Report: Canucks expected to name Tocchet head coach Monday
The Bruce Boudreau saga in Vancouver appears to be coming to an end.
The Canucks are expected to name Rick Tocchet head coach on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Jeff Marek.
Tocchet has featured on TNT's hockey panel as an analyst since the beginning of the 2021-22 season. He was most recently on an NHL bench in 2020-21 with the Arizona Coyotes.
The 58-year-old posted a 125-131-34 record as the Coyotes' head coach over four seasons. Tocchet made the playoffs once, losing in the first round to the Colorado Avalanche in 2020 after knocking off the Nashville Predators in the qualifying round. He parted ways with Arizona following the 2020-21 campaign.
Tocchet won back-to-back Stanley Cups as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
Speculation over Boudreau's future has been rampant in recent days. Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers commented on the impact it has had on the team, while Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano criticized Vancouver's treatment of Boudreau.
The 68-year-old was emotional at the end of Saturday night's loss to the Edmonton Oilers as he acknowledged the home fans while being serenaded with chants of "Bruce, there it is."
A tearful Bruce Boudreau thanks #Canucks fans 😭 pic.twitter.com/3S5Qf2jHNR
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) January 22, 2023
Sergei Gonchar and Adam Foote are expected to join Tocchet in Vancouver as assistants, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Gonchar coached alongside Tocchet for two seasons in Pittsburgh. The 48-year-old was last on an NHL bench in 2020 as an assistant with the Penguins. He's been an assistant coach with the Russian national team this season.
Foote spent parts of two seasons as head coach of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets before being fired in 2020. Previously, the 51-year-old was a team consultant with the Avalanche from 2013-17.