HC Rick Tocchet brushes off mid-season contract speculations, prioritizes Canucks’ playoff chase

Rick Tocchet is coaching the Vancouver Canucks this year in an attempt to make the postseason. It could be the final year of his contract since he has just a team option for 2025-26 left. It's up to the GM and front office to bring him back unless they renegotiate an extension.

That is the furthest thing from the coach's mind, however. he coach is fully invested in the team's playoff chase, with just 15 games remaining on the schedule.

Tocchet said on Tuesday's "Halford & Brough in the Morning":

“For me, I’m an all-in guy," Tocchet said (Timestamp: 2:08). It’s not a chicken s**t, you know what I’m saying, answer; it’s, I’m all-in on the trying to get this team in [to the playoffs]. Trying to, you know, [build] the energy level.

"I think it’s better to wait for me so we can really sit down and talk, because I have no time to talk about my contract, in the sense that you know what I want to do in some step because I’m all in with this team right now.”

The coach is entirely consumed with the here and now with his team as they angle for a playoff berth, and he'll get to a potential contract extension "at the appropriate time."

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Rick Tocchet says he can't focus on anything right now besides the Canucks' playoff hopes

On Tuesday, with 15 games left to play, the Vancouver Canucks are the final wild card in the Western Conference with 73 points. However, they are tied with the St. Louis Blues, so things can change in one game.

The Canucks and Rick Tocchet own a playoff spot as of today (Imagn)

Rick Tocchet said on the same podcast episode that he "can't concentrate" on negotiations during the season because the rest of what he and his team are doing takes major precedence. Tocchet added:

“I’m very comfortable, and I think they [are] too, that when it’s appropriate time, we can spend some time and really dive in [on] where we’re going, what we’re going to do, and things like that. I think that’s really the best answer I can give you guys.”

The Canucks are eight points back of the first wild card, so it looks as if it's the second wild card or bust for them. They'll also have to fend off the Calgary Flames (71 points) and Utah Hockey Club (71 points) for that final spot, as well as the Blues.