Canucks' Rick Tocchet labels his impending extension talks "no different than trades"

Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet spoke to the media about his contract, which could expire this summer. The Canucks may use a one-year team option to keep him and the front office has indicated that they want him back. However, Tocchet has not confirmed anything yet, and the talks are expected to progress this offseason.

Speaking to the reporters on Wednesday, Tocchet said contract talks are like trades.

"It's like anybody. When you analyze stuff, you got to check boxes," Tocchet said. "I got an unreal relationship with Patrick and Jim. You go through the boxes, you check them off. It's just like a player, free agent. It's no different than trades. You got to go through that process. It really is a process. That’s what it comes down to."

Tocchet trusts the Canucks management to handle things properly and mentioned he has a strong relationship with Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin. When asked how long the process could take, Tocchet said it’s still early:

"That’s a good question," Tocchet said. "We’ll probably talk about it more in a couple days. But there’s things you got to go through—the process, the negotiation, a lot of different things. The season just ended, obviously. You just move along and see where it goes. But there’s more stuff we got to talk about."

The Canucks missed the playoffs with a 38-30-14 record. They were fifth in the Pacific Division, and injuries and player issues affected their performance. A rift between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller also hurt team chemistry as the Canucks failed to build on last year’s successes.

Canucks have reportedly made a big offer to Rick Tocchet

Rick Tocchet may stay with the Canucks as the team has offered him a new contract. Reportedly, the Canucks want to agree on a longer deal soon. Insider Jason Brough said the Canucks gave him a generous offer as Tocchet is well-liked and won the Jack Adams Award last season.

"Things are happening behind the scenes right now. I've heard that the Canucks have given Rick Tocchet an offer that they're pretty hopeful about,' Brough said on 'Halford and Brough.' "I think they've given him an offer that's pretty generous in their eyes."

Quinn Hughes recently showed support for Rick Tocchet, saying, "he gives us the chance to win every night."

Tocchet got paid $2.75 million this season, but top coaches earn over $5 million per annum. Tocchet was also part of Team Canada's coaching team in the 4 Nations Face-off, and a new deal soon would help the team avoid any distractions as they build for next campaign.