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.
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On Wednesday, Tocchet's agent, Steve Mountain, made an appearance on "Donnie and Dhali" to discuss why his client elected to leave Vancouver. Mountain also confirmed that assistant coach Adam Foote, who he is also the agent for, is out of contract for next season. Overall, Mountain gave some intriguing answers while also discussing Tocchet's future.
To start, Mountain discussed the decision and why it was difficult for Tocchet to leave the Canucks organization. Mountain said, "I don't think a decision like this for anyone would be an easy decision. Rick's had a lot of success in Vancouver, and he's been able to work with and make a lot of great friends. I think when you're thinking about really moving away from something, I think that those relationships kind of make you really think twice as hard about what's the right decision. So I think he took a good amount of time. One thing about Rick is he's very thoughtful. And I think he analyzed it to the point, but I think in the end, he just felt this was the natural time and the natural break in the way the deal works. With the term coming to an end, that this was the normal, this was the natural time he's gonna make a break. Now's the time to do it."
The 2024-25 season was tough for Tocchet. In addition to constant injuries, he had to deal with the rift between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, which involved numerous meetings and, eventually, a trade. When asked about the season, Mountain confirmed that it was a difficult year, but stressed that every coach in the league has to deal with problems on a consistent basis.
"Probably as draining as it is for every other coach in that league. The head coach job in the NHL is a daunting job. I mean, there's a lot of challenges that are presented to each and every coach in that league. You know, Rick, last year, when Rick came in, Vancouver had a terrific year. And I think within reason, there was a lot of guys who maybe thrived in that situation. And I think there was a natural thought that it was going to continue to roll this year, and then things changed, and some of the circumstances changed. I think it became a difficult year emotionally. And, I think it can wear people down. I do think, having been in my seat, and I've been doing this for a long time, I today, more so than ever, appreciate how difficult it is to go through the whole NHL season. It is not a simple job."
Another interesting note that came from this interview had to do with the contract Vancouver offered to Tocchet. According to reports, the new deal would have been for multiple years and made Tocchet one of the highest-paid coaches in the NHL. While Mountain did not reveal any specific details about the offer, he did make it clear that the Canucks did offer Tocchet a fair deal.
"I think the Canucks were terrific in this. Jim Rutherford and Patrick (Allvin). These guys are first-class, and they made that decision considerably harder, not just for Rick, but when Rick asks my opinion, these are good people, and this is a good organization. Francesco (Aquilini), he extended himself to Rick. There were personal meetings with Rick and the ownership. There was personal reasons with, personal meetings with Patrick and Jim. I spent a lot of time with Jim on the phone, and these guys really did extend themselves. It would be unfair to suggest that Vancouver didn't make Rick feel completely wanted. That would not be fair."
Canucks Release Statement About Rick Tocchet Not Returning For The 2025-26 Season
On Tuesday, the Vancouver Canucks announced that Rick Tocchet would not be returning as head coach for the 2025-26 season. Tocchet has been behind the bench since 2022, posting a 108-65-27 record over 200 regular-season games. He also helped the Canucks to Game 7 of the second-round last season, and was named the Jack Adams Award winner in 2024. <br>
At the end of the interview, Mountain discussed what is next for Tocchet. According to Mountain, Tocchet does want to coach in 2025-26, which shouldn't be an issue, as there are currently seven other NHL head coaching positions vacant. Despite being pressed on whether Tocchet would be interested in the Philadelphia Flyers' opening, Mountain indicated that those conversations have not happened yet.
"I will genuflect now, you know Philly. I was born and raised here, so I've grown up with this franchise. But I know all the folks down there, and I've worked with many of the people in there. It's a terrific organization. Their intent to win and their competitiveness is really high. I can't speak for them. I've had zero conversations, and Rick has had zero conversations with the Flyers or anyone from the Flyers. So we don't know the way we're thinking. We see the same speculation that you guys see in here, and we are led to believe that Philly would have an interest. But at this point, I can't project what they will or won't do. It's funny, like it's easy for me to not think about things that I don't need to think about. And at this point, since there hasn't been any conversations with Philly, I haven't really made it front and center. I know they're a good organization. I know they've got a young, developing team. I know they've got a young and developing front office that I think is terrific, and I think they're really bright guys. I think they'd be guys that are interesting guys to work with, short of that, I don't know."
How Bad Can It Get For The Vancouver Canucks?
Imagine you’re a Vancouver Canucks fan at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Ultimately, it will be interesting to watch how this situation plays out. As mentioned, there are multiple openings around the league, including some organizations that Tocchet either played for or coached in the past. All that is for certain right now is that Tocchet will most likely be coaching in the NHL next season, while the Canucks now need to focus on hiring their fourth head coach in four years.
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