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

[lawrence]

During Game 3 of the April 26, 2024, playoff series between the Vancouver Canucks and the Nashville Predators, the Canucks were outshot 30-12. For the entire series—with the exception of the final game—they never exceeded 21 shots on goal. Was this a case of great coaching? In my opinion, Rick Tocchet was outcoached. Nashville consistently looked like the more cohesive, structured team. The mantra of "trust the system" rings hollow when the system itself seems flawed.

Fast-forward to Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers on May 10, 2024: the Canucks were outshot again, and then demolished 42-18 in shots during a later game. Without their goalie standing on his head, that series could’ve spiraled. Tocchet—a supposedly seasoned coach—was outmaneuvered by a rookie coach who adjusted tactically while Vancouver stagnated.

Now, look at Games 6 and 7 against Edmonton—the biggest moments of the season. Win and advance to the conference finals. Instead, the Canucks were outshot 27-15 and 29-17, respectively. In five of seven games against the Oilers, they failed to crack 20 shots. The team’s talent nearly carried them through the second round, but coaching held them back. Tocchet’s stubborn refusal to adapt, to tweak strategies when clearly outmatched, is glaring.

 

[Oliewud]

Your perception of the situation leads me to believe you live in an alternate reality.

please explain to me how hiring a convicted felon for a coach was a good idea

ive got all day buddy boy

 

[rypper]

please explain to me how hiring a convicted felon for a coach was a good idea

ive got all day buddy boy

LOL there's your problems with perceiving reality acting up again.

 

[David71]

Mike Vellucci how about him? coached the penguins before. the minor league team hasnt had a crack at the nhl since.​

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Elias Pettersson Stats And News

Get all the latest stats, news, videos, and more on Elias Pettersson.

www.nhl.com

Between November 9 and December 10, Elias Pettersson erupted for 21 points in 17 games, a remarkable surge after his slow start to the season. This production placed him on a 101-point pace — exactly the elite-level performance befitting an $11.6 million franchise player. Jake DeBrusk also thrived during this stretch, tallying 16 points in 17 games (a 77-point pace), showcasing unexpected chemistry with Pettersson despite DeBrusk’s unsustainable scoring rate.

What changed? Coach Rick Tocchet finally paired the two as linemates, a move that unlocked their potential. With J.T. Miller sidelined from November 17 to December 12, the Pettersson-Debrusk duo flourished, driving offense and compensating for their early-season struggles.

Yet when Miller returned on December 13, Tocchet reverted to his old habits, dismantling the effective partnership. This decision stifled both players’ momentum, reigniting their scoring woes. It’s a frustrating pattern: Tocchet prioritized rigid systems over fostering chemistry, even when the results spoke for themselves.

I also pointed this out in another post when I was ranting about how shitty Tocchet is, that last year through 49 games, Pettersson had 62 points, our "lotto line" of Pettersson Boeser and Miller. He once again wanted to ruin Pettersson.

Compare this to Bruce Boudreau’s tenure, where Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko remained a dynamic duo because it worked. The team scored goals, we struggled, but they built confidence. Tocchet, however, seemed intent on undermining Pettersson’s success, perhaps hoping to pressure management into trading him for grinders.

Good riddance to that mindset. Winning coaches adapt; they don’t sabotage what’s already working.

to my fellow Canuck fans. It blows my mind that we’re actually considering bringing him back and offering him one of the highest salaries among coaches. At this point, I thank Rick Tocchet for not wanting to come back.

To me the DeBrusk Pettersson surge wasn't sustainable. It was a luck driven stretch. EP did not look get his mobility back or his shot back. And I maintain these two things are the driving force behind his horrific drop in production. And the main cause of his obvious lack of confidence.

 

[Brookbank]

The Bruins are literally serially more successful than the Canucks.

The 2006-2012 Canucks were literally very successful. 6 divisionals, 2 Presidents , SCF appearance. It got to Aqualini's head. And the same thing appears to be happening with Boston ownership

 

[Brookbank]

Maybe Lindholm also wasn't resigned because of Tocchet. I know he hasn't been good but we already paid for him in trade. Why did we let Horvat and Lindholm walk if Miller was a problem ?

We wouldn't have a massive hole on the roster if Lindholm was resigned. Lindholm on his current deal will probably be cheaper than whoever we sign in free agency. Chytl could still be diddling around on the 3rd line where he belongs.

Wed have Petterson/Lindholm/Chytl down the middle

 

[Vector]

Some Tocchet stuff from Rick Dhaliwal's interview with Halford (Dodd) & Brough.

• Not surprised that he’s talking to Western teams
• Rutherford’s comments about Tocchet wanting to move back East caught some people off guard; Tocchet was always going to listen to all teams
• Tonne of interest for him; a hot market
• Setting up an interview with Boston Bruins right now
• Not surprised if Seattle Kraken and Philadelphia Flyers have already made offers
• Tocchet is friends with Ron Francis and Jason Botterill; former teammate with Francis and worked with Botterill in Pittsburgh
• Not sure if he was a finalist in Anaheim but was told there were a lot of discussions
• Next coaching gig is not about money; if it was he would have taken the Canucks’ offer since it was very very good

---

 

[DiggerDan]

During Game 3 of the April 26, 2024, playoff series between the Vancouver Canucks and the Nashville Predators, the Canucks were outshot 30-12. For the entire series—with the exception of the final game—they never exceeded 21 shots on goal. Was this a case of great coaching? In my opinion, Rick Tocchet was outcoached. Nashville consistently looked like the more cohesive, structured team. The mantra of "trust the system" rings hollow when the system itself seems flawed.

Fast-forward to Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers on May 10, 2024: the Canucks were outshot again, and then demolished 42-18 in shots during a later game. Without their goalie standing on his head, that series could’ve spiraled. Tocchet—a supposedly seasoned coach—was outmaneuvered by a rookie coach who adjusted tactically while Vancouver stagnated.

Now, look at Games 6 and 7 against Edmonton—the biggest moments of the season. Win and advance to the conference finals. Instead, the Canucks were outshot 27-15 and 29-17, respectively. In five of seven games against the Oilers, they failed to crack 20 shots. The team’s talent nearly carried them through the second round, but coaching held them back. Tocchet’s stubborn refusal to adapt, to tweak strategies when clearly outmatched, is glaring.

I agreed with this then (last year) and still do today. I like Tocchet overall and his system once worked well, but it has not evolved much and results in anemic offense. I'm glad he's moved on.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Maybe Lindholm also wasn't resigned because of Tocchet. I know he hasn't been good but we already paid for him in trade. Why did we let Horvat and Lindholm walk if Miller was a problem ?

We wouldn't have a massive hole on the roster if Lindholm was resigned. Lindholm on his current deal will probably be cheaper than whoever we sign in free agency. Chytl could still be diddling around on the 3rd line where he belongs.

Wed have Petterson/Lindholm/Chytl down the middle

I think Lindholm didn't re-sign because he didn't want to be a 3C, not because of Tocchet or Miller. In fact, I think teammates (including Miller) tried to convince Lindholm to stay.

I agreed with this then (last year) and still do today. I like Tocchet overall and his system once worked well, but it has not evolved much and results in anemic offense. I'm glad he's moved on.

Despite his faults, I'm not glad he's gone. He just needed to improve. He was inflexible. Too often he would say the players didn't execute his plan, instead of adjusting his plan.

Then again, the team just lacked talent up front. There's only so much he can do.

 

[Mudshark50]

I think he's a d*cik for leaving us in the lurch (sp)...quitter. That is all.

 

[DiggerDan]

Despite his faults, I'm not glad he's gone. He just needed to improve. He was inflexible. Too often he would say the players didn't execute his plan, instead of adjusting his plan.

Then again, the team just lacked talent up front. There's only so much he can do.

I think that's a fair argument - he even said he needed coaching help, which I understood to mean they needed to improve the system. I'm not 100% that a new coach will be better, but on balance I'm good with the risk and potential opportunity - especially considering how much stronger our D personnel are now in comparison to when Tocchet took over.

 

[lawrence]

Next coaching gig is not about money; if it was he would have taken the Canucks’ offer since it was very very good

Probably doesn’t want to work worn our current management team. They also suck.

 

[lawrence]

Why did we let Horvat and Lindholm walk if Miller was a problem ?

This relates to my earlier rants about JR (Jim Rutherford) joining the Canucks in a new role. He entered the team with a "clean slate" approach for every player. To me, JR feels like he’s here for a temporary gig rather than being invested long-term. In fan polls, when asked to choose between the two, Bo Horvat received significantly more support than JT Miller from Canucks fans. Yet, JR either doesn’t see or value that perspective—likely because he hasn’t followed or been as emotionally invested in the team as the fanbase has been.We’re also aware of JT Miller’s history of clashing with teammates, like Brock Boeser, and his tendency to publicly berate players during games. As for Elias Lindholm, the frustration seems mutual—he reportedly didn’t want to be relegated to a third-line role. I assumed he was acquired to solidify a second-line duo, creating a "McDavid-Draisaitl-lite" dynamic with Pettersson, Miller, and Boeser. Instead, the lineup strategy has been unclear, and I’m often left baffled by Rick Tocchet’s decisions.

 

[me2]

Maybe Lindholm also wasn't resigned because of Tocchet. I know he hasn't been good but we already paid for him in trade. Why did we let Horvat and Lindholm walk if Miller was a problem ?

We wouldn't have a massive hole on the roster if Lindholm was resigned. Lindholm on his current deal will probably be cheaper than whoever we sign in free agency. Chytl could still be diddling around on the 3rd line where he belongs.

Wed have Petterson/Lindholm/Chytl down the middle

They tried. They reportedly offered lindholm $7m x 7. Bullet dodged.

 

[F A N]

Why did we let Horvat and Lindholm walk if Miller was a problem ?

I don't think it's easy to draw conclusions here. From what has been reported, it appears that management shopped Miller before extending him and then shopped him again before his NTC kicked in. If management saw Miller as a core player, their reported treatment of Miller is rather unusual. It's like Gillis wanting to trade Luongo and traded Schneider instead. I should mention that it was reported that the Canucks upped their offer greatly to get the extension done.

At around the same time they tried to lowball Horvat (I think their initial offer was in the ~$5.5M AAV range while Horvat wanted Couturier money (i.e. $7.7M AAV). I think the Canucks last offer came in at $7.5M AAV. My thinking here is that management didn't really value Horvat. If they manage to sign Horvat at a low AAV that made him attractive. Horvat then went on to have a career year and I think that did change management's mind a bit.

I mentioned this many times, I think management wanted Lindholm to be Horvat's replacement. The problem is that Lindholm previously rejected a 8x$72M offer (i.e. $9M AAV) and management didn't envision a 2C or 1st line winger role for him. The lesson here is that players who want to stay might not care about their role but players who are kind of indifferent do care.

I don't believe the Canucks ever wanted to shop Petey. The priority has always been to sign him to a long term contract.

Now had management managed to sign Horvat would they have turned around and traded Miller before his NTC kicked in? Would they have traded Miller to the NYR if they had managed to re-sign Lindholm? I don't know.

 

[Diablo2020]

Tocchet to Boston has been talked about for two days now and not a peep here. I know some idiot like Jimmy Murphy is the first one to mention it and alot of people are piggybacking his story (i dont wish to rehash todays Larry Brooks slander lol) but I find Boston to be interesting.

Anyone on Boston that doesnt fit the Tocchet mold other than Lindholm, Mittelstadt and maybe Pasta we could poach after?

Or a better question, anyone here that Tocchet might want in Boston? (hello Conor Garland)

 

[me2]

Tocchet to Boston has been talked about for two days now and not a peep here. I know some idiot like Jimmy Murphy is the first one to mention it and alot of people are piggybacking his story (i dont wish to rehash todays Larry Brooks slander lol) but I find Boston to be interesting.

Anyone on Boston that doesnt fit the Tocchet mold other than Lindholm, Mittelstadt and maybe Pasta we could poach after?

Or a better question, anyone here that Tocchet might want in Boston? (hello Conor Garland)

He linked to a few clubs. Might wait and see which he ends up coaching before i think too much about it.

 

[Diablo2020]

He linked to a few clubs. Might wait and see which he ends up coaching before i think too much about it.

Ok I will avoid discussing potential landing spots and players affected by the possible outcomes until I see a confirmed with link thread as well I guess.

In the meantime I found this funny and true today..

 

[Diablo2020]

Ok I will avoid discussing potential landing spots and players affected by the possible outcomes until I see a confirmed with link thread as well I guess.

In the meantime I found this funny and true today..

Also, is his family backstage or....?

Hows that quality time going for Rick these days?

 

[rypper]

Tocchet to Boston has been talked about for two days now and not a peep here. I know some idiot like Jimmy Murphy is the first one to mention it and alot of people are piggybacking his story (i dont wish to rehash todays Larry Brooks slander lol) but I find Boston to be interesting.

Anyone on Boston that doesnt fit the Tocchet mold other than Lindholm, Mittelstadt and maybe Pasta we could poach after?

Or a better question, anyone here that Tocchet might want in Boston? (hello Conor Garland)

Tocchet has no connection to the Canucks anymore. I'm not surprised his next job isn't a major talking point.

 

[Diablo2020]

Tocchet has no connection to the Canucks anymore. I'm not surprised his next job isn't a major talking point.

I most certainly have a Conor Garland for Matthew Poitras proposal ready in the chamber, myself. Even with just Jimmy Murphy rumors tying Rick to Boston.

 

[Bubbles]

John Shannon was one of the media guys to say he would return to the TNT panel.

IMO, he's sitting pretty because he's got the Philly job locked down. Sure he'll do interviews but unless he gets blown away with a $10M a year offer or something stupid, he's going to Philly.

 

[Diablo2020]

John Shannon was one of the media guys to say he would return to the TNT panel.

IMO, he's sitting pretty because he's got the Philly job locked down. Sure he'll do interviews but unless he gets blown away with a $10M a year offer or something stupid, he's going to Philly.

I dont think he even interviewed for Philly yet which I thought was just to lessen the tampering accusations we'd have.

Boston also makes sense though its a blank slate he can help pinpoint a whole bunch of Vinny Desharnais' to build around.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

During Game 3 of the April 26, 2024, playoff series between the Vancouver Canucks and the Nashville Predators, the Canucks were outshot 30-12. For the entire series—with the exception of the final game—they never exceeded 21 shots on goal. Was this a case of great coaching? In my opinion, Rick Tocchet was outcoached. Nashville consistently looked like the more cohesive, structured team. The mantra of "trust the system" rings hollow when the system itself seems flawed.

Fast-forward to Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers on May 10, 2024: the Canucks were outshot again, and then demolished 42-18 in shots during a later game. Without their goalie standing on his head, that series could’ve spiraled. Tocchet—a supposedly seasoned coach—was outmaneuvered by a rookie coach who adjusted tactically while Vancouver stagnated.

Now, look at Games 6 and 7 against Edmonton—the biggest moments of the season. Win and advance to the conference finals. Instead, the Canucks were outshot 27-15 and 29-17, respectively. In five of seven games against the Oilers, they failed to crack 20 shots. The team’s talent nearly carried them through the second round, but coaching held them back. Tocchet’s stubborn refusal to adapt, to tweak strategies when clearly outmatched, is glaring.

Knoblauch absolutely destroyed Tocchet head-to-head last season. He had a calculated backup plan for everything that happened. Tocchet just stuck to his guns despite anything changing around him.