Flyers Introduce Rick Tocchet as Their 25th Head Coach in Franchise History

The Philadelphia Flyers officially introduced Rick Tocchet as the 25th head coach in franchise history Friday morning at the Wells Fargo Center (soon to be Xfinity Mobile Arena). Flyers’ general manager Danny Briere, President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones, and CEO of Comcast Spectacor Dan Hilferty all gathered to welcome the team’s new bench boss.

Before doing a meet and greet with the Flyers fans, about 400 season ticket holders, to be exact, Briere and Tocchet addressed the media to talk about the move to hire the new bench boss.

The new head coach showed lots of character during his introductory press conference, including his passion for the Flyers organization, his eagerness to coach and teach this team, and even some laughs. Tocchet made it a point to allow the fans in attendance to boo any mention of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Both Briere and Tocchet addressed how each side checked boxes for what both parties were looking for, and how Philadelphia became a match.

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Plan Does Not Change

Flyers GM Danny Briere got ahead of things during the press conference. During his opening statement, Briere said that hiring Tocchet does not change the plan. Instead, the Flyers organization sees Tocchet as the long-term solution. Briere mentioned that Tocchet has coached younger teams, like the Flyers, in the past. He wanted to clarify that just because they got their big-time coach, it does not change the team’s outlook for this offseason.

So, what does that mean?

Well, I’d begin by saying don’t expect the Flyers to be paying top dollar for any veteran free agents or even on the trade market this offseason. Instead, I’d expect the Flyers to remain in the hunt for players who fit their timeline (Bowen Byram, perhaps?).

Tocchet also showed a willingness to stick to Briere’s plan. He seems to believe in what their current front office envisions for this organization and wants to be involved, even if it means not competing for a Stanley Cup right away.

Read More: Should the Flyers Take A Risk on Bowen Byram?

So, Why Philadelphia?

“Stability, box checked. Relationships, box checked. The area, box checked. The fan base, box checked.” Those are all reasons why Rick Tocchet felt that Philadelphia is the right place for him, even despite the current position of the franchise.

Relationships are just one of many reasons why Tocchet envisions a bright future in Philadelphia. He sees the potential in this team and the organization, and believes that he has one of the best jobs in hockey.

“I’m a big relationship guy. I know just from the past, being here, working with good people, makes you successful. So for me, those are the attractive things. Obviously, the roster, the team, the potential, the prospect pool, you know, the cap space that’s coming here. There’s a lot of positives to this job. It’s an attractive job. I think it’s one of the best jobs in hockey, and I’m very fortunate to get it.”

In a post-press conference scrum, Tocchet talked about the tools that he now has in Philadelphia. During his press conference, he talked about the current management group and the practice facility. While he did not talk about which tools specifically, he believes he has what he needs to move things along in Philly.

“There are a lot of tools for me to work with here. Now, where we are in the rebuild? It’s hard for me to answer. I know there’s a ways to go. I just feel like there are some tools here to help accelerate the program,” Tocchet said.

Some Familiarty With the Flyers

While he has not coached any current Flyers at the NHL level, Rick Tocchet has coached two prominent Flyers during international competition.

Tocchet was an assistant coach for Canada during the Four Nations Faceoff, meaning he has coached both Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim, which gives him some familiarity.

He recalled the selection process for the Four Nations roster and remembered deliberating the decision to bring Sanheim aboard. Getting further, he reflected on the chance to watch him play from the ice level, and seeing him skate with the best defensemen in the league, and playing well.

“It’s a big plus to get a frontline defenseman like that on your team,” said Tocchet. Sanheim was a workhorse for Team Canada, even after missing the first game as a healthy scratch.

Travis Konecny, on the other hand, did not get an opportunity to stand out with his play, but he still made a lasting impression on his new coach.

“TK, I thought he was terrific for just getting to know him, just as an assistant coach at the time, his work ethic, the way he was in the room with all these guys. I really was impressed with his leadership.” Konecny shared a locker room with some of the biggest names and leaders of the sport, so for his leadership to stand out to Tocchet, it says a lot about how he views Konecny.

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Making the Flyers a Destination

One of the big things that set Tocchet apart from other candidates in the eyes of the Flyers is his ability to attract free agents.

“There is no doubt that Rick is going to make us more enticing for players to come here,” Briere said. “There’s already agents calling us, letting us know (that there is interest). That’s kudos to him (Tocchet) for the relationships he has built, and the reputation he has built over the years.”

For the first time in a little while, the Flyers will have some money to spend this season, with just around $26 million in cap space. Their wallet can open up even more the following year. Creating an environment that players want to join is crucial, and Briere believes that Tocchet will create such an environment.

Can Michkov be the Next Great Tocchet Has Coached?

The list of all-time greats that Tocchet has coached, as a head coach and assistant, is quite impressive. Names like Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Quinn Hughes jump out, but there many more.

Matvei Michkov looks to be the next great addition to the list.

Tocchet said he is well aware of the path the Flyers’ phenom is on. He said he will rely on the current staff to help him understand Michkov as a player so he can help him become the best player possible.

“He’s got a high-level brain. Hopefully, I can learn from him and help him. All those guys you mentioned are hard workers. They work at their game in great shape, shoot a million pucks, and always find a look outside the box. Those are the sort of things I can help Mich understand. From talking to Jonesy and Danny, he wants to be the best. That’s a good head start right there, that I get a guy that wants to be the best. He’s willing to do whatever it’s going to take. So, you know, I’m very privileged to be able to coach a guy that high-level guy.”

It seems as if Tocchet is going to let Michkov do his thing, and play to his own strengths, as long as Michkov continues to show his hunger to be great.

Takeaways from the Press Conference

I won’t lie, I was hoping the next head coach would be a fresh mind, and possibly even a brand new NHL coach. No matter what, I thought the best move was to give Tocchet a year or two before any harsh judgement was casted.

However, after listening to him speak on Friday, that all changed. I now see what the Philadelphia Flyers saw in Tocchet during the hiring process.

First and foremost, he clearly wants to be in Philadelphia. His willingness to be here, even through the rebuild, shows that he is committed to the team, sees the vision, and wants to be a part of the turnaround.

Yes, he is a former Flyer, but no, that’s not why they hired Tocchet. He seems eager to learn from the new opportunity, while also sharing what he has learned through his journey.

One thing that stood out in particular to me is that Tocchet said he does not just want to coach the players, but he wants to “partner up with them”. To me, that is a sign of respect, and is how you build an environment that people want to be in. He said that he knows his job is to hold players accountable and that he will, but he wants to partner with them and build trust with his players.

Even if the rebuilding continues for one more year, Tocchet wants to turn this thing around by doing it right. Things are headed in the right direction.

Oh yeah, and the IBX logo is now white, so that’s a huge plus, too.

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