Canucks coach Rick Tocchet is going to the NHL All-Star Game

The Vancouver Canucks could have as many as five players in the NHL All-Star Game next month, and they’ll have their head coach there too.

Rick Tocchet will be heading to Toronto, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Looking at the NHL standings, you can do the math: Rick Bowness (WIN), Peter Laviolette (NYR) & Rick Tocchet (VCR) are three of All-Star coaches. Tomorrow’s NJ/FLA and BOS/STL games decide between Paul Maurice and Jim Montgomery. Points percentage determines who goes.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2024

The four head coaches of the teams with the best points percentage in their respective divisions get the nod each year. With a healthy lead over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division, Tocchet has now clinched his spot. He’ll be joined by Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness (Central Division) and Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers (Metropolitan Division).

The Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers are separated by just a single point in the standings, so tomorrow’s games will decide which coach will represent the Atlantic Division.

The Canucks appear to be in good position to send a franchise-record number of players to NHL All-Star Weekend, which takes place in Toronto February 1-3. Quinn Hughes has already been selected, and four more Canucks players appear to have enough votes to join him: Thatcher Demko, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Brock Boeser.

Tocchet is the first Canucks coach since Alain Vigneault in 2011 to earn a spot in the All-Star Game.

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