Former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Finds New Job For 2025-26 Season
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
A former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach has found himself a new job for the 2025-26 season just months after he was let go from his previous coaching gig.
The National Hockey League's 2025-26 season gets underway on Tuesday with a trio of games - Chicago Blackhawks vs Florida Panthers (2 p.m. PT), Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers (5 p.m. PT) and Colorado Avalanche vs Los Angeles Kings (7:30 p.m. PT).
While the Vancouver Canucks might have to wait until Thursday night for their first game of the new year, fans may see one of the team's former Head Coaches back on their television screens.
Former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach lands new job ahead of 2025-26 season
In a press release on Monday, ESPN, one of the major networks that holds the National Hockey League's broadcasting rights in the United States, unveiled their commentary team for the 2025-26 season.
Among the notables that will be on screens across the United States starting on Tuesday include Mark Messier, PK Subban, Kevin Weekes, Ray Ferrero - who will also be working Canucks broadcasts again - as well as former Vancouver Head Coach John Tortorella.
"John Tortorella returns to ESPN's NHL studio coverage as an analyst this season, marking a homecoming to the team he first joined in 2021 when ESPN re-acquired NHL media rights. Known for his candid insights and authentic commentary, Tortorella will bring his deep understanding of the game as a veteran coach with 23 NHL seasons behind the bench, including leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship in the 2003-04 season." Andrea DiCristoforo of ESPN said.
Tortorella, 67, was most recently behind the bench for the Philadelphia Flyers last season before being let go in late March and eventually replaced by another former Vancouver Canucks coach - Rick Tocchet.
Along with his gig at ESPN, John Tortorella will be coaching again this season, as he was announced as an Assistant Coach for the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
"USA Hockey announced today that John Hynes (Warwick, R.I./Minnesota Wild), David Quinn (Cranston, R.I./New York Rangers) and John Tortorella (Boston, Mass.) have been named assistant coaches for the 2026 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, joining Mike Sullivan (Marshfield, Mass./New York Rangers), who has been previously announced as head coach." the federation said last month.
The Boston, Massachusetts native spent one season behind the bench with the Vancouver Canucks, leading them to a fifth place finish in the Pacific Divison, missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs by eight points, leading to him being fired and replaced by Willie Desjardins.
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