In nearly three years spent with the Vancouver Canucks, former Head Coach Rick Tocchet has given fans lots to Tocc about. His 200 games coached with the Canucks are the ninth-most in franchise history. As well, his 108 wins put him at seventh in Canucks history, though his .608 points percentage is second all-time by a Canucks Head Coach. Even so, one of the most notable parts of his tenure with Vancouver may be his “Tocchet-isms” — musings and metaphors shared by the Coach in his media availabilities. Here’s a list of some of Tocchet’s top quotes as the Canucks’ Head Coach.
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“You Can’t Swallow A Whole Elephant In One Bite.”
Keep in mind, this was Vancouver’s first impression of Tocchet. The full quote is: “You can’t swallow a whole elephant in one bite. We need to take small bites everyday.” Tocchet said this in his first ever media availability as the Canucks’ Head Coach, using it in reference to his approach to the rest of the season.
“Meet Pressure With Pressure.”
“Meet pressure with pressure” was first said by Tocchet with Sportsnet in April 2023, towards the end of his first season with the Canucks. It later made an appearance during his first training camp with the team in September 2023. He pitched this idea to the players before their outstanding 2023–24 season in which they placed first in the Pacific Division with 109 points and 50 wins over 82 games.
“Who Are We To Think We’re Anybody?”
Tocchet shared this quote in a moment of humility for his team after a 2–0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. This loss came after Vancouver started the season with 8–1 and 4–3 wins against the Edmonton Oilers. It’s a refreshingly honest contrast to some of the more complex metaphors that Tocchet has shared throughout his career as a Canuck.
“I’m Swinging The Bat. I’m Not Scared.”
With rumours that top prospect Jonatham Lekkerimäki could join the lineup in the midst of a deadlocked series with the Oilers, Tocchet shrugged off concerns over the young player’s inexperience. The Canucks’ former Head Coach told the media that he was “not scared” to take a risk during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“They Put Respect Back In That Jersey And In This City.”
After an unexpectedly successful season capped off with a memorable playoff run, Tocchet took to the mic to show appreciation for his team’s effort throughout the season. Despite their Game 7 loss against the Oilers, he proudly said “they put respect back in that jersey and in this city.” While things have since gone awry with the Canucks, at the time, truer words couldn’t have been said.
“Embrace The Hard.”
Possibly the most iconic quote from Tocchet since he first joined the Canucks, “Embrace the hard” made headlines back in September for its intriguing diction. Tocchet said this while brainstorming a motto for the team’s 2024–25 season, somewhat like how “meet pressure with pressure” was to the 2023–24 season.
“Let’s face facts — we made strides. But if we only do the same thing we did last year, we’re going to get the same result. So our expectations have to be higher, and we have to embrace that it’s going to be harder,” Tocchet explained to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre while clarifying his motto.
“There’s Holes In The Dyke And You’ve Got (Only) So Many Fingers.”
Ending this list in a similar manner to how it started, Tocchet’s most recent “Tocchet-ism” stems from the multitude of concerns surrounding the team in mid-January. During the fall, the Canucks had been dealt bad injury hands.
“It seems like every other day there’s something that’s been thrown on our plate,” Tocchet specified in an interview with Sportsnet. After this, he went on to compare the team to a wall or drain with holes in it. It was a fitting comparison, but again, the phrasing may have been the most puzzling thing about it.
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