Tocchet has coached the Canucks to a 49-22-9 record which ranks second in the Western Conference.
Tocchet has coached the Canucks to a 49-22-9 record which ranks second in the Western Conference.
As the regular season comes to a close, discussions surrounding year-end awards have started to intensify. While most of the conversation has been on Quinn Hughes and the Norris Trophy, Rick Tocchet remains the favourite to win this year's Jack Adams. The Vancouver Canucks have helped lead the organization to their third most successful season in franchise history, which could include the team hitting 50 wins and capturing the Pacific Division crown by the end of the campaign.
The most significant indicator as to why Tocchet should receive the Jack Adams this year is the Canucks point differential from this season compared to last. With two games remaining, Vancouver has seen a 24-point increase in the standing while capturing an additional ten wins. Another massive jump has been the Canucks ability to win games in regulation, which saw a rise from 24 in 2022-23 to 43 this season. Vancouver's consistency has been impressive all year and is a big reason why they are one of two teams in the West that qualified for the postseason this season after missing out last year.
When breaking the Canucks this season, it is clear they have bought into Tocchet's system. Vancouver has seen an increase in goals as well as a decrease in goals against while improving their penalty kill from 71.6% to 78.6%. The Canucks also sit at 28.5 shots against, which is a decrease from 30.8 and have improved in the faceoff dot, increasing their win percentage by over 2.5%. These improvements may seem minor at first glance, but they have made a significant difference as they have turned Vancouver from a group fighting for a playoff spot to a team that may be the number-one seed in the Western Conference this postseason.
While there are other coaches who deserve credit for the work they have put in this season, Tocchet should win this year's Jack Adams Trophy. If he does capture the prestigious award, he will join Alain Vigneault and Pat Quinn as the only coaches in Canucks history to win the trophy. While he has only been in Vancouver for 14 months, he has had a significant impact on the organization while guiding them to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
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