NHL: Vancouver’s Rick Tocchet named NHL Coach of the Year

Date:

Share post:


First-time finalist Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks won the Jack Adams Award on Wednesday as the NHL’s 2023-24 coach of the year.

The trophy honors the head coach who has “contributed the most to his team’s success,” voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.

Tocchet, in his first full season behind Vancouver’s bench, guided the Canucks to the Pacific Division title — their first division crown since 2013. Their 50-23-9 record and 109 points were improvements of 12 wins and 26 points from the 2022-23 season.

Vancouver’s penalty kill was tied with St. Louis for 17th (79.1 percent) this season after ranking last (71.6 percent) in 2022-23. The Canucks also improved in moving from 13th (3.29) to sixth (3.40) in goals per game, and from 25th (3.61) to tied for fifth (2.70) in fewest goals allowed.

Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators and Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets were the other finalists. Tocchet received 483 points — on 82 first-place votes, 23 for second and four for third — to outpace Brunette (145; 8-28-21) and Bowness (75; 5-11-17).

“It’s an organizational award,” Tocchet said on ESPN’s “The Point” after being announced as the winner. “I mean, I had a lot of help. My staff was incredible. Obviously, the Aquilini family. (President of hockey operations) Jim (Rutherford) and (general manager) Patrik (Allvin), (the) management team and their staff. Walking into this, I had a lot of help. A lot of buy-in from the players … right from Day One. They believed in the staff, and we believed in them.”

The Canucks were eliminated in seven games against the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Tocchet is 70-35-13 since becoming coach of Vancouver. Overall, he is 248-235-73 in the regular season while coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-10), Arizona Coyotes (2017-21) and Canucks.

Tocchet is the third Canucks coach to win the award, joining Alain Vigneault (2006-07) and Pat Quinn (1991-92).

–Field Level Media

spot_img

Related articles

NHL: Oilers G Stuart Skinner to start Game 6 vs. Panthers

Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner confirmed he will start for the Oilers in a do-or-die Game 6 of the...

NHL: Facing elimination, Oilers undecided on Game 6 goaltender

Before the Edmonton Oilers face potential elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night,...

NHL: Report: Penguins star Evgeni Malkin likely done after next season

The upcoming NHL season could reportedly be the last for Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin. The Russian center has...

NHL: Oilers facing must-win situation on Florida’s home ice in Game 6

The Edmonton Oilers have their backs against the wall again. They'll need to win Game 6 of the Stanley...

FREE

Get the most important breaking news and analyses for Free.

Thank you for subscribing

Something went wrong.