On April 29, the Vancouver Canucks announced that Rick Tocchet would not return as head coach for the 2025-26 season. At the time, the move was surprising, as during his year-end media availability, Tocchet spoke as if he was returning next season. In the end, Tocchet didn't need to wait long for another opportunity, as he signed a five-year deal to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.
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Now that Tocchet is no longer with the Canucks, he has started revealing some of the reason why he decided to leave. On Tuesday, he participated in an interview on "Donnie and Dhali" and gave fans a little more insight into why he departed Vancouver. The conversation started with a simple question, "Why'd you leave?"
"Man, just a little bit of a fresh start, said Tocchet. "Get back East. Couple of, you know, some other little things. But like I said, my experience, I was there two and a half years, incredible experience, the market, the fans. I mean, I lived downtown. I used to walk the city. Just incredible people. And, like I said, it's hard to explain why, when all these positives, obviously ownership, Francesco and the Aquilini's were unreal to me. Jim and Patrick, always be lifelong friends, and obviously the players did all the job for me. So yeah, it's hard to really tell you guys why. I just felt it was the right decision for me."
Tocchet was then asked about the lack of a practice facility and if it played a factor in his decision to leave Vancouver. The Canucks are one of two teams in the league without a dedicated facility and will become the only organization in the league shortly as the Calgary Flames are currently building theirs. As Tocchet explained, not having a facility did play a role in his decision to leave Vancouver.
"Listen, I'd be lying if it wasn't. It's not that bad in Vancouver, you know, UBC is nice. It's not horrible, but I will say, the Flyers' facility is state-of-the-art. It's got an 8,000 square foot gym. It's got all the amenities. I mean, they've spared no expense. And it's a good it's a good tool for a coach. It really is."
During the interview, Tocchet was asked about the narrative that has been floating around social media, saying that he quit on the organization. This discussion was created as their was a option year left on Tocchet's deal, which was not exercised by the Canucks. Instead of bashing those who have made this point, Tocchet explained that he understands where people are coming from but wanted to make it clear that he did not quit on the organization.
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Tuesday was a shocking day for the Vancouver Canucks organization as head coach Rick Tocchet decided to depart the club and look for a different opportunity. While the Canucks did have an option on Tocchet's contract for next year, they elected not to use it. In the end, Tocchet spent two and a half seasons with the organization, guiding them to Game 7 of the second round last year, while also winning the 2024 Jack Adams Award.
"I understand it. Listen, you know, I can explain them that I'm not a quitter, but I understand where they're coming from. Sometimes in life, you have decisions you got to make. You hit the crossroads, you got to go right or left. And sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you don't, you got to go with your conviction. It wasn't a quick thing. It was just something I felt for me to evolve, and just in my life, this was the right decision. And there's other things. Not going to dive into it. I just feel like this was the time. But I understand the passionate fan base, man, they want a winner. You want to be in a pressure cooker, because the rewards there. If you can win in that town, the rewards are just, I mean, I picked Vancouver. If you won a Stanley Cup, and all the 32 teams, I would say, the top three or four cities, Vancouver is in one of them. If you won the Stanley Cup, how they would react to the celebration. Just the aura, the, I can't even put it into words, because, we went to the second round Game 7. I can't believe what I saw outside the city. So can you imagine when a Stanley Cup there? I can't imagine it."
In the end, it is clear that Tocchet's decision to depart the Canucks organization was difficult. He had plenty of success with the organization, including winning the 2024 Jack Adams, but also had to deal with some significant issues, like the Miller/Pettersson feud and constant injuries. While it may take a few years to decide if this was the right decision, it is clear that this decision was not a snap judgment, as Tocchet very much enjoyed his two and a half years in Vancouver.
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