Speculation: Tocchet, do we really need him?

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Time for a coaching change?

  • Fire him

    Votes: 24 34.3%
  • Keep him

    Votes: 46 65.7%

  • Total voters
    70
It would be a bit much, even for the Canucks, if Tocchet was sacked. It does happen--that a guy goes from winning the Jack Adams award to the unemployment line in a single season. But not a 'good look' if it happens.

Based on last season's breakthrough alone, he definitely should earn another deal in Vancouver. I cut him some slack on this season--where almost everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong.

Of course there's also a chance Tocchet simply 'chucks it' in Vancouver--and is hired to coach another NHL team as a coaching UFA. Certainly he'd be in demand in seven or eight current NHL markets.
 
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If this isn't indicative of a systems issue, I don't know what is. Last year was a result of PDO. Something has to give
 
Tocchet's an excellent player development coach, and having him, Foote, Gonchar, etc. helped draw in our FAs last summer. He also delegates, which is a breath of fresh air in a league that still has a lot of hard asses. Tactically, I think Tocchet's implementation of the Torterella/Sullivan forecheck has the potential to be very entertaining, and I liked what Tocchet said this summer of generating more things on the rush and utilizing the team's speed more. I wish we got to see that.

This defensive pivot is deliberate, it basically shows a lack of faith in the team's ability to get things done. Speaks more to management and the players themselves I think. I do find several of Tocchet's tactical hang ups frustrating. Our dump and chase is abysmal—if players can't run it, I dunno, build the strategy to the team… don't force the team to be something it's not. I don't know if it's him or Foote who want d-man to be same hand/same side, but the amount of times I've seen Forbert or Juulsen bauble a ring-around-the-boards just invalidates the whole purpose of asking for that… just take the best d-man, side be damned. His time out usage is also baffling.

But despite all of that it's crazy to put 10 years worth of cultural, managerial, draft, and personnel issues on the guy. Personnel issues and injuries have sunk this season more than on-ice tactics. I think he's earned at least another year, so I'm not pitchforks up if they renew him, but if he goes you know it is what it is.
 
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Count me as a guy who thought there was basically no way Tocchet wouldn't be behind the Canuck bench for next season. But now I'm not so sure.

I see Satiar Shaw on the post-game show is reducing the odds of Tocchet returning to 49 percent.....obviously less than 50/50.

And as this season limps to a painful conclusion, it seems to me that there's more and more of a possibility that there's a coaching change in Vancouver.

It probably isn't Tocchet's fault of course. But the GM can't fire himself--even if he is culpable.

It's been long reported that every NHL GM is given the latitude to make at least two coaching changes. Obviously Allvin didn't hire Boudreau, so if Tocchet goes then that's his first sacking.

So he'd better make sure he gets the second one right--for the sake of self-preservation.
 

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