Elliotte Friedman speculates major disagreement between Boston Bruins and HC candidate Rick Tocchet

NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman believes there could be a major disagreement brewing between the Boston Bruins and head coach candidate Rick Tocchet over salary demands.

Tocchet is one of the most sought after coaching free agents this offseason after mutually parting ways with the Vancouver Canucks. He spent the last three seasons with the team, leading them to a 108-65-27 record.

According to Friedman, Tocchet turned down an offer from Vancouver worth around $4 million per year. Meanwhile, the Bruins' offer to former coach Jim Montgomery was believed to be significantly lower. Friedman speculates that Boston may not be willing to meet Tocchet's asking price.

"He's definitely talked to Boston, and he's in the mix there," Friedman said. "The one thing is, though, the offer he turned down in Vancouver was around 4 million plus." (Speaking on NHL NOW)

"Boston generally doesn't like their offer to Jim Montgomery wasn't that high. So my curiosity is, if Boston is going to pay to him what he feels his market value is."

Rick Tocchet was named the NHL’s top coach winning the Jack Adams Award for the 2023-24 season after guiding the Canucks to a 50-23-9 record and a Pacific Division title. However, Vancouver fell short of the playoffs this year, finishing six points out with a 38-30-14 mark.

Before his time in Vancouver, Tocchet was behind the bench for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Arizona Coyotes.

Elliotte Friedman predicts Rick Tocchet's next coaching destination

Elliotte Friedman pointed to the Philadelphia Flyers as a strong candidate for Rick Tocchet’s next job, noting his deep ties with the team’s leadership.

"I do think Rick Tocchet, if he wants a job, he's going to get one," Friedman said. "I said, 'If he wasn't in Vancouver, it was going to be Philadelphia.' And the guy said to me, 'Never back down on your instincts until it can't happen.'"

Friedman stated that unless the Philadelphia job is already filled, the possibility of Tocchet joining the Flyers organization remains open.

He also mentioned that Seattle has shown interest in Tocchet, but the information he has received has been mixed, with some suggesting Tocchet has already turned down the opportunity.

Overall, Friedman's prediction suggests that Tocchet's next coaching destination could very well be Philadelphia, given his existing connections and the team's apparent interest in his services.