‘We haven’t talked’: Rick Tocchet not worried about lack of contract extension from Canucks
By Sam Nestler
26 days agoVancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet is not worried about a contract extension as of now. The second-year coach led Vancouver to an incredible 50-23-9 record in 2023-24, finishing atop the Pacific Division and as the second overall seed in the Western Conference.
The Canucks knocked off the Edmonton Oilers before losing to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tocchet is going into the final season of a three-year deal he signed with Vancouver in January 2023. According to him, there have been no discussions on an extension.
“I’ll be honest with you — we haven’t talked,” Tocchet told the media on Wednesday. “I have a great relationship with [Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford]. I’m not worried about it. I’m really honestly focused on this year.”
Tocchet joined the Canucks on Jan. 22, 2023, after they fired Bruce Boudreau amidst a struggle that saw Vancouver go 18-25-3 to begin the 2022-23 season.
The Canucks still missed the playoffs but went 20-12-4 over the final three months of the season to finish with a record of 38-37-7. In that time, Vancouver went through a necessary culture change, improved in nearly all statistics and had excellent performances from some key players, including a massive swing for goaltender Thatcher Demko.
Combining that with the excellent 2023-24 season, it is easy to see that Tocchet was the perfect fit.
“Rick Tocchet brings a wealth of knowledge to this team from both a coach and player perspective,” Allvin said in a statement after hiring Tocchet. “He has had more than two decades of coaching experience, guiding teams of various styles. As a player, he displayed a high level of character, grit and intensity, while recording impressive offensive numbers.”
Tocchet is under contract through the 2024-25 season and remains confident that a deal will come together when the time is right.
“Those things will take care of themselves down the road,” he added Wednesday. “When there’s the time to talk, we’ll talk. It’s really about me getting myself ready, recharging my batteries and getting ready for the upcoming year.”
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