Amidst the many different storylines that surround the Vancouver Canucks as they enter the offseason after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, Rick Tocchet’s status as head coach beyond this season is one of the biggest ones.
Tocchet finds himself at the conclusion of his three-year contract with the Canucks, and while there is a team option to extend it for an additional year, there is still some uncertainty over whether or not he will return next season.
But according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Saturday Night Headlines, the decision on Tocchet isn’t expected to linger into the summer.
“The one thing I do believe is nobody, not Tocchet, not the Canucks, want this to drag after the end of the season too long into the summer. I think you’re going to see this will come down pretty quickly at the end of the season. I think the both sides want to make sure that everybody knows where they’re going and what’s happening so that they can get on with the rest of their plans in the summer.”
Based on Friedman’s report, it appears that the Canucks will probably make a decision on Tocchet before the playoffs are done, and possibly even within the first round or two.
The uncertainty with the status of Tocchet is largely due to the disappointing 2024-25 season that saw the Canucks miss the postseason after winning the Pacific Division in the prior season. However, considering all of the injuries the team has had to deal with, the underperformance from top players and the well-documented dysfunction in the locker room between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, it’s hard to fully put the blame on Tocchet, especially after he won the Jack Adams Award in 2024.
Tocchet is currently in this third season with the Canucks, coaching them to a 107-64-26 record in 197 games prior to Saturday’s matchup against the Minnesota Wild, along with a 7-6 record in the postseason and a series win. Tocchet is currently the second-most winningest coach in Canucks franchise history after Alain Vigneault.
