Rick Tocchet doesn't sugarcoat his feelings about returning to Rogers Arena to face the Vancouver Canucks
Photo credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Tonight will mark the return of former head coach Rick Tocchet, as the Philadelphia Flyers are visiting the Vancouver Canucks, Tocchet was manning the bench for over two years with the Canucks and even won the Jack Adams award two years ago.
Tocchet left the team last summer, as he did not want to continue coaching the Canucks, and signed with the Flyers instead.
"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."-Jaxon
Rick Tocchet returns to the Vancouver Canucks for the first time.
The Canadian Press reported on the return of the Canucks former head coach, it wasn't the friendlies of departures as Tocchet simply did not want to coach the team anymore, despite being offered to stay on. His new the Flyers are doing much better this season than the Canucks, so it does look to be a good decision in hindsight.
"The Canucks announced on April 29 that Tocchet would not return. His former assistant coach, Adam Foote, was promoted to the head coaching role on May 14. Tocchet was named head coach of the Flyers the same day. The Flyers and Canucks have travelled opposite paths since. Heading into Monday's slate of games, Philadelphia sat third in the Metropolitan Division with a 19-11-7 record and was eighth in the league in points percentage (. 608). Vancouver sat at the very bottom of the NHL standings with a 15-19-3 record."-CP
Regardless of how the game goes, Tocchet will be met with a mix of cheers and boos. While most understand his decision to leave, especially after the first half of this season, some see it as a lack of loyalty to the franchise. Regardless we are bound to get an exciting game.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 30|1754 ANSWERS Rick Tocchet doesn't sugarcoat his feelings about returning to Rogers Arena to face the Vancouver Canucks Was Rick Tocchet right to leave the Vancouver Canucks in favour of the Philadelphia Flyers? | ||
| Yes | 1251 | 71.3 % |
| No | 503 | 28.7 % |
| List of polls | ||