One of the most in-demand coaching candidates this offseason is Rick Tocchet, who has already been linked to the New York Rangers, Seattle Kraken, and Buffalo Sabres. Add the Columbus Blue Jackets to that list, as Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reports that Tocchet will interview there next week. The former Coyotes head coach interviewed with the Rangers today and will meet with the Sabres on Thursday, according to Morgan.
The reason Tocchet quickly parted ways with the Coyotes at the end of the season was to start taking interviews and it appears as though his name is on the shortlist of almost every vacancy in the league. Of course, wherever he ends up, Tocchet will be looking to turn around his head coaching career after struggling to find any real success at each of his first two stops.
In 2008-09, Tocchet replaced Barry Melrose as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning after 16 games and would last through the following season. He had a 53-69-26 record in those two seasons and missed the playoffs both years. It wasn’t until 2017 when he returned to the head coaching ranks with Arizona, but it was much of the same. He posted a 125-131-34 record with the Coyotes and only led them to the playoffs in last year’s bubble.
Make no mistake, Tocchet has plenty of respect around the league, especially from his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was known as something of a “Kessel Whisperer” there, an assistant who could get the best out of enigmatic talents. At the midpoint last year, with the Coyotes sitting at 21-16-4, a PHWA poll had him as the runaway favorite to win the Jack Adams Trophy as Coach of the Year. The team would, unfortunately, go 12-13-4 after that point and Tocchet would not receive a single vote for the award, which ended up going to Bruce Cassidy.
On his last deal, Tocchet was paid a total of $6MM over four years with the Coyotes. It seems likely that he’ll receive a raise wherever he ends up, given how more established coaches are earning nearly that much in a single year.
Has he really done anything as a HC to deserve all of these interviews? Losing career record. Say what you want about the quality of the teams he has had but I don’t see how so many teams are interested
NHL officiating has gotten quite bad.
Where have you gone, Don Koharski?
Carolina just had a goal waived off because Roman Josi interfered with Jusse Saros.
Donut boy and Showboat Stewart are out to pasture.
Koharski owns a Dunkin Donuts franchise.
We know that Drury has had in person interview with Gallant,Babcock,Tocchet . And phone(Zoom) with Patrick Roy and phone with Torts
The Rangers would take Torts back? He would want to go back?
I think it’s quite a gamble to go with Tocchet. Odds are he’s getting interviews for his connections rather than results. I’d investigate very deeply into what he actually does that warrants so much interest.
It’s the old boys club. Nepotism is not going anywhere soon.
As an Oilers fan I’ve had the displeasure of seeing the owner Daryl Katz hire old cup winning Oilers in any role he can give them so he can bask in their glory. Poor management choice based on the results for 15 years.
Gamble…odds…investigate…nice play on words
Really really good player. Coach? Just look at his record, below average…..I just don’t understand all the interest in him as a HC.
I bet Tick Rocchet will be hired at some point too.
Turning chicken blank into chicken salad makes you a good to great coach.
That you can’t turn chicken blank or chicken salad back into a living chicken doesn’t make you a bad coach.
The Yotes are terrible, he made them OK.
But, I would love to see him go without a HC job and find his way back to Sully’s side.
If Sully doesn’t advance past the first round which doesn’t seem likely I could see the Pens moving on from him. He’s turned into bylsma. I honestly think the Pens are better without Malkin than with him
100% on Sullivan. I feel like this is the history of this team, where at some point they kind of tune the coach out. I also don’t expect them to advance past the first round. 50 shots on net doesn’t mean anything when you still lose.
And Malkin is a turnover machine. I’ve almost forgotten how good he used to be.
Rangers book it.