Vancouver Canucks’ bench boss Rick Tocchet has been named coach of the year by the NHL, taking home the Jack Adams Award in his first full season with the team. 

He becomes the third Vancouver coach in history to receive the award, joining past recipients Pat Quinn (1992) and Alain Vigneault (2007). It should be noted that both those coaches turned around floundering Canucks teams, eventually guiding them to appearances in the Stanley Cup finals.

In a year when many predicted Vancouver would have trouble making the playoffs, Tocchet led the Canucks to a 50-23-09 record this season, earning the team home-ice advantage in the first two rounds in the post-regular season. 

Missing 40-goal-scoring winger Brock Boeser and Vezina-nominated goalie Thatcher Demko, Vancouver was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in game seven of the second round. 

Ten Canucks had career seasons under Tocchet this season, with the team sending five players—Boeser, Demko, forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, and defenceman Quinn Hughes—to the NHL All-Star Game. 

In a Canucks release announcing the Jack Adams Award win, Tocchet says: “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. I am truly honoured 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. Vancouver is a passionate hockey market and our fans were a huge part of our success this season.”

While he’s been embraced today, Tocchet’s arrival in Vancouver wasn’t exactly a smooth one. He joined the Canucks during a turbulent period when years of losing got head coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning fired 25 games into the 2021-22 season. Green’s replacement, veteran Bruce Boudreau, guided the team to 7-0-0 start and a 32-15-10 record the rest of the season, making him an instant fan favourite.

Following weeks when the Canucks GM made it clear he was talking to coaches about Vancouver, a left-dangling Boudreau was fired after the team started out 18-25-3 in 2022-23. Tocchet was brought in, with his only prior head coaching experience being three losing seasons and first-round Covid-bubble exit with the Arizona Coyotes.

Even though the Canucks finished Tochett’s first half-season with a winning record, fans often still chanted Boudreau’s name in the stands.

Alvin says this about Tocchet in the release: “Toc has created a true partnership between the players, coaches, and staff. He has held people accountable and worked very hard in putting a process in place for everyone to follow. Our staples and structure will help guide this group for years to come. I am very impressed with the job he has done this season and I am excited to see what lies ahead for this team under Toc’s direction.”

An NHL veteran who played for teams including the Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh, Tochet is the 21st head coach in Canucks history.