The Philadelphia flyers have appointed Rick Tocchet The 25th head coach in the history of the franchise, according to the managing director Daniel Briere.
“I am very happy to welcome Rick Tocchet as a chief coach,” said Briere. “During this process, it became clear that Rick was the right absolute coach to lead our team. He appreciated the highest level of success as a player and coach. Rick’s ability to teach and understand his players, combined with his passion for victory, highlights the best players and veterans of their development and has gained the respect and confidence of the All-Stars and the very talant veterans.
“From the first conversation I had with Rick, it struck me how deeply he cares about the philadelphia flyers, our city and fans,” said the governor of flyers, Dan Hilfety. “The history of Rick speak of himself. He has not only succeeded in different stages of his career, but he has a way to connect with his players and his staff. I firmly believe that he is the ideal person to unite us and lead us towards our ultimate goal of building this team in a lasting candidate.”
“We are delighted that Rick directs our team in the future,” said the president of hockey operations, Keith Jones. “What is impressive with Rick is that players revolve towards him and develop a solid relationship in the process. There is real confidence that he will do everything he can to bring success to the team.”
“I have always been a leaflet at heart and I took this passion and this energy which embodies this city and this organization with me throughout my career,” said Tocchet. “I would like to thank Danny Briere, Keith Jones and Dan Hilferty for this honor and this opportunity. I could not be more excited to bring this team back among the NHL elite where we belong. We have a lot of work to do and a lot to do, but I am confident in the direction that we are heading and determined to take it. ”
Tocchet, 61 years old (4/9/1964), was head coach of the National Hockey League for nine seasons, more recently with the Vancouver Canucks in the last three seasons. Overall, he has a career record of 286-265-87 in 638 regular season games with The Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-10), Arizona Coyotes (2017-2021) and Canucks (2022-25).
With the Canucks, he led the team for the Pacific division with a season of 50 winners and 109 points and a 50-23-9 record during the 2023-24 season. After the regular 2023-24 season, he received the NHL Jack Adams Prize as a coach of the year. Their 109 points were the third of the Western Conference, the sixth best in the League and the third total of points in a single season in the history of the franchise.
Accompanying his regular season statistics, Tocchet led his team to the Stanley Cup qualifiers twice (2019-20 and 2023-24) and has a record of 11-11 in 22 games in the playoffs.
In addition to his experience as a head coach, Tocchet was assistant coach for certain parts of seven seasons. He helped guide the Penguins of Pittsburgh at two Stanley Cup championships as an assistant during their consecutive titles in 2016 and 2017. He was assistant at the Avalanche du Colorado (2002-04), Phoenix Coyotes (2005-06), Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-09) and Pittsbur (2015-17).
Internationally, Tocchet was Deputy Coach of Team Canada during the confrontation of the four nations in 2025 where he helped the team win the tournament. As a player, he helped Canada win the Canada Cup tournament in 1988 and 1992.
Before becoming a coach, Tocchet played games of 18 seasons and more than 1,100 games as a key in the NHL with nearly 11 of these seasons with the Philadelphia flyers on two distinct stays (1984-92 and 1999-02). He is one of the 19 players to be captain of the Flyers, appointed to the post of the 1991-1992 season, and on November 16, 2021, he was inducted into the temple of renown of the flyers.
Tocchet holds the record of all time of the flyers in minutes of penalty with 1,815 and ranks in T-12th in goals (232), 16th in points (508) and 18th in assists (276) and in the regular season played (621). He was named a NHL star three times.
Overall, he patinated in 1,144 NHL regular seasonal games and recorded 440 goals, 512 assists and 952 points for Les Flyers (1984-92 and 1999-02), Penguins (1991-92 to 1993-94), Los Angeles Kings (1994-95 to 1995-96), Boston Bruins (1995-96 1996-97), Boston Bruins (1995-96 for 1996-97), Boston Bruins (1995-96 to 1996-97), Boston Bruins (1995-96 to 1996-97), Boston Bruins (1995-96 to 1996-97), Washington Capital (1996-97) and Phoenix Coyotes (1997-98 1999-2000).
