Allvin on Tocchet: 'I sure hope that he’s going to be part of this organization moving forward'
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Rick Tocchet's future with the Vancouver Canucks is suddenly in the spotlight after the Philadelphia Flyers fired head coach John Tortorella on Thursday.
Tocchet is in the final year of his current contract in Vancouver, with the team owning a club option for next season. A two-time Flyer during his playing career, the dots have quickly been connected on a potential move to Philadelphia this summer.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun spoke to Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin last week, who stated his desire to see Tocchet sign long-term in Vancouver.
“Rick Tocchet has done an impressive job under the circumstances here (this season)," Allvin said in comments published Friday in The Athletic. "He’s well-liked by the players. He’s a great communicator and also (has the) ability to hold guys accountable. We have a club option (on Tocchet’s contract).
“I sure hope that he’s going to be part of this organization moving forward. That’s a conversation that I hope we’ll get to the finish line here sooner rather than later.”
LeBrun adds in his column for The Athletic that he could see both Tocchet staying or walking away after a trying season for the Canucks.
The 60-year-old Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award last season after the Canucks finished atop the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record.
It's been a challenging season in Vancouver, with star netminder Thatcher Demko missing significant time due to injury and a rift between stars Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller taking centre stage before Miller was traded to the New York Rangers in January.
The Canucks are currently five points back of the St. Louis Blues for the final wild-card spot with two games in hand. The team will visit the Columbus Blue Jackets in another key game in their playoff chase Friday.
"I'm proud of how Rick has handled the season here," Allvin said two weeks before the Miller trade. "I do believe that he is a good coach and I see him [in Vancouver] long term.
"It's a two-way street there. Up to this point it hasn't been an urgency for us to do anything with a club option."
Tocchet spent 11 seasons with the Flyers over two stints during his playing career. He won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992 after an in-season trade with the Flyers and found his way back to the organization during the 1999-2000 season.