Rick Tocchet becomes third Canucks coach ever to win Jack Adams Award
Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has won the Jack Adams Award in his first complete season with the organization.
Tocchet helped orchestrate a massive turnaround for the Canucks. The team finished with 26 more points than last year and enjoyed the third best regular season in franchise history.
“First of all, I would like to thank the Aquilini family, Jim and Patrik for providing me this incredible opportunity,” said Tocchet through a press release. “This really is a team award, and I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of our staff and complete buy-in from the players.
“I am truly honoured and humbled by this achievement and look forward to getting back to work this summer as we continue to work on improving our hockey team. Vancouver is a passionate hockey market and our fans were a huge part of our success this season.”
He’s the third Canucks coach to win the award after Alain Vigneault (2006-07) and Pat Quinn (1991-91). Bob McCammon is the only other Canucks coach to be nominated, though he finished as the runner-up in the 1988-89 season.
Congrats Coach! 🎉#Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet has been named this year's winner of the Jack Adams Award, becoming the third Canucks coach to do so. #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/ls9LNNnk72
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) May 22, 2024
Tocchet’s strong defensive system helped the team achieve great success this year. They were just one win away from defeating a strong Edmonton Oilers team to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Tocchet beat out other finalists Andrew Brunette from the Nashville Predators and now-retired Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness for the Jack Adams Award this year.
The voting was not particularly close. Tocchet earned 82 first-place votes, and no one else had more than eight.
#Canucks coach Rick Tocchet wins the Jack Adams Award in a landslide victory. pic.twitter.com/I0h1KktUsE
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) May 22, 2024
The head coach got an invite to the All-Star Game because of his team’s incredible regular season results. They were in contention for the Presidents’ Trophy late into the schedule.
Several players enjoyed career seasons under Tocchet’s guidance. Brock Boeser hit 40 goals for the first time, J.T. Miller turned into a two-way monster, and many others took their game to a new level.
Tocchet has a 70-35-13 record since joining the Canucks, good for a .648% winning percentage. He already ranks ninth all-time in franchise history for wins and could move as high as sixth with another strong season.
“Toc has created a true partnership between the players, coaches and staff,” said general manager Patrik Allvin in a press release. “He has held people accountable and worked very hard in putting a process in place for everyone to follow.”
“Our staples and structure will help guide this group for years to come. I am very impressed with the job he has done this season and I am excited to see what lies ahead for this team under Toc’s direction.”
The Canucks have a number of other NHL legends on their coaching staff. Both Sedin Twins, Sergei Gonchar, and Adam Foote all help out with different responsibilities.
The 60-year-old coach has one more year left on his contract with the Canucks. He’s an easy candidate to get an extension after all his success this season.
The Canucks are ahead of schedule in their chase of a Stanley Cup, and Tocchet deserves a lot of credit. He’ll have his work cut out for him again next year, as the roster is expected to undergo significant changes.
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