Tocchet stepped in for Bruce Boudreau midway through Vancouver's 2022-23 season. He led the Canucks to 50 wins in 2024 but saw his team miss the playoffs this spring. Rutherford said last Monday the Canucks had wanted Tocchet to sign a longer contract because "we don't feel it's right to have somebody here that may have his mind somewhere else."

Rick Tocchet will not return as coach of the Vancouver Canucks. No replacement was named. The Canucks were 38-30-14 this season, finishing six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

The 61-year-old Tocchet, who won the Jack Adams Award last year, played parts of 11 seasons for the Flyers and is friends with Keith Jones. He is expected to be a top contender for the Flyers' job.