NHL insider Pierre LeBrun stirs the pot over Vancouver Canucks not having re-signed HC Rick Tocchet yet amid team drama

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun has raised concerns about the Vancouver Canucks' head coach Rick Tocchet's contract situation. Tocchet, the Jack Adams Award winner for NHL Coach of the Year in 2023-24, has a contract that expires at the end of this season. The Canucks have an option to extend his contract, but Tocchet can also decide if he wants to stay.

Speaking on TSN's Insider Trading, LeBrun pointed out that the current drama surrounding the rift between forwards Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller in Vancouver makes it a point worth noting. Both players have publicly denied the reports, although that has not stopped rumors of one of them being traded from swirling.

"Let's chat about Rick Tocchet, the Jack Adams Award winner last year as NHL Coach of the Year. His contract expires at the end of the season." LeBrun said, "Now there is a team option for the Canucks on Rick Tocchet, but it's an option also that Tocchet has the right to decide whether or not he could sign.

"And I'm not pointing all this out because I think there's something going on. I'm just pointing it out as a fact that seems to have been glossed over in terms of this future and this contract."

Tocchet became the Canucks' head coach on January 22, 2023, replacing Bruce Boudreau. His first full season was successful, as the Canucks won the Pacific Division and made it to the second round of the 2024 playoffs. Currently, Tocchet's record with Vancouver is 88 wins, 47 losses, and 23 overtime losses.

"Now, it's not the end of the world for a coach to be an expired deal, Rod Brind'Amour for North Carolina went to the last minute last year before signing." LeBrun said, "But in the scope of everything we've seen this year and the drama in Vancouver, it's certainly something worth filing away."

Vancouver Canucks' performance dip in recent games

However, the Canucks are struggling right now. The Vancouver Canucks have lost eight of their last ten games. Their current record is 18-12-10, which places them fourth in the Pacific Division. They are scoring 3.05 goals per game but allowing 3.21 goals per game, ranking 25th in goals against.

Quinn Hughes leads the team with 45 points, including 37 assists. Jake DeBrusk leads in goals with 17. Their power play percentage is 22.7% and their penalty kill is 80.3% is average. The team needs to improve its consistency to stay competitive.