What Garland had to say about Tocchet leaving Vancouver Canucks
Perhaps no Vancouver Canucks player will feel Rick Tocchet’s absence more than Conor Garland.
The coach and player have a relationship that dates back to 2018 when Garland broke into the league with the Arizona Coyotes. It was Tocchet’s second year coaching the team, and they were pushing for a playoff spot.
Tocchet stayed behind the bench for Garland’s entire Coyotes tenure. Even when Garland was traded to the Canucks in a blockbuster 2021 summer trade, he couldn’t escape Tocchet for long. Garland played one full season in Vancouver before the Canucks hired Tocchet midway through the following year.
“I was very fortunate to have him,” said Garland about Tocchet today on NHL Network. “I was a young player, I really didn’t understand the details of the game and what it took to win. I was more just relying on scoring and producing points, and he taught me the other side of the game and really filled out the rest of my game. I’ll be forever grateful for that.”
Garland just wrapped up one of the best seasons of his career, scoring 19 goals and 50 points in 81 games. He tied for the team lead among forwards in points and was the only regular forward wherein the Canucks outshot their opponents during his minutes.
The 29-year-old has found his role in this league and on this team. Garland finished this past season playing a career-high 18:39 per night. He’s come a long way from the start of last year, when his name was in trade rumours, and it’s partially due to Tocchet’s guidance, which extends beyond just hockey.
“You know what, I’m really proud about Gars; we have a great relationship. As much as I coach him and he knows the way I am, he’s a friend of mine too,” said Tocchet in April 2024. “He’s played great for me… he’s played very well for me. His five-on-five play, he’s a top-echelon player.”
The feeling is echoed by Garland.
“As I’ve gotten older and had a family and a kid, it’s weird to say [about] a coach,” continued Garland today. “To me, I kind of look at him as another father figure and a friend to me. When stuff happened in my personal life, he’s one of the people you can lean on.”
“Any team that gets him is going to be very lucky. Whether he wins 10 more Jack Adams or doesn’t win another game, those guys will go through a wall for him, he’s that type of coach, and any team would be lucky to have him.”
Barring an unexpected move, Garland and Tocchet will need to make an adjustment next season as they will not be on the same team. It will be different for both of them, but they will both carry forward some lessons learned from their long-lasting hockey relationship.