The Seattle Kraken have reportedly interviewed and offered Rick Tocchet to be their third head coach in franchise history, according to the Daily Faceoff's Frank Servalli.
Tocchet coached the Vancouver Canucks for two and a half seasons before he decided to leave the organization. In his time with the Canucks, they made the playoffs just once, which included a Game 7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2023-24 playoffs.
The 61-year-old is known for his defensive structure but also for elevating his star players. Quinn Hughes had a career season during the 2023-24 campaign, winning the Norris Trophy in his first season as their captain. Hughes has continuously spoken highly about Tocchet, and serious conversations are currently going on about Hughes' future in Vancouver since Tocchet left the organization.
The Kraken's interest in Tocchet isn't all too surprising. They've made it clear they want a coach who can bring structure and success, but also help their young players develop.
Tocchet also has connections with the Kraken's President of Hockey Operations, Ron Francis, due to their time during their playing careers. The two played together with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning a Stanley Cup in the 1991-92 season.
At the moment, Tocchet is the prized possession of the coaching carousel. The Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are all teams with serious interest in hiring Tocchet. Each of those teams are considered bigger markets than the Kraken and could be more enticing to Tocchet.
“I think Rick Tocchet has the coaching world eating out of the palm of his hand, and I think he’s going to have multiple mega-offers that are game changers for the coaching pay scale,” Seravalli said. “… I’m going to project that Rick Tocchet is on at least a five-year deal and north of $6 million per year.”
The expectation is that once Tocchet agrees to a contract, the rest of the dominoes will quickly fall.
Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
Five Potential Candidates For The Kraken's Head Coaching Job
The Seattle Kraken are planning a thorough search for their next head coach, someone who will commit to developing the young crop of players they have.
Kraken Retaining Jessica Campbell Shows Faith In Early Positive Signs
The Seattle Kraken <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/seattle-kraken/latest-news/breaking-news-seattle-kraken-fire-dan-bylsma-after-one-season-gm-changes-could-be-next">parted ways with Dan Bylsma after just one season as the head coach</a>, and while many thought Jessica Campbell may have followed, the organization is rewarding her with another season after some early positive returns.