Tocchet defends decision to leave Vancouver Canucks: 'I'm not a quitter'
Former Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet is settling in with his new team in Philadelphia.
Tocchet signed with the Flyers last week and was introduced as their new head coach last Friday.Ā The 61-year-old just gave his first interview with Vancouver media since leaving the Canucks, which shed some light on his decision to switch teams.
“Little bit of a fresh start, get back east, some other little things,” explained Tocchet when asked why he left the Canucks on Donnie & Dhali. “Like I said, my experience, I was [in Vancouver] two and a half years, incredible experience. The market, the fans, I mean, I lived downtown, I used to walk the city, just incredible people.”
“It’s hard to explain why [I left] when [there are] all these positives. Obviously, the ownership, Francesco and the Aquilinis were unreal to me. Jim and Patrik will always be lifelong friends, and the players did a hell of a job for me. It’s hard to tell you guys why, I just felt like it was the right decision for me.”
While Tocchet didn’t provide many specifics on his reasons for leaving, he did admit that the Canucks’ lack of practice facility was one factor in his decision. The Canucks are the only NHL team without a dedicated practice facility or concrete plans to build one, while the Flyers have a state-of-the-art building with multiple ice sheets and an 8,000-square-foot gym.
“It’s a good tool for a coach,” Tocchet said about the Flyers’ facility. “It really is.”
The most recent Canucks season was hard on everyone. The team finished far below expectations, struggled through many injuries, and dealt with a feud between two of their stars that blew up massively.
The Canucks are at a crossroads, and Tocchet leaving won’t make it easier for the team. There are some fans who feel like Tocchet has quit on this group, a conclusion he doesn’t agree with.
“I can explain to them, I’m not a quitter, but I understand where they’re coming from. Sometimes in life, you have decisions you’ve got to make, the crossroads, you’ve got to go right or left. Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you don’t. It wasn’t a quit thing, it was just something I felt for me to evolve, and just in my life, this was the right decision.”
Tocchet is no longer part of the Canucks organization, but his influence on the team will continue to be felt. The team hired Tocchet’s Canucks assistant, Adam Foote, as their new head coach.
It’s Foote’s first head coaching job in professional hockey. He’s relatively inexperienced, but his time spent on Tocchet’s staff stands out on his resume. We’ll see if that’s enough to help him navigate being the lead guy in a Canadian market.
“I love the guy, so happy for him,” said Tocchet about Foote. “Little bittersweet, I wish he were coming with me, but listen, great choice, great guy. I knew this day would come where he would be a head coach. Smart guy, great relationship guy, knows that organization inside and out.”
“Even though we’re on different teams, I really want to see him be successful because that city deserves a winner. They really do, the fans deserve a winner, and I hope they get it.”
Tocchet shares thoughts on struggling Pettersson
One of Foote’s biggest challenges will be helping struggling star Elias Pettersson regain his form. Pettersson scored just 45 points in 64 games last season and hasn’t played to his expected level in over a calendar year.
Despite any frustrations over the past two years, the coach gave a strong message of support during this interview, that he thinks the centre can turn things around.
“From the bottom of my heart, he is going to have a bounceback year,” said Tocchet about Pettersson. “Even when I was deciding to come back or not, we spent some time, he was in the gym, we had some long talks…Petey is a great kid.”
“You wish he came in better shape last year, and I think he’ll be more prepared…the kid’s going to have a good year this year, I really believe it. Footy is going to really help him, I think…and I think Petey’s had enough.”
At times, it felt like Tocchet and Pettersson’s styles didn’t mesh. Tocchet was open about trying to change Pettersson’s style, a comment he expanded more on today.
“When I’m talking about reprogram, I was talking more about coming back, getting the puck, and taking off,” explained Tocchet. “Or on the power play, when he gets the puck on the side there, that’s the time you attack.”
What will Tocchet’s Canucks legacy be?
Tocchet leaves the Canucks as one of just three coaches in franchise history to win the Jack Adams Award. He led the team on the magical 2023-24 season and helped them go to Game 7 of the second round.
However, he also left at a time when the team might have needed him most, and some fans could resent him for that. So, what type of welcome is he expecting when he arrives in Vancouver working for the Flyers?
“Well, I think I got booed when I got here, so I don’t know what to expect, but I’m used to that stuff. Listen, I get it, and whatever reaction you get, you understand it.”
“I’m rooting for [the Canucks] to be a winner. I really am. This has made a cheesy farewell, but this team, this fanbase, deserves a winner, and I know from the bottom of my heart that ownership is trying to get them a winner. They’ll do whatever it takes, and I hope it works out for them.”