3 reasons why Flyers might have made a mistake signing Rick Tocchet as their new HC

The Philadelphia Flyers announced the hiring of Rick Tocchet as their new head coach on Wednesday, NHL.com confirmed.

News of Tocchet’s hiring ended weeks of speculation following Tocchet stepping down from his former role as the Vancouver Canucks’ bench boss. While Tocchet’s hiring has been met with justifiable hoopla and hype, there is reason to believe the Flyers might have made a mistake in naming Tocchet as their new coach.

So, let’s explore three reasons the Philadelphia Flyers may have made a mistake in hiring Rick Tocchet as their new head coach.

3 reasons why Philadelphia Flyers may have made a mistake in hiring Rick Tocchet

#3 He’s an “old-school” coach much like John Tortorella

John Tortorella's old-school style didn't sit well in Philly - Source: Imagn

One of the biggest criticisms of Tocchet’s predecessor, John Tortorella, was his old-school approach to the game. Tortorella’s hard-hitting, defense-first style didn’t mesh well with the current crop of Flyers’ players leading to discontent among players.

Like Tortorella, Rick Tocchet brings a hard-nosed throwback style of play. As such, there is reason to doubt that a coach with a similar philosophy as Tortorella could make any significant headway next season.

While Tocchet’s voice could spark a turnaround, there is no telling if Tocchet’s influence will be enough to get the Flyers back into playoff contention.

#2 Tocchet’s questionable relationships with players

Tocchet's relationships with players was the subject of scrutiny in Vancouver - Source: Imagn

This season, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller starred in one of the NHL’s most talked-about soap operas. The drama culminated with Miller being traded to the New York Rangers at the deadline.

Throughout the ordeal, Tocchet didn’t seem too keen on diffusing the situation. Tocchet appeared more detached, often providing vague answers to questions, failing to deflect attention from the locker room drama and keeping the focus on the game.

In Philly, Tocchet will need to ensure that team chemistry remains positive. The Flyers can ill afford to let team chemistry go south at this point in the club’s development.

#1 He hasn’t won anything yet

Tocchet will be hard-pressed to turn things around quickly in Philly - Source: Imagn

Yes, Rick Tocchet had plenty of success as a player. He's also won Cups as an assistant. But as a bench boss, he’s yet to win anything meaningful. In his tenure as a head coach, he’s only made the playoffs twice in nine seasons.

With the Canucks last season, Tocchet managed to get the team into the second round. Unfortunately, the Canucks regressed significantly this season, failing to make the postseason.

That lack of success could become a cloud hanging over his head until he finally breaks through and makes a deep playoff run. If that’s the case, Tocchet will be able to shake off any doubters regarding his coaching legacy.

In the meantime, questions will abound regarding Tocchet’s ability to get the most out of his teams. The Flyers hope that Tocchet is the answer to the team’s ongoing futility.