NHL: Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets - Source: Imagn — NHL: Rick Tocchet - Source: Imagn

Flyers' Rick Tocchet addresses claims of giving up on Canucks following disappointing season - "I'm not a quitter"

Modified May 21, 2025 06:21 GMT

It's been exactly three weeks since Rick Tocchet decided not to return as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

Despite a lucrative contract extension on the table, Tocchet felt it was best to step away from the organization and move forward with his hockey career.

It took just over two weeks for the 61-year-old to land his next coaching gig in the city where he began his NHL playing career. Tocchet was hired as the 25th coach in the Philadelphia Flyers franchise history, officially marking the end of an era in Vancouver.

Rick Tocchet has already had his introductory press conference as a Flyer, but on "Donnie and Dhali" on Tuesday, he spoke about leaving the Canucks for the first time.

"I understand it; I can explain to them I'm not a quitter," Tocchet said. "But I understand where they're coming from. Sometimes in life, you have decisions you gotta make. And the crossroads, you gotta go right or left. Sometimes you make the right decisions, sometimes you don't. It wasn't a quit thing; it was just something I felt for me to evolve, and just in my life, this was the right decision.

"And there's other things; I'm not gonna dive into it. I just feel like this was the time. But I understand, they're a passionate fan base, and they want to win. You want to be in a pressure cooker because the rewards are there if you can win in that town. If you could win a Stanley Cup for all the 32 teams, I would say the top 3 or 4 cities, Vancouver is in one of them."

Expand Tweet

Rick Tocchet signed a five-year, $26,250,000 contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Rick Tocchet says lack of practice facility played a role in his departure

The Canucks are one of only two NHL teams without a dedicated practice facility, and Rick Tocchet said it was a contributing factor in his decision.

"Listen, I'd be lying if it wasn't," he said. "It's not that bad in Vancouver, you know, UBC is nice. It's not horrible, but I will say, the Flyers' facility is state-of-the-art. It's got an 8,000 square foot gym. It's got all the amenities. I mean, they've spared no expense. And it's a good it's a good tool for a coach. It really is."

Expand Tweet

It will be interesting to see how it plays out the rest of the offseason in Vancouver as several other key figures face uncertain futures with the team.

On the other hand, Tocchet will look to help bring the Philadelphia Flyers back into contention starting in 2025-26.

About the author

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

Know More

Wayne Gretzky’s wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama