60 Comments

Happy for Tocchet as Im guessing he will make a million more per season than the Yotes were willing to pay him. Im assuning thats where the conversation started and ended.

Rick did pretty darn well around here with the tools he was given. He won't be unemployed long.

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Going to be an interesting offseason. One domino down. Let's hope they draft well with those two early second rounders, resign Goose. Trade Kuemper to Colorado for Kaut, Compher and a pick after Grubauer gets hurt and Avs get eliminated with Dubnyk and Johannsson in net. Ship OEL to the Oilers so he can have a chance at a cup while signing RNH for five years to center the first line. Expose Keller in the expansion draft. Name Chychrun captain. Sign Garland and Bunting. Trade for Frans Nielsen from the Wings (or any other horrible one year contract attached to a good guy) for a pick. So many wishes. Can't wait for your articles this summer and your comments on some of the ridiculous stuff I propose.

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He has been dead man walking all year, tough position to be in. Haven’t been his biggest supporter but also agree he has gotten a lot out of his hand. Goalies who can’t stay healthy, one true top 4 defenseman the past couple of years and at best a bunch of middle six players.

No way ownership was paying for 2 coaches with as much as they have bled this year.

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Good for Tocc -- didn't know his low pay and hands tied for input into personnel decisions. Even as a top AC on a better team he will do better. IMO he got all the juice from the Yotes team possible. The guy is a class act. Yotes GM has big challenge ahead this off season. Any coach hired will have a tough time getting more from this roster. How the GM can upgrade the team talent will be interesting unless the owner wants to shell out money for FAs. Craig keep us updated and keep up the good work. You are the best.

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Van Ryn has long seemed like the guy who Armstrong would be angling to bring to the desert - young, familiar with the organization and players, and has a winning pedigree. I'd be quite happy with him.

Someone else mentioned Todd Nelson and I fully agree he'd be a great choice - anecdotally, I have heard extremely positive things about him from an NHL agent family friend.

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This makes me sad because I believe Tocchet is a better coach than he is given credit for by some. He took a group of players, half of whom would be marginal NHLers on any competitive team in the league, and had them in playoff discussion three out of his four years. That's amazing.

I have a feeling Seattle or Columbus may come calling. Seattle needs a coach who can bring people together quickly, and the Blue Jackets need a culture change.

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Tocchet is a good coach and I think he did as much as he could. I’m not surprised though that Armstrong wants to pick his own coach. This is one of the biggest decisions Armstrong has had to make, so it will be interesting to see where he goes with it

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I’m so thrilled with this news. So, so relieved.

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Can't wait for the new Salt River arena news. 😁

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This news is Bravo Sierra.

I am not happy but I wish Coach Tocchet all the best, along with a good ownership group, going forward.

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Thanks Craig for the update. Rick Tocchet is a very good coach, considering the circonstances in the last year. I would like to see him coaching the CBJ. I saw him discussing hockey issues with Travis Green and Rod Brind'Amour. I like how he addresses issues, honest and plain (without the hardass style of Torts).

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$10 says Tocchet takes a team to the playoffs next year and every Canadian talking head spends the year ripping the Coyotes for letting him go.

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I go back and forth on this, that 1) he was kept this season so that Merulo did not have to pay another coach for a season / partial season or 2) GMBA was truly evaluating him this season and the teams poor play after the trade deadline is what sunk him. No playoffs, no extra revenue, no draft choices, just a bad ending to the season.

Personally, I look forward to who is hired. I hope to see a younger coach out of the AHL or college ranks and not a NHL coaching retread. That would help keep the salary lower and bring newer ideas to the job. Then there is Mike Van Rin, current assistant coach of the Blues and former Roadrunner coach. Have not heard a thing, but he was a good AHL coach and BA knows him.

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can't say i'm surprised. this always happens when a new regime comes in: new owner wants their guy as GM, new GM wants their guy as HC, etc. and, if Rick Tocchet is as much of a competitor as the other Hockey Men™ claim he is (whatever meaning that word has, anyway, considering that lackadasicalness doesn't get you very far as an NHL coach), he probably doesn't much want to be running a team that just isn't there yet as far as playoff contention. i can't say i blame him.

that being said, i think the foundation is there for building a successful franchise. the Roadrunners may not have performed that well, per se, but the past 5 years have been fantastic as far as building a competent and solid farm system (how else would we have developed players like Michael Bunting?). it sucks that, i think, a lot of the fanbase got their hopes up, but i think the Coyotes should take it slow and steady, now that steady ownership (at least, on paper) exists for this franchise.

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Craig, you mention that Tocchet wanted more say in personnel decisions. I wasn't aware that this was an issue. Any chance you could expand on that comment?

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Van Ryn makes sense, but I am very interested to see who GMBA brings in to fill the other positions. Do you think there is a chance that they add a president of hockey operations, or back-fill the positions in Tucson? I really want GMBA to remake the organization into St. Louis West, and bring that tough style of hockey. I'm looking forward to seeing him flex his drafting skills, and hope he puts a team in place that can develop the talent in our prospect pool.

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