Rick Tocchet is the hottest head coaching candidate on the market. While the Philadelphia Flyers have reportedly had him at the top of their list, there are a host of other teams that have the same interest.
Tocchet declined the Canucks offer to return to Vancouver two weeks ago. There is a chance he could return to TNT, the place he left to take the job with the Canucks. He joined the panel to provide analysis during this past weekend's game. There is no word on whether he will stay on longer. But he is clearly still interested.
But Tocchet isn't deciding on what to do next lightly. He has interviewed with numerous teams and is making sure he finds one that is the right fit for him. Elliotte Friedman had an interesting update on the situation in his latest edition of 32 Thoughts.
“The line I heard on Tocchet is he’s not interviewing with teams, he’s interviewing teams. Basically, he’s interviewing them more than they’re interviewing him, so I’m curious to see what’s gonna end up here.”
Tocchet holds all of the leverage. He does not have to return to coaching and will be taking his time to make a decision. There is nothing wrong with that. Tocchet knows what he is worth and will make sure that if he decides on a team, they know exactly what to expect.
What should a team hiring Tocchet expect? This is only speculation, but Tocchet is likely looking for a hefty salary. The Canucks were willing to make him one of the highest paid coaches. They lured him away from TNT with a generous salary. He may want some control over roster decisions and buy-in from the organization that he can do things his way.
Doesn't that sound familiar to everyone? And how did that work out for the Flyers?
The Flyers have interviewed other candidates and may not be afraid to let Brad Shaw hold the title officially. The direction they go with their next head coach will be a large sign of how Danny Briere and Keith Jones feel about this group. Keep Shaw on? The duo wants to continue molding and developing the team they have, with a familiar voice. Bring in a college coach? They want to try a new tactic to see if the players adapt to a new and unknown voice.
If they go with a Tocchet, it's time to turn things up and begin competing for real. That's the thing, though. Are the Flyers ready for that? They were easily worse this season and didn't get any better after the trade deadline. Sure, Briere feels it is time to begin the addition phase of this rebuild. But even with a rising cap, the money isn't there to make big splashes.
Would Tocchet want to come to a group that isn't ready to be amongst the top contenders in the league? Would he be okay if the Flyers weren't willing to give him as much control as he may want? And should the Flyers be waiting for him to be ready to make the decision in the first place?
It's believed the Flyers haven't even spoken to Tocchet yet, but they could be doing so soon. They are sure to hear his thoughts, but they shouldn't wait on his timeline. It's not that he doesn't have the right to take him time. But Philadelphia shouldn't want to go down the same avenue as they did with John Tortorella.
It didn't work then, and there's a good chance it won't work now. Even if Briere and Jones believe the Flyers are ready, they need a coach who would be more understanding of the plan and how much control they hold. They cannot make the same mistake again.
Interview Tocchet and see what happens. But if he does want a sense on control similar to Tortorella? Move on.