Rick Tocchet reactions: Some Flyers fans ‘hate the idea’ of an ex-player as coach; others call it a no-brainer
The Flyers Hall of Famer was officially named the team’s next head coach on Wednesday afternoon.
After missing the playoffs for five consecutive seasons, the Flyers were ready for a change on the bench.
That change came Wednesday, as the team announced it has hired former Flyers star Rich Tocchet to replace John Tortorella as head coach.
After playing 11 years in Philadelphia, Tocchet began his coaching career with stints in Colorado, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Arizona, and Vancouver — the latter three as the head coach. In his first full season in charge of the Canucks, he led the team to the playoffs and won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach. But a year later, the Canucks announced Tocchet would not be back with the team.
» READ MORE: Six things to know about Rick Tocchet, the Flyers' next head coach
After the news broke that the former Flyers star would be returning to Philly, fans were quick to react on social media with strong opinions. Some didn’t sound too happy about the decision, including WIP-FM sports radio host Hunter Brody.
“It’s very blah to me,” Brody said on the station. “It feels like a retread NHL head coach. I was hoping for something that moves the needle a little more, something that’s a little bit more intriguing — maybe a bigger swing, more creative. I bet you he’s here for four years, gets fired, they bring in a new coach. Just a typical NHL hire. I wish Danny Brière and Keith Jones were savvier than that.
“And if you’re looking at the actual numbers, he missed the playoffs seven of nine years as a head coach. That means he made it twice. In those two playoff runs: first-round loss, second-round loss. He may be fine. But he’s your basic, vanilla NHL head coach.”
More fans chimed in on social media, disagreeing with the hire.
Others showed their disappointment through GIFs.
But some Philly fans are looking forward to Tocchet’s return. During his tenure with the Flyers, Tocchet was loved by many for his toughness — holding the record for most penalty minutes in Flyers history with 1,815.
Tocchet’s return is also a reunion with Brière and Jones. He played three seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes when he was teammates with Brière, the Flyers’ general manager. And during his time with the Flyers, Tocchet was also teammates with Jones, the team’s president of hockey operations.