Quinn Hughes Opens Up on Sudden Departure of Head Coach Rick Tocchet From the Vancouver Canucks
Photo credit: Vancouver Canucks
Captain Quinn Hughes recently opened up regarding the departure of now-former Head Coach Rick Tocchet from the Vancouver Canucks organization back in April.
After a disappointing 2024-25 season, which saw the club miss out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Rick Tocchet decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks rather than sign a new contract.
Tocchet took some time to think about what he wanted to do, whether that be back behind an NHL bench or even return to TNT as an analyst, but it was the Philadelphia Flyers that landed his services as they named him the 25th Head Coach in franchise history.
His departure led to a bit of a chain reaction in the coaching department, with Assistant Coach Yogi Svejkovský and Video Coach Dylan Crawford following him to the Philadelphia Flyers, while the Vancouver Canucks promoted Adam Foote to the role of bench boss and brought in three new assistants.
Quinn Hughes opens up on Rick Tocchet's departure from the Vancouver Canucks
Rick Tocchet was beloved by his players in Vancouver, especially Quinn Hughes, who recently spoke about his coach's departure from the club in the spring.
In an interview with Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre, Hughes opened up about Rick Tocchet's decision to leave the organization, calling him a "really great coach" that was passionate about the game and cared a ton about the Vancouver Canucks.
Hughes added that it was tough to see him go, but after parts of three seasons with the club, the last of which was likely quite stressful for him, he earned that right to decide where he wanted to coach next.
"I really did like Rick. I thought he was a really great coach. He loves hockey, very passionate about the game - maybe more than any coach I've had. He was a great person that cared about his players. But a lot of things that were exhausting for me (last season) were probably twice as exhausting for him. He had a lot on his plate. It was tough to see him go. But saying that, he earned the right to go where he wanted to. There was also a couple of things that, I think, he had on his mind about family that we won't get into. Not everyone knows the ins and outs of everyone's life. But what I can say is Rick deeply cared about the Canucks and wanted to make this a winning organization." Hughes said.
Vancouver Canucks fans had mixed feelings about Rick Tocchet's decision to leave the organization, some believing it was the right time to move on, while others think he should've stayed to help turn things around and make the club into a perennial playoff contender.
With Tocchet gone, it's a fresh start for every single player on Vancouver's roster under Adam Foote, who is getting his first crack at being a Head Coach in the National Hockey League.
There's a lot of pressure on Adam Foote in his first year behind the bench, more so than the typical rookie coach because it's a Canadian market, and fans of the Canucks are hoping that he'll be able to help them get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs next April.
Source: Sportsnet/Iain MacIntyre
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