"Fired a Tortorella just to hire another": NHL fans react as ex-Canucks coach Rick Tocchet returns to Flyers as new HC

The Philadelphia Flyers are hiring Rick Tocchet to be their next head coach, NHL.com reports. Tocchet will take over from interim coach Brad Shaw who replaced John Tortorella in late March.

Tocchet stepped down from his role with the Vancouver Canucks, after going 108-65-27 in his three seasons out west.

The news of Tocchet’s return to Philadelphia has been met with mixed fan reactions. While some fans feel Rick Tocchet’s hiring could spark a turnaround, others don’t seem too convinced.

Here’s a look at what these fans had to say:

“Fired a Tortorella just to hire another Tortorella,” a fan opined.

“Please spare Pelletier,” this fan chimed in.

“Buddy never made it past the second round with a god squad. Imagine with the flyers,” another fan weighed in.

Meanwhile, other fans took advantage of the opportunity to express their enthusiasm at news of Rick Tocchet’s return.

Here’s what these fans had to say:

“Welcome back, coach!!!” a fan posted on X

“Tocchetship 🚀” this fan commented.

“Glad to finally bring in a proven winner, who always gets the most out of his teams and power play,” another fan wrote.

Tocchet will be tasked with bringing the Flyers back to relevance as the team emerges from its ongoing rebuild.

Philadelphia Flyers welcome Rick Tocchet back to the organization

Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award with the Vancouver Canucks - Source: Imagn

The Philadelphia Flyers welcome back Tocchet to the organization after making his hiring official.

Flyer’s GM Daniel Briere stated per NHL.com:

"I am very happy to welcome Rick Tocchet as our head coach. During this process it became clear that Rick was the absolute right coach to lead our team. He has enjoyed the highest level of success both as a player and coach.”

Tocchet has spent considerable time within the Flyers organization as a player, as he was the club’s sixth-round pick in 1983. He played for the team from 1984 to 1992. He then transitioned to coaching, having led the Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes, and Vancouver Canucks.

Last season, Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award.

As such, Briere lauded Rick Tocchet’s coaching acumen, declaring:

“Rick's ability to teach and understand his players, combined with his passion for winning, brings out the best in young players at different stages of their development and has earned the respect and confidence of highly talented All-Stars and veteran players alike."

The Flyers hope that under Tocchet’s tutelage, the Flyers will take the next step back into the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. While this year was a disappointing one for the Flyers, the team has the right pieces in place to make a strong run in the years to come.