With the 2026 Winter Olympics gradually fading into the rearview, discussion will soon begin on the next tourney in 2030. While it may seem too ridiculously soon to talk about the next Olympics, fans and pundits will likely bring up the topic sooner or later. That said, one major question will be who could lead the next iteration of Team Canada at the 2030 Games. Jon Cooper would likely be the frontrunner for that role in four years. However, Cooper is a veteran coach and might not be around in 2030. At least, Cooper might not be the no-brainer choice for the job.
In fact, if there’s anyone who could take over that role, it’s Rick Tocchet. Tocchet was an assistant coach to Cooper in Milano-Cortina. He was one of a highly experienced crop of assistants along with Bruce Cassidy and Peter DeBoer. But you would have to think that Tocchet could be the best choice to take over from Cooper.
Tocchet has had success at the NHL level. He’s won championships as an assistant in Pittsburgh, and has shown he can carry his weight as a head coach. His strong showings in Philadelphia and Vancouver could give him a leg up on other potential candidates.
But there’s something crucial to keep in mind. The loss to the United States in last Sunday’s gold-medal game will likely lead Team Canada to reassess its strategy at some point down the line. That’s why a move away from Cooper might be the best course of action in developing a renewed identity for the Canadian squad. As such, going with a new voice could be the best path forward for Team Canada.
That new voice could be Tocchet. Although, Tocchet really wouldn’t be that new. He’s a known commodity, and, most importantly, he’s well respected.
Tocchet could be the answer to Team USA
Team USA won gold in Milano-Cortina due to its balanced approach. The American side rolled out four consistent lines to go with a solid defensive core. Of course, the biggest difference between Canada and the United States was the lights-out goaltending by Connor Hellebuyck.
That said, Tocchet could be the answer to Mike Sullivan and Team USA. Tocchet espouses a physical, defensively responsible approach based on a balanced attack. That could mean moving away from a top-heavy approach that Cooper utilized whenever Canada needed to rally. In the gold-medal game, that top-heavy plan failed to materialize. That’s something that Tocchet could very well move away from. The US proved that four balanced lines precluded the need to load up on a single nuclear option.
All told, Tocchet would make a fine coach for Team Canada in 2030. Flyers fans shouldn’t be surprised to hear his name pop up in rumors as the next Olympics approach in four years.