Rick Tocchet not returning as Canucks head coach next season

The Vancouver Canucks will have to search for their fourth coach in four years as Rick Tocchet will not be returning as head coach of the Canucks next season.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported the news Tuesday, which was later confirmed by the team.

“After a very long and thorough process, unfortunately Rick has decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks,” said president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford in the the team’s statement. “This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career. We did everything in our power to keep him, but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change. He is a good friend, a good coach, and we can’t thank him enough for all he did for our organization. Toc is a stand-up guy, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

The Canucks hired Tocchet in 2022 after a tumultuous season and a half with Bruce Boudreau. After taking over behind the bench, Tocchet’s Canucks had a 20-12-4 record in their final 36 games. 

In his first full season as the Canucks head coach, Tocchet led the team to their first division win since 2012-13 with a 50-23-9 record. The team went on to win their first-round series against Nashville, but lost in seven games to Edmonton in Round 2. He received the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s best coach. 

The Canucks took a step back in 2024-25 amid off-ice issues, finishing fifth in the Pacific Division with a 38-30-14 record to miss the playoffs for the fifth time in six years.

Last week, Rutherford confirmed to reporters that the Canucks would not exercise their club option on Tocchet, and left the decision to return entirely in his hands. 

“I’m choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” said Tocchet in the team’s statement. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes the opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities in and around hockey.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Vancouver Canucks organization, starting with Francesco and Luigi Aquilini, Jim Rutherford, and Patrik Allvin. It’s been a pleasure and great learning experience to work with you all.

“To the players — thank you. Regardless of our results, I always felt your heart and effort was there. I was honoured to be your coach. To the coaching staff and support staff — you guys are first class, and you made it easy and enjoyable to come to work every day. Thank you for everything you give to help make the team a success. To the media, I appreciate your work and your diligence, your easy — and your difficult — questions. You guys do a great job, thank you.

“And to the Canucks fans — your infectious spirit, loyal commitment and will to win kept me and the entire team on our toes. I appreciate how you have made yourselves a driving force in the Canucks community. I’ve enjoyed my time here, and I wish everyone the best.”

The Canucks now join a growing list of teams with head coaching vacancies around the league, including the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Seattle Kraken.

During his playing career, Tocchet, 61, had stints with the Flyers, Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Bruins, Washington Capitals and Phoenix Coyotes.

He finished his career with 1,144 games played, recording 440 goals and 512 assists for 952 points. He is the NHL’s all-time leader in Gordie Howe hat tricks with 18 and won the Stanley Cup once, with the Penguins in 1992.

After retiring, Tocchet began his NHL coaching career as an assistant with the Colorado Avalanche before becoming an associate coach with the Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was promoted to head coach of the Lightning but was fired after the 2009–10 season. He then joined the Penguins as an assistant in June 2014 and was part of their Cup-winning teams in 2016 and 2017 before being hired to coach the Coyotes for four seasons. He took one season off from coaching before joining the Canucks.