Rick Tocchet Voted NHL’s Coach Of The Year For Guiding Vancouver Canucks To Pacific Division Title

NEW YORK — Rick Tocchet was named NHL coach of the year Wednesday after leading the Pacific Division champion Vancouver Canucks to their second playoff appearance in nine years.

Tocchet appeared on 109 of 114 Jack Adams award ballots submitted by NHL Broadcasters’ Association members, receiving 82 first-place votes, according to the NHL. He became the Canucks’ third coach to win the award, following Pat Quinn in 1992 and Alain Vigneault in 2007.

Nashville’s Andrew Brunette finished second. He appeared on 57 ballots and received eight first-place votes. Winnipeg’s Rick Bowness finished third. He announced his retirement this month.

Rick Tocchet | AP News Image

Rick Tocchet Voted NHL’s Coach Of The Year For Guiding Vancouver Canucks To Pacific Division Title

“This really is a team award, and I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of our staff and complete buy-in from the players,” Tocchet stated. “I am truly honored and humbled by this achievement and look forward to getting back to work this summer as we continue to work on improving our hockey team.”

In his first full season in Vancouver, Tocchet won the regular-season award two days after the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Canucks in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series.

Tocchet, 60, led a stunning turnaround in a Canucks club that finished with a 50-23-9 record, the third-most victories in franchise history, and improved from 22nd to sixth in the overall standings last year. Vancouver led the NHL with a plus-38 first-period goal difference and went 42-1-4 while leading after two periods this season, up from 21-1-4 the previous year.

Rick Tocchet | AP News Image

Rick Tocchet Voted NHL’s Coach Of The Year For Guiding Vancouver Canucks To Pacific Division Title

Tocchet had the advantage of gaining a head start in implementing his system and acquiring a feel for the Canucks after being hired in January 2023, when Bruce Boudreau was sacked with Vancouver at 18-25-3. The Canucks finished the season 20-12-4 under Tocchet, who was an NHL announcer before joining the team.

“Honestly, I don’t know if we would be in this situation. Who knows, but the 30 games were big for me,” Tocchet told The Associated Press last month, reflecting on the impact his departure as head coach last year had on Vancouver’s success this season.

Vancouver marks Tocchet’s third stop as a head coach. He previously spent four seasons with Arizona from 2017-21, during which time he went 125-131-34. He also went 53-69-26 with Tampa Bay from 2008 to 2010.

Rick Tocchet | Pittsburg Sports Image

Rick Tocchet Voted NHL’s Coach Of The Year For Guiding Vancouver Canucks To Pacific Division Title

Tocchet won two more Stanley Cups as an assistant coach in 2016 and 2017 after winning one as a player for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992.

SOURCE – (AP)