The coaching market in the NHL is active once again, with eight teams currently seeking a new head coach after deciding a change was necessary.
Each of these eight teams faces a vastly different situation.
Some franchises, such as the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks, are looking for the ideal candidate to guide them out of rebuild phases and towards becoming contenders. Others, likely including the Pittsburgh Penguins, appear to be contemplating their own rebuilding process. The New York Rangers, however, have a nearly complete roster and primarily need the right voice leading the team (and it seems clear who that person will be, with more details coming later).
Then there are the Canucks. Just a day after parting ways with Rick Tocchet, who coached Vancouver for two and a half years through two distinct seasons, it remains unclear where they stand on the spectrum of competing for a championship.
The turbulent 2024-25 season presented a stark contrast to the 2023-24 campaign, during which the Canucks surged into the playoffs and advanced through the first round before being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the second round.
“I don`t believe this was the Canucks` initial desire, but I just think ultimately, it was time for Rick Tocchet, and that`s what happened. I think once the season concluded, and he had the opportunity to reflect and process, it was simply time,” explained Sportsnet`s Elliotte Friedman during a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.
Friedman emphasized that his departure wasn`t about the contract offer.
“I truly believe the offer was very reasonable and reflective of the market value for Tocchet,” he stated.
“I think he felt he had done enough and desired something fresh, something new,” Friedman commented. “I believe he reached his limit, and the time was right to move on.”
So, what happens next? Vancouver`s search for a coach is currently marked by significant uncertainty, largely due to the many other unanswered questions surrounding the team`s identity and readiness to compete.
“Many of the obvious top candidates out there won`t be on their potential list,” Friedman noted, referring to names like Mike Sullivan, Joel Quenneville (who was reinstated by the NHL last July), and of course, Tocchet himself.
“Therefore, where do they envision their candidate list heading, and how do they view their current roster situation?”
Tristan Blackwood