocchet just wanted to move on. Which kind of sucks after all the talk about creating a winning culture, etc. here. Coupled with the fact that he wanted big, big money to keep coaching here, that's tough, too.

On the other hand, on the balance of evidence available from other stuff - Willander, practice facility - it feels like there's some tightening of the purse strings going on.

Not terribly happy with Tocchet, nor am I terribly happy with Management/Ownership.

 

[Brookbank]

Please don’t bring Sullivan back. Idc if he was an assistant, I don’t want any retreads. This team needs to keep moving forward

Oh you know it. Too many retreads to resists out there for JR.

For those who don't know where that term came from, this right here is a retread. It isn't a very common practice in the developed world anymore. But in JRs day, everything got retreads

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Overall a weird scenario. Team could've opted into their team option and just kept him another year no questions asked. The fact that Rutherford took that off the table so long ago meant that they were willing to pay him more and all but if he was truly their number one pick why take it off the table? I suspect that maybe one of the other coaches out there are actually high on their list.

Laviolette and Sullivan are the coaches that won all of Rutherfords Stanley Cups. So maybe them being out there factored into how this played out (in addition to Tocchet not wanting to stay or being insanely greedy if reports are right).

"Insanely greedy"