Rick Tocchet says the Flyers are a ‘big part of my blood’ in advance of showdown with his Canucks

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Being in the right place at the right time is critical across most aspects of life, none more so than being an NHL coach. And Rick Tocchet may finally have found the right place and the right time with the Vancouver Canucks.

Hired in January, the former Flyers forward finished the season 20-12-4, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Canucks to the postseason. It’s still early, but he has the Canucks atop the NHL standings and in position for a deep run as they enter a meeting with his former club.

“He’s an unbelievable coach. His systems are obviously really good; you can see it in our standings and how we’ve been doing,” said Canucks captain Quinn Hughes. “But not only that, his approach to the players and how to teach, his relationships, and how guys really want to play for him. I think that’s the biggest thing that’s made him successful.”

Tocchet spent 621 of his 1,144 games across two stints with the Flyers, the team that drafted him in 1983. A gritty, tenacious power forward, he potted 508 points (232 goals, 276 assists) and accumulated 1,815 penalty minutes, the most in Flyers history. Tocchet played for five other teams, with his lone Stanley Cup coming in 1992 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“You just have a ton of respect, and that’s no disrespect to the previous coaches,” said Canucks forward J.T. Miller. “But he’s been through it. He’s been in the trenches. He’s played in Stanley Cup situations; he knows what it takes to win.”

» READ MORE: Flyers thinking ‘next game’ as they begin Western road trip against the first-place Canucks

The Inquirer caught up with Tocchet to chat about his current spot and his time with the Orange and Black.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

A: I’ll tell you what, I really enjoyed the TNT gig. It was a lot of fun. I had a couple of opportunities to jump back in and it just wasn’t the right fit for whatever reason. And then, obviously, Jim [Rutherford, Canucks president] and Patrik [Allvin, Canucks general manager] called me, then took the job.

A: I think familiarity with Patrik and Jim, being in Pittsburgh, and having them at the time when I was there. I think that helped, the way they wanted to run things, build a team. I liked the relationship. So, yeah, I think it was time.

A: Yeah, I think so. I mean, you know, being a sixth-round pick, I’ve always had to prove myself. And same thing coaching. You’re always learning. You know, I don’t think you ever rest. You’ve got to use your coaches. I have an attitude that you can still learn from the players. And I just, I don’t know, I like living it every day, whether it’s a practice or a game day. Think if you look too far ahead, you get in trouble. So I like to be uncomfortable. I think that’s what gets me going, is to be uncomfortable.

A: That’s a good question. I would say like a partner, like a partnership with the player. Fair. And I understand. I’ve played every different role. I’ve been the first-liner, I’ve been a fourth-liner. I’m a guy that didn’t dress, you know. So I think I can understand everybody’s role.

And I think there’s more to hockey, too. Sometimes with players, it’s not just about hockey. There might be something else that they have a problem with and I think you have to understand that part of the player too, because we’ve all been there before. So, I think just knowing that I’ve played the game, and I know what sometimes players expect from a coach, I think that helps. Gives me a little bit of an advantage.

A: I think what he’s saying is like, you know, I’m a very intense guy, but also knows when to back off and when to press. And I think that’s really what it comes down to is just trying to find that sweet spot. I think I’ve gotten better as my career has gone on, to be a little bit more calmer behind the bench.

A: For me, it’s like, it’s a big part of my blood is the Flyers. The city. I have a lot of huge memories there. I’ve lived most of my adult life there. And I think as an 18-year-old going there, not knowing what to expect, the way the Flyers treated me really helped me. I thought you know, obviously, the brand, the Snider brand was incredible to me. So I have, obviously, a soft spot for the organization, just the way they do things. And, it actually gives me pride the way that Keith Jones has gone in there and he’s bringing back that, you know, that family atmosphere again. It’s fun to see what they’re doing right now.

A: I do. Yeah, I talk to Jonesy two to three times a week. We’re pretty close. And, you know, I think that they’ve done a [heck] of a job.

A: Well, I think anytime you have playoff success. I think winning Game 6 [in the 1987 Stanley Cup Final] was big and then going into Edmonton for that Game 7. ... I think that was a great memory, where we just were so close to beating probably one of the greatest teams to ever play. I think that the playoffs, the Spectrum game when J.J. Daigneault scored [in Game 6 of the 1987 Final], I always say that’s the loudest building I’ve ever heard in my life, after he scored. So I would just say those memories of playoffs.

A: Incredible guy. Everyone talks about points, to me the points are great, but his playing under pressure. His leadership in the room. For his size, he would go in the corner first not scared. He just wasn’t afraid of pressure moments and he wasn’t afraid to tell a player an uncomfortable thing to win. I really respected that about him. So yeah, just a great honor for him. You know, obviously, he’s an NHL Hall of Famer, but obviously, the Flyers is another feather in his cap.

A: Yeah. For sure. I mean, you think of the Flyers, you think of Mark Recchi.

A: I just think that he’s very, I like the word, unwavering, or just, he believes in something. And in this business, if you defer to outside noise, if you listen to outside noise, if you listen to too many people, you can have a short shelf life as a coach. And I think what he’s done is that he believes in something. I’m sure he listens to his assistant coaches, and he listens to his general manager, don’t get me wrong, but there’s times when he has non-negotiables and I really respect that. I think you have to have those non-negotiables if you want to be successful as an NHL coach.

A: A million percent. My first time in Tampa [2008-10], I listened to too many other people. And now I listen to my — I call it the Roundtable. I have a select certain amount of people I talk to. And then there’s some, like I talk to Craig Berube a lot, one of my best buddies, and I talk to Keith Jones a lot. There’s a group of guys outside our organization you talk to, but you have to form your own roundtable and that’s what I tried to do.

A: Yeah, well, I get anal when it comes to a lot of snow on the ice. We have coaches, and they were teaching. Some of the other coaches were doing stuff. So, yeah, it’s my job to do it sometimes. It’s all right. I don’t mind it.

I try to watch the ice people and how they do it because there is a technique. They can do it a lot better than I can. It’s actually fun to do. It’s actually therapy.