Rick Tocchet steps away as Vancouver Canucks head coach after turbulent season

Rick Tocchet will not return as the Vancouver Canucks head coach next season. 

The NHL team announced the news on Tuesday, saying Tocchet has chosen to step away after discussions with the team and management.

"I'm choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks," Tocchet said in a statement released by the team.

"Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes the opportune time. While I don't know where I'm headed or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities in and around hockey."

Tocchet had a 108-65-27 record after taking over the Vancouver bench on Jan. 22, 2023, and his contract gave the Canucks the option of keeping him for next season. 

Vancouver's president of hockey operations, Jim Rutherford, said earlier this month that the team would not exercise that option, but wanted to keep Tocchet behind the bench and would continue negotiations.

"This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick's decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career," Rutherford said Tuesday.

"We did everything in our power to keep him, but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change. He is a good friend, a good coach, and we can't thank him enough for all he did for our organization. Toc is a stand-up guy, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward."

Tocchet guided the Canucks to their first playoff appearance in four seasons last year before Vancouver was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in a gritty seven-game series in the second round. 

The 61-year-old former NHL winger won the Jack Adams award as the league's top coach last season and was named an assistant coach for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off