NHL Rumors: Canucks Likely Making Coaching Change

The Vancouver Canucks are a mess. They have a lame duck coach, there's cliques in the dressing room and now Quinn Hughes has called out the medical staff for how they handled Tanner Pearson's recent injury. Needless to say, changes are coming and are much needed.

According to 32 Thoughts the Podcast, Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman have linked Rick Tocchet to the Canucks as potentially their next head coach.

Boudreau does not have a contract for next season and changes are expected. It's actually kind of surprising a move hasn't been made already as the Canucks sit 10 points out of a Stanley Cup Playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Friedman had this to say this week on Tocchet:

I think that Vancouver and Rick Tocchet had some discussions a while ago. They didn’t go anywhere. I think Vancouver talked to a few potential coaches who were available and I think they re-engaged with Tocchet. The best way I can put it right now is I think it’s in the Canucks’ hands. Do they want to do it or not? I don’t think it’s imminent. I think if they make a change, it's still probably a couple of weeks away

Tocchet, 58 is currently working for TNT as a game analyst. He was an assistant under Mike Sullivan when the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and '17.

I've heard my entire life how difficult a media market Vancouver is. Too much Canucks criticism. Media/fans unfair. Blah, blah, blah.

Enough of that. This is one of the worst organizations in hockey and they deserve every ounce a criticism that comes their way in that market.
— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) January 13, 2023