Rick Tocchet will not return as coach of the Vancouver Canucks after informing the team he is choosing to move on.
The decision comes after the Canucks did not exercise their team option for the final season of Tocchet's contract, which Vancouver president Jim Rutherford announced April 21. Despite not exercising the option, the Canucks had expressed a desire to sign Tocchet to a new contract.
Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year last season after leading Vancouver to a 50-23-9 record, winning the Pacific Division and reaching the second round of the playoffs. This season, the Canucks finished 38-30-14 and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference by six points.
"I'm choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks," Tocchet said in a statement. "Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes the opportune time." He added that he wants to explore other opportunities in and around hockey.
Rutherford said the team was disappointed by the decision. "This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career," Rutherford said. "We did everything in our power to keep him, but at the end of the day Rick felt he needed a change."
Challenges for the Canucks this season included a locker room dynamic that led to the trade of forward J.T. Miller and injuries to goalie Thatcher Demko that limited his games played. Rutherford stated that Tocchet and his staff coached as well this year as they did last season.
Tocchet had a 108-65-27 record in three seasons with Vancouver after replacing Bruce Boudreau on Jan. 22, 2023. His overall head coaching record in nine NHL seasons with Vancouver, the Arizona Coyotes (2017-21), and Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-10) is 286-265-87. He also won two Stanley Cups as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
With Tocchet now a coaching free agent, speculation points to a potential return for Tocchet with the Philadelphia Flyers, who have a head coaching vacancy. Tocchet is in the Flyers Hall of Fame and was a teammate there with president of hockey operations Keith Jones and with general manager Danny Briere in Arizona. Elliotte Friedman suggested Philadelphia or Vancouver as his next stop, and Greg Wyshynski reported sources expected Philadelphia if he left Vancouver. Briere outlined the Flyers' search criteria, focusing on communication and teaching for their young team.
"I've enjoyed my time here, and I wish everyone the best," Tocchet said.
