Rick Tocchet Fires Back at NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman For Starting Rumors About Him

With just seven games to go in the regular season and their hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs all but over, the Vancouver Canucks will start to look towards the summer and some business they'll need to take care of.

Aside from their pending unrestricted free agents, the Vancouver Canucks have a big decision to make on the future of head coach Rick Tocchet, as his contract is expiring, but he does have an option for 2025-26.

When speaking with reporters this week, Rick Tocchet was asked about a report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman that said he was recently offered a contract extension by the Canucks.

As he's done over the last few weeks when asked about his contract status, Tocchet said that it's a conversation for another day and that his focus right now is on the team and trying to get them in the right direction.

Tocchet, a native of Scarborough, Ontario, has spent parts of three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks after being hired in January 2023 as Bruce Boudreau's replacement.

In 193 games behind the bench in Vancouver, Tocchet has led the Canucks to a 104-63-26 record, including a Pacific Division title last season and was named the recipient of the Jack Adams Award as the league's best coach.

A decision on Rick Tocchet's future will likely be made in the coming weeks and one would assume before the NHL Entry Draft, but it seems like, despite some fans wanting otherwise, that a contract extension is in the cards that'll keep him in Vancouver beyond the 2025-26 season.