Canucks: 6 Coaching Candidates to Replace Rick Tocchet

He remained with the Condors until the 2021-22 season, when he earned his first head coaching position in the NHL with the Oilers. Through 133 games behind the bench, he had an impressive 79-41-13 record before he was relieved of his duties and replaced by Kris Knoblauch. He served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the World Championship last season, but hasn’t had an NHL job since leaving the Oilers.

His success with the Oilers was overshadowed by the slow start to the 2023-24 season, when he opened the regular season with a 3-9-1 record. That same team ended up going to the Stanley Cup Final, but the team needed a new voice. At some point, a team will give him another chance, and the Canucks should be all over him.

Marc Savard

The second option could be Marc Savard, a former NHL player who has built a solid resume since becoming a coach. He was the assistant coach of the St. Louis Blues in the 2019-20 season to start his coaching career, and joined the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as their head coach in the 2021-22 season, where he remained for two seasons.

He has since been an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames in the 2023-24 season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he remains now as they try to make it into the second round of the playoffs. If he is looking for a head coaching gig, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear Savard get a call from a few teams, even the Canucks.

Manny Malhotra

Manny Malhotra is going to be the favourite option for many fans. He is a former player and has built an impressive coaching resume since retiring. He has spent time as an assistant coach for the Canucks previously, as well as the Maple Leafs, but is the head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL this season. Malhotra and the Canucks have made it into the second round of the AHL playoffs, and his success has led many fans to believe he has a real shot at making the jump to the NHL.

It helps that the Canucks have mentioned Malhotra will be on their shortlist as they interview several different candidates.

Drew Bannister

Drew Bannister has an impressive coaching resume, but was unfortunately fired and replaced after a short tenure with the St. Louis Blues this season, after Jim Montgomery became available, and he has helped lead them to the postseason. Bannister has had several head coaching gigs outside of the NHL, including with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL, the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, and the Blues’ minor-league affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Bannister was fired after just 22 games this season, where the Blues had a 9-12-1 record, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he was given another opportunity somewhere else next season.

Glen Gulutzan

Oilers’ assistant coach Glen Gulutzan could earn another opportunity somewhere in the NHL this season if he’s interested in it. He was the head coach of the Calgary Flames for two seasons, the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns, where he had an 82-68-14 record. He has been an assistant coach with the Oilers since the 2018-19 season, and has been a huge part of their staff and success as they try to push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990.

In the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, Gulutzan was also the head coach of the Dallas Stars, so his resume is impressive and his experience could be enticing for the Canucks. He has been coaching for almost 25 years, and the Canucks bringing in someone with his expertise could help them make a push for the playoffs as soon as next season.

Claude Julien

The sixth candidate is Claude Julien, who has an impressive resume as a head coach in the NHL. He was named head coach of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2002-03 season, where he stayed until he joined the New Jersey Devils as their bench boss in the 2006-07 season. He joined the Boston Bruins in the 2007-08 season, where he remained until the 2016-17 season, when he returned to the Montreal Canadiens until the 2020-21 season.

He currently sits as an assistant coach of the Blues, previously serving as a scout for them before going back behind the bench. In his 1274 games as a head coach, he has posted an impressive 667-445-162 record. If the Canucks are looking for experience, he would be a prime candidate.

There are more options out there, but these six make a lot of sense for the Canucks. Time will tell who they end up bringing in to replace Tocchet, but anybody they bring in will have to have the same goal: make it back to the postseason as soon as possible.

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