Rick Tocchet is set to make his return to Vancouver on Tuesday night, nearly eight months after his surprise exit to coach the Philadelphia Flyers.
Tocchet had mixed results in his 2 1/2 seasons with the Canucks, who declined to exercise the team option on his contract once they learned he wanted out.
Tocchet was named NHL Coach of the Year following the 2023-24 season, but that was followed by a disappointing season on the ice and in the locker room, where bickering led to J.T. Miller being traded to the New York Rangers.
Tocchet said he wouldn’t be shocked if he hears some boos on Tuesday.
“I honestly don’t know,” he said Monday. “I’ll have business mode on anyways. Trust me, I played 18 years in the league. I’ve been booed a lot of places, so it’s all right.”
The Canucks are 30th out of 32 teams with just 35 points. Star Quinn Hughes indicated he also wanted a change and was traded by the Canucks to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12.
“Listen, tough breaks. … You hate to see it, because I think (Adam Foote) is a great coach. I do feel sorry for the fans. This is the last thing you want to see, but I think they (Canucks) have a plan,” said Tocchet, 61.
Tocchet said he anticipates the game in Vancouver will be emotional for him.
“You fly in last night and you take the bus and you see how beautiful the city is. The scenery is incredible, and then the memories come back,” Tocchet said. “I was only here 2 1/2 years, but it was a lot of fun, and it’s a great place to live and coach.”
This is not the first time Tocchet has faced his former team. The clubs met eight days ago in Philadelphia, with the Flyers winning 5-2 just before the holiday break.
The Flyers are in the middle of a five-game road trip. By the time they wrap up this western swing on Saturday in Edmonton, they will have played nine of 10 games on the road.
Both Philadelphia and Vancouver are coming off games against the gritty Seattle Kraken.
The Flyers outshot Seattle 33-20 on Sunday but ran into a hot goalie, Philipp Grubauer, and lost 4-1.
Kevin Lankinen stopped 37 shots, and Liam Ohgren scored the only goal of a shootout to lift the Canucks to a 3-2 overtime win over the Kraken on Monday night.
“I enjoy those moments,” Lankinen said of stopping all three Kraken players in a shootout. “I am confident in my own game. I know the results haven’t been there, but I know I will do better.
“We are just looking ahead. Losing a good friend (Quinn) and a great player hurts. But we got three quality players, and they helped us win tonight.”
The Canucks could have Jake DeBrusk back in the lineup Tuesday after he was benched by Foote against Seattle. DeBrusk scored a career-high 28 goals last season but has just one goal in 11 games in December.
“We had a good talk with Jake,” Foote said. “Jake understands. He is frustrated. He knows what he has to do to get back. … Sometimes it is good to sit back and rest that brain.”
–Field Level Media
