Potential Rangers coach candidate has contract decision to make first with Canucks
The ball is in Rick Tocchet’s court. He can sign a lucrative contract to remain coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Or he can take a chance that there’s a better NHL opportunity out there, quite possibly with the New York Rangers.
The Canucks made it clear they want Tocchet to stick around even after they failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. However, they do not want a coach that desires another job.
Because of that, Canucks president Jim Rutherford said Monday that the team will not pick up the option for next season on Tocchet’s current contract, since that would force his hand to remain Vancouver’s coach.
Instead they offered the 2023-24 Jack Adams Award winner as NHL coach of the year a multi-year contract to stay on in Vancouver.
“We don’t feel it’s right to have somebody here that may have his mind somewhere else,” Rutherford said. “I’d say that about anybody. This is not just about ‘Toc.’ We believe that — and I believe that — Toc and his coaching staff did as good a job coaching this team this year as they did the year before when he was coach of the year.
“As for the contract, we’ve gone through a process, we’ve negotiated. I would suspect sometime this week, he’ll have a decision. … We’re hoping that he takes that contract and stays.”
Tocchet’s decision has ramifications for the Rangers one way or the other. If Tocchet re-ups with the Canucks, that removes a top candidate to replace the fired Peter Laviolette for the Rangers to consider. If Tocchet turns the Vancouver deal down, he becomes an intriguing free agent with multiple job openings right now in the League.
Interestingly, if Tocchet goes this route, he could end up in the Metropolitan Division, but not with the Rangers. The Philadelphia Flyers have an opening after John Tortorella was fired, and Tocchet played the majority of his career with them.
Or perhaps Tocchet is intrigued by reuniting with J.T. Miller in New York. Despite Miller’s issues with Canucks center Elias Pattersson that led to a falling out and his eventual trade to the Rangers on Jan. 31, Miller is well-liked and respected by Tocchet. They share the same fire and passion. And Miller had his best NHL season playing for Tocchet in 2023-24, recording 103 points.
We don’t know for sure because Tocchet’s not saying much. Though it sure didn’t sound like he’s 100 percent committed to staying with the Canucks.
“Of course, you want to be back here, but there’s a process you have to go through,” Tocchet told reporters Monday about his Canucks future. “All year, I haven’t breathed. During the time off, I was at 4 Nations, you try to get this team to the playoffs, dealing with all that stuff. So, I haven’t really thought about myself. I know people don’t believe that, and sure at nighttime you think ‘what am I going to do?’ But I do have to take a breath … and there’s a process I have to go through with Jim and Patrik (Allvin, Canucks general manager). And that’s where it’s at.”
Rick Tocchet could be Rangers candidate to replace fired coach Peter Laviolette
If Tocchet does become a free agent, he’s not the only intriguing option on the market. The Rangers could consider three-time Stanley Cup winner Joel Quenneville, though he comes with some obvious baggage. There’s another Cup winner in Tortorella, the former Rangers coach and favorite of team owner James Dolan. And we all know how much general manager Chris Drury covets Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan.
Drury said Saturday that he’s open to a first-time NHL coach, as well. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman stated that David Carle, the University of Denver and Team USA coach, could be on the Rangers wish list if he decides to entertain a move to the NHL.
“To me, the most fascinating thing is: What exactly are they (the Rangers) looking for? And the fact that [Drury] said ‘first timer,’ says to me they make a call to Carle and will try to figure out what the rest of this is,” NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast.
Reportedly, Rangers assistants Michael Peca and Dan Muse will have the opportunity to interview for the coaching vacancy. Neither has been an NHL head coach before.
Tocchet is 286-265-87 in 638 games behind an NHL bench with the Canucks, Arizona Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning. His teams reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice in nine seasons, and he’s 11-11 in 22 postseason games coached.
He led the Canucks to 50 wins and 109 points when he won the Jack Adams in 2023-24, his first full season behind their bench after he replaced Bruce Boudreau mid-season the year before.
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