VANCOUVER — For a long time, the Vancouver Canucks franchise has seen its reputation and attractiveness in the National Hockey League somewhat diminished by the absence of its own practice facility. It would be truly regrettable, even embarrassing, if this same issue ended up costing them a highly successful head coach.
Elliotte Friedman, an insider for Sportsnet, mentioned on his `32 Thoughts` podcast that the lack of a dedicated practice rink is indeed a worry for Rick Tocchet. Tocchet recently met with the Canucks` management, and this report sheds some light on why a new contract for the head coach might be delayed.
The Canucks organization is one of only two teams in the entire NHL that doesn`t possess its own training complex. The other team, the Calgary Flames, are actively resolving this by incorporating a practice rink into their plans for a new downtown arena, which is scheduled for completion before the 2027-28 season.
Vancouver has been operating without a dedicated practice facility since their arrangement with the Eight Rinks complex in Burnaby concluded back in 2010. Although the team has significantly expanded and upgraded its training facilities located within Rogers Arena, they still have to lease ice time, typically at the University of British Columbia, whenever their primary rink is unavailable due to other scheduled events.
Furthermore, as Tocchet explained to Sportsnet a couple of summers ago, not having a practice facility equipped with full medical and training support attached is particularly problematic during the off-season. This situation hinders players from spending their summers in Vancouver and training together collectively in preparation for training camp in September.
Tocchet remarked, “I can`t be upset that players weren`t here in mid-August because they likely had a suitable facility or setup wherever they were. As an organization, we are actively addressing this. Our goal is for players to remain here and train under our direct supervision, under our own roof. The top teams operate this way.”
He added, “There are many things we currently lack, so I can`t truly fault the players for this.”
Yet, almost two years later – and three years after the President of Hockey Operations, Jim Rutherford, informed reporters that the Canucks were “very close to finalizing a site decision” for a practice facility – it appears that little tangible progress has been made.
Rutherford, clearly showing his frustration at a recent year-end press conference, gave assurances that a facility would eventually be constructed.
“I guarantee you this will get done,” Rutherford told reporters last Monday, perhaps with a touch of dark humor, “maybe long after I`m not here anymore, maybe even long after I`m gone from this earth – but… it will eventually be completed.” He elaborated, “We`ve made considerable efforts to forge partnerships with various local rinks. We explored three or four different potential facilities, and for various reasons, none of them worked out.”
He continued, “I understand you might not fully believe me – you don`t trust what I say, and I don`t blame you for that – but I am simply sharing what I know. We have more individuals dedicated to this task now, and it seems probable that constructing a brand new facility will be required to accomplish this. We have identified a couple of potential land parcels, and that`s what we are focusing on working on at the moment, but it will undoubtedly take a significant amount of time. And we are all disappointed by this delay.”
This practice facility situation represents a genuine challenge for the Canucks organization and, clearly, for Tocchet himself as he contemplates his future. He is weighing whether to continue with the team after 2.5 seasons in Vancouver, where he achieved a .608 winning percentage and earned a Jack Adams Trophy, or to explore opportunities with one of the seven other NHL teams currently searching for a new head coach.
Tocchet`s sense of frustration is understandable, particularly if he was given assurances back in January 2023 when he accepted the Canucks job (having reportedly declined several other coaching offers during his year and a half working in the TNT television studio) that a practice facility for him and the players was forthcoming.
However, when considering the expected timeline for constructing a 20,000-square-foot training complex complete with at least one sheet of ice, it`s difficult to envision the practice facility issue being the *sole* deciding factor in Tocchet`s ultimate choice.
Tocchet is 61 years old. His primary focus is on having a legitimate chance to win, and he certainly deserves to be compensated fairly for his work.
Ultimately, the Vancouver Canucks organization might still be the team that offers him the most favorable opportunity to achieve both of these important goals.
The Pittsburgh Penguins recently became the seventh team with a head coaching vacancy, having mutually agreed to part ways with their long-tenured head coach, Mike Sullivan, over the weekend. Sullivan had previously won two Stanley Cups alongside Jim Rutherford in Pittsburgh and also served as an assistant coach in Vancouver under John Tortorella for one season.
However, the Penguins, much like the Boston Bruins, are currently facing the potentially challenging prospect of significant rebuilds or major roster adjustments that could require several years to complete. The Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks are in states of significant disarray. The Anaheim Ducks, while having undergone a rebuild with promising young players, have not yet developed a consistent winning culture. The New York Rangers underperformed this past season, similarly to the Canucks, but without encountering the same level of adversity that Vancouver faced. The Seattle Kraken`s performance was also below what was expected of them.
