OccamsRazor Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Called it!!!!! http://www.tsn.ca/coyotes-hire-tocchet-as-head-coach-1.802002 The Arizona Coyotes have hired Rick Tocchet as the team's next head coach, replacing Dave Tippett. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports Tocchet signed a four-year deal with the Coyotes. Tocchet has been an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2014 and is coming off back-to-back Stanley Cups with the team. The Coyotes parted ways with Tippett in June after eight seasons with the team. The Coyotes went 30-42-10 last season, missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. After 18 seasons in the NHL, Tocchet began his coaching career with the Colorado Avalanche in 2002-03 as an assistant before moving on to the then-Phoenix Coyotes in 2005-08 and finally Tampa Bay Lightning before getting his first opportunity as a head coach with the Lightning after Barry Melrose was fired on Nov. 16, 2008. The 53-year-old had the interim tag removed as head coach of the Lightning on May 11, 2009 and signed a two-year deal with the team, but was relieved of his duties on Apr. 12, 2010 by new ownership after compiling a record of 53-69-26. “If a situation arises, I’d love a shot at it,” Tocchet told TSN during this year's Stanley Cup final. “Listen, there’s a lot of great coaches out there. Every year, it seems, there’s a flavour of the year coach - whether it’s a guy in the minors or an assistant that’s winning. “I think I’m a good coach. I can work with anybody chemistry-wise. If it works out, it works out. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I’m lucky in the situation I’m in, this is the best job other than being a head coach, being with Mike and the Penguins.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Taking bets here: Let's play over/under on two seasons. I say under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 10 minutes ago, ruxpin said: Taking bets here: Let's play over/under on two seasons. I say under. You know, I HATE piling on to stuff when it really doesn't seem like a good idea, but hey, Tocchet is a professional and he COULD have learned much more from he first started out coaching. By all accounts, as an assistant, he did great. But as the man in charge of the bench and the on ice team? I dunno bout that one. That all said, I will take the over....but not by much.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murraycraven Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 17 minutes ago, ruxpin said: Taking bets here: Let's play over/under on two seasons. I say under. Considering it is AZ he should WANT to get fired.... but I am going to go with the under. B/c it is AZ after all.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 6 hours ago, ruxpin said: Taking bets here: Let's play over/under on two seasons. I say under. Two seasons what? They win the Cup??? I say this year..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 20 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said: Two seasons what? They win the Cup??? I say this year..... The entertaining part to me is that I intended for the "taking bets" to be the focus of my post (Tocchet, taking bets, got it? I slay me!), but instead it ended up being the over /under thing. I actually hope he does well. He's one of my all time favorite Flyers. But man, what a tough gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 23 minutes ago, ruxpin said: The entertaining part to me is that I intended for the "taking bets" to be the focus of my post (Tocchet, taking bets, got it? I slay me!), but instead it ended up being the over /under thing. I actually hope he does well. He's one of my all time favorite Flyers. But man, what a tough gig. You know, all funnin' aside, I think the Coyotes actually have some interesting pieces and players. IMO, goaltending is still the biggest issue (is Domingue gonna take the reigns finally...can Raanta be a full time guy?), and they DO need a coach to mold all those nice individual pieces together. I just don't know if Tocchet is that guy. I still question whether he is head coach material at all (again, he seems to have done fine working under someone else as an assistant), but for a mix of vets and really young guy like Arizona has? This project screams for a more experienced coach. Granted, maybe there was no one like that available to the Yotes right now, but still, if this team sees big time struggles, it will come down to the goalies and/or how well Tocchet can get these guys working as a group as opposed to individuals. Up front, he has lots of options.... Young guys like Dylan Strome, Max Domi, Nick Cousins, Lawson Crouse, and, assuming they re-sign him, Anthony DuClair. And they will have the "greybeard" at just 27, in Derek Stepan, who I think will need to become an instant leader. On defense, the obvious Oliver Ekman Larsson, Alex Goligoski, the steady Niklas Hjarlmasson, and Luke Schenn make up the top four. Yes, yes, I know, don't laugh too hard, but with Hjarlmasson in the fold, he could take top minutes with OEL, while Luke Schenn, who hasn't done a bad job as good defender since arriving in Glendale, could take a lesser role in the 2nd pair. None of this screams "playoffs" to me just yet, but if Tocchet can somehow prove most wrong and get this eclectic group to gel, the team should be competitive and far from the train wreck most people think it will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlaskaFlyerFan Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 2 hours ago, ruxpin said: The entertaining part to me is that I intended for the "taking bets" to be the focus of my post (Tocchet, taking bets, got it? I slay me!), but instead it ended up being the over /under thing. I actually hope he does well. He's one of my all time favorite Flyers. But man, what a tough gig. I see what you did there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted July 12, 2017 Author Share Posted July 12, 2017 17 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Coyotes actually have some interesting pieces and players. I agree. Sure they have their question marks but show me a team that doesn't come July. I think they should resign Duclair if they are smart kid has some skill and Toc maybe able to get it out of him. I think he has learned a lot since his last HC gig. Guess we'll see. They still need some pieces. The one move they made that i hated was trading away young Connor Murphy i thought he was a good defenseman who played well in his own end and brought some physical presence they lack back there. Blackhawks got a damn good Dman i think. Not sure who replaces what he brought on the blueline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted July 12, 2017 Author Share Posted July 12, 2017 Not sure about this move here. Not sure an AD is the right fit for the pros....head scratcher i think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Nice offseason for the 'Yotes, out with the old, Michalek, Doan and Vrbata given their gold watches and shown the door, Smith traded for nothing just to move on in net and Tippett replaced with Tocchett. Throw in the deadline trade of Hanzal away and essentially every single 'face of the franchise' player/coach was moved out with the exception of young uber talented OEL. It needed done. The team was a retirement home, Doan even whined and cried about Hanzal being dealt at the deadline and I am not making this up, because for nearly a decade Hanzal and he played cards together on the back of the flights. The absurdity of that probably had a little to do with Doan being shipped out as well. New day in Arizona. I dont think Raanta is much up to the task but I love the rest of the moves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesesteak Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 New Head Coach of the Arizona Coyotes....atta boy https://www.nhl.com/news/rick-tocchet-named-coach-of-arizona-coyotes/c-290353500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey Forums Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 This topic has been moved from "Philadelphia Flyers Forum" to "Arizona Coyotes Forum". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Too tough a gig for a guy who I think will be an average head coach. Take the under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 If Tocchet does last do you hire Thierrien or Blysma? I think Ted Nolan might be a good fit if he is still available?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted July 13, 2017 Author Share Posted July 13, 2017 Well to help matters a lot you have to like Toc's number one D pair....OEL and Hjalmarsson should be pretty friggin good. Then you have Chychrun maybe paired with a defensive guy like Luke on the 2nd pair. And then Goligoski and Connauton maybe rounding out the bottom pair. Or if you want to give Chychrun some time in the AHL you can play Clendening in his place and drop he and Luke to the bottom pair. Certainly not the worst blueline in the NHL. Derek Stephan becomes your number one center by default almost. Not sure out the forward ranks flesh out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 5 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said: Well to help matters a lot you have to like Toc's number one D pair....OEL and Hjalmarsson should be pretty friggin good. Then you have Chychrun maybe paired with a defensive guy like Luke on the 2nd pair. And then Goligoski and Connauton maybe rounding out the bottom pair. Or if you want to give Chychrun some time in the AHL you can play Clendening in his place and drop he and Luke to the bottom pair. Certainly not the worst blueline in the NHL. Derek Stephan becomes your number one center by default almost. Not sure out the forward ranks flesh out. I think the offense is a bit of a thorn! I think in the draft of 2018 their focus will be on offense with a defenseman and a goalkeeper sprinkled in! By the turn of the decade this team should be competitive! I'm hoping they resolve the stadium situation soon and stay in Arizona! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted July 14, 2017 Author Share Posted July 14, 2017 Mike Smith taking a shot at the Yotes!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J0e Th0rnton Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 On 7/11/2017 at 9:16 PM, ruxpin said: The entertaining part to me is that I intended for the "taking bets" to be the focus of my post (Tocchet, taking bets, got it? I slay me!), but instead it ended up being the over /under thing. I actually hope he does well. He's one of my all time favorite Flyers. But man, what a tough gig. Tough? The Coyotes actually did improve a lot this offseason and a coach that let's them do something more than chip and chase and grind every shift is likely to help some of those young guns on the team. They have some very very good young players still on ELC's. Domi, Dvorak, Strome, Keller, Chychrun.....All blue chip possible superstars in the making, and to a lesser degree, Duclair, Perlini, Merkley. Stepan is a good substitute for Hanzal and isn't made of glass, guaranteed to miss 20-40 games. Giving time for Hjalmarsson is just what the doctor ordered as a partner for OEL. They now have a legit top pair. Chychrun was starting to look great near the end of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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