Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet's Contract Negotiations Set to Trigger League-Wide Changes
Photo credit: TSN
An NHL insider believes that Rick Tocchet's situation with the Vancouver Canucks could lead to changes to coaching contracts going forward.
Rick Tocchet's contract status has been a major talking point in Vancouver and across the National Hockey League for weeks now and it's still unclear whether or not he'll return next season.
Tocchet's deal includes a team option for the 2025-26 season, so his future with the Vancouver Canucks is in the hands of Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford, but going forward, it looks like there could be a big change to coaching contracts.
Elliotte Friedman believe changes could come to coaching contracts
In his most recent 32 Thoughts article on Sportsnet, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared that he believes that going forward, it could be the end of one-sided, non-mutual options when it comes to contracts for coaches.
"I'm not yet sure how it is all going to work out between Vancouver and Rick Tocchet, but I do think this will be the end of one-sided, non-mutual options in coaching contracts. As Tuesday night's historic comeback showed, the Canucks still play hard for Tocchet." Friedman said.
While some fans on social media might not agree, Rick Tocchet's tenure in Vancouver has been pretty good after leading them to the Pacific Division last season, which earned him the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's best head coach.
Now this season hasn't been perfect whatsoever, but there has been plenty that's been out of Rick Tocchet's control including injuries issues to a number of key players on his roster at different times of the year, as well as a a reported feud between Elias Pettersson and former Canuck J.T. Miller.
Has Rick Tocchet made his fair share of mistakes this season? Of course, but that happens to every coach around the league and there will always be decisions that fans and the media might not agree with including who's starting in net, healthy scratches, etc.
We'll have to wait and see where things go, but it wouldn't be much of a shock to see Rick Tocchet behind the bench on opening night for the 2025-26 season with a new contract extension signed.
Source: Elliotte Friedman
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