Inside the Vancouver Canucks’ Crossroads: What Surprising Moves Could Shock the NHL Next?

Looking at the Vancouver Canucks’ recent coaching upheaval, it’s clear the organization is at a critical crossroads. Rick Tocchet’s departure, announced amidst a season rife with turmoil and unmet expectations, has left a glaring vacancy on the bench—and a myriad of questions hanging in the air. With a talented but restless core featuring Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, plus the nagging inconsistencies of Thatcher Demko in goal, the Canucks are facing not just a coaching search, but a pivotal moment in defining their direction. Elliotte Friedman recently peeled back some of the layers on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio’s Morning Skate, weighing in on Tocchet’s next likely destination and what Vancouver’s options might be going forward. As rumors swirl and front offices deliberate, the team’s next head coach will need to navigate not just the X’s and O’s, but the pressure cooker of a passionate market eager for results. Curious where this saga goes from here? LEARN MORE

Where Will The Vancouver Canucks Find A New Head Coach?

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet joined Scott Laughlin and Gord Stellick on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio Morning Skate and was asked about the Vancouver Canucks and where they will go in their coaching search considering the drama that unfolded this season.

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

NHL Rumors: Has Quinn Hughes Put the Vancouver Canucks on Notice?

Scott Laughlin: “Fridge we were just talking earlier about Jim Rutherford making the announcement (Tuesday) that expectedly, maybe somewhat expectedly, Rick Tocchet, after the offer, decided he was going to move on. So what are your thoughts on where Rick ends up now, and what the Vancouver Canucks are going to do?

Because maybe that’s not the job that you would think it would be based upon the pressure of the market. The fact that Quinn Hughes might be there for another year, year and a half, maybe, before he moves on.

You’ve got Elias Pettersson, the maligned superstar that he is, with a contract that he gets, that comes his way, and he’s needed to rediscover his form. An oft-injured number one goaltender in Thatcher Demko. What do you think about Tocchet moving on, as to where he could land? And secondly, for Vancouver, what do they do next?”

Elliotte Friedman: “I know, I think, in Tocchet’s case, I think a lot of eyes will be on Philadelphia. You know, as he will have options. There’s no question about that. I haven’t spoken to him directly, but Jim Rutherford said he wants to go East. I had wondered if he would be a contender in Anaheim. I definitely think he would have been a contender in Seattle. But if you take Rutherford at face value there, it wouldn’t seem to be that.

The Rangers, I think Sullivan is the number one guy on their radar. But Philly, I think is the one a lot, Boston is open to, but Philly, I think would be the one that people would key on. I think the longer this went on, the more I believed that Tocchet would be leaving. Rutherford talked about personal reasons. And I don’t know what those are, and I don’t want to get into those, but I do think that this was a hugely disappointing year in Vancouver.

If you go back a year, I don’t think a lot of people believed it would have gone like this. And even if you believed they wouldn’t have been as good a team, I don’t know if you would have seen all the drama unfolding as it did. And I just think he was burned out. I think he had enough. And it was, he decided, once he sat down and really thought about it, it was time to go. And he did.

So I think it’s too early to say more, where Vancouver is going to go here. I’m curious to see if they believe Manny Malhotra, who coaches their AHL team, is a contender. And the other thing too, is they’re kind of in an interesting spot. Vancouver is in the sense that a lot of the number one, the top candidates, Rutherford again, said Sullivan unlikely to go there.

NHL Rumors: Will the Vancouver Canucks Trade Elias Pettersson? Will There be Interest?

If you look at some of the top names that are available, I think Sullivan would be a no for Vancouver. Tocchet obviously isn’t going back. (Joel) Quenneville, I don’t think would be a Vancouver candidate. You look at some of the top names who would be available, I don’t think that’s in Vancouver’s wheelhouse. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a good coach, but I think their search might be a little more open than some of the others.”

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