Vancouver Canucks Forward Conor Garland Opens Up on Departure of Rick Tocchet
Photo credit: NHL.com
Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland recently opened up about Rick Tocchet's decision to leave the club earlier this week.
With the Vancouver Canucks in offseason mode, players have returned home to their respective cities and countries across North America and Europe, so we haven't heard much of anything from them regarding Rick Tocchet's departure.
After parts of three seasons behind the bench, Rick Tocchet decided to leave the organization earlier this week after rejecting a contract offer to pursue a new opportunity and a couple days later, Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland was the first player on the team to open up regarding the news.
Conor Garland opens up regarding Rick Tocchet's departure
During an interview with Mike Rupp and Brian Boyle on the NHL Network on Thursday afternoon, Conor Garland, who has been coached by Rick Tocchet in both Arizona and Vancouver, was full of praise for his former bench boss and said that he views him as a father figure and friend.
Garland went on to say that any team in the National Hockey League would be extremely lucky to have him as their head coach and that guys will run through a wall for him
"I was very fortunate to have him. I was a young player, I really didn't understand the details of the game and what it took to win. I was more just relying on scoring and producing points, and he taught me the other side of the game and really filled out the rest of my game. I'll be forever grateful for that." Garland said.
Garland added, "As I've gotten older and had a family and a kid, it's weird to say about a coach. To me, I kind of look at him as another father figure and a friend to me. When stuff happened in my personal life, he's one of the people you can lean on.
Any team that gets him is going to be very lucky. Whether he wins 10 more Jack Adams or doesn't win another game, those guys will go through a wall for him, he's that type of coach, and any team would be lucky to have him."
Garland added, "As I've gotten older and had a family and a kid, it's weird to say about a coach. To me, I kind of look at him as another father figure and a friend to me. When stuff happened in my personal life, he's one of the people you can lean on.
Any team that gets him is going to be very lucky. Whether he wins 10 more Jack Adams or doesn't win another game, those guys will go through a wall for him, he's that type of coach, and any team would be lucky to have him."
Garland has had Rick Tocchet as his head coach for parts of six of his seven seasons in the National Hockey League, so if there's anyone who knows the former Vancouver Canucks bench boss it's certainly him and it was likely a sad moment for him when he found out about his coach's departure.
The 29-year-old Garland had a pretty good season for the Vancouver Canucks, registering 50 points in 81 games and his year isn't over just yet as he's set to represent the United States at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Today, the United States played a pre-tournament game against Germany and Conor Garland was put on a line with his Vancouver Canucks teammate Drew O'Connor, while Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar centered the two wingers. Team USA defeated Germany by a score of 5-2, with Garland picking up an assist in the third period.
The Vancouver Canucks are hoping for a big tournament from Conor Garland and that he has a strong training regime in the offseason so that he's ready to go from the moment the puck drops in October.
Source: NHL Network
NHL Now: Players Only - Conor Garland
NHL Now: Players Only - Conor Garland
| POLL | ||
MAI 4 | 830 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks Forward Conor Garland Opens Up on Departure of Rick Tocchet Do you think Conor Garland should get a shot on Vancouver's top line to start next season? | ||
| Yes | 493 | 59.4 % |
| No, second line is more likely | 337 | 40.6 % |
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