Former Canucks HC Named Bruins Top Target

The Boston Bruins have moved a former Vancouver Canucks head coach to the top of their list.

Nov 12, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet on the bench against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images / Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The Boston Bruins are one of quite a few teams across the NHL who have opened their offseason with a coaching search. After firing Jim Montgomery in November, the Bruins finished the 2024-25 season with Joe Sacco as their bench boss on a temporary basis and have since started looking for a permanent replacement.

According to a source with RG, the Bruins have their eyes on a recent Jack Adams Trophy winner as their top target. The Vancouver Canucks recently announced that Rick Tocchet would not be returning to the team and he has become one of the most prominent names among free agent coaches.

“If they can secure an interview with him, and yeah, they’re trying, he becomes their top target,” an NHL source told RG.

Tocchet is coming off of a disappointing 2024-25 season with the Canucks, but he helped lead them to their best season in well over a decade in 2023-24.

In a little over two seasons with the Canucks, Tocchet picked up a 108-65-27 record in exactly 200 games. With a 50-23-9 record and a first place finish in the Pacific Division in 2023-24, Tocchet secured his first career Jack Adams as the NHL’s top head coach.

Before joining Vancouver, Tocchet spent four years behind the bench of the Arizona Coyotes. He went 125-131-34 with the Coyotes but is regarded as one of the top coaches in the NHL.

Tocchet was a key piece of the coaching staff that helped bring back-to-back Stanley Cups to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

The Bruins won’t be alone in the Tocchet sweepstakes as plenty of teams like the Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken, and Anaheim Ducks are all looking for new head coaches. More teams might be joining that list, as well.

“A new GM is coming for the Islanders, so obviously, a coaching change may happen there, but I’m hearing there could be some big changes with Utah, too,” the source told RG. “If so, Tocchet instantly becomes a candidate for both teams.”

With a pair of Cups, and a Jack Adams under his belt, Tocchet has quite the resume and there is sure to be no shortage of calls coming his way.

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