The Vancouver Canucks are in offseason mode. The NHL offseason is relatively short, and Canucks Coach (and Jack Adams Award winner) Rick Tocchet expects to be very busy during this time.
Tocchet described the 20-30 minute exit meetings before players pack up and leave Rogers Arena for the final time this season as being just the start for the Canucks this offseason. He plans to be in frequent contact with players and to travel and visit them for in-person meetings.
Rick Tocchet says the 20-30 minute exit meetings aren't "that's it." He says he'll be in touch with players and will even fly out to see some of them over the next few months. Talks about the importance of keeping in touch and expects they'll do it even more this summer. #Canucks
— Kate Pettersen (@CanucksReporter) May 23, 2024
Tocchet took a relatively inexperienced Canucks 2023-2024 team on a playoff run that no one expected. They advanced to the second round against Edmonton on what some would call "house money" given the injuries and setbacks endured during the season and in the playoffs.
The Canucks will come back stronger
The business end of hockey will be the headlines in the coming weeks, roster changes, contract extensions, etc. However, Tocchet knows that he has the building blocks of a great team already in-house and managed correctly, the Canucks can and will come back stronger.
Arturs Silovs emerged as a star in the playoffs while Quinn Hughes complimented Tocchet for eliminating the "stink" in the organization when he first arrived in January 2023. That stink could comprise many things, losing is one of them.
“They put respect back in this city and this jersey, let's face it. Fans got something to be proud about, and it's all because of the players.” - Rick Tocchet, on the effort he's seen from the Canucks since joining the team. pic.twitter.com/lBKObtFpGy
— JayOnSC (@JayOnSC) May 21, 2024
The Canucks ended the season looking tired and outmatched by the Edmonton Oilers. That experience will be enough to motivate the players and feed Tocchut's desire to continue to give the fans of Vancouver what they deserve, a team to be proud of.
Not only does Tocchut have big ambitions for 2024-2025, but he is also aware that this is the final year of his contract. It will be interesting to see if one of the business decisions in the coming weeks involves extending Tocchut's contract with the team he is helping to put back on the hockey map in the NHL and in Canada.