Rick Tocchet for Sabres Head Coaching Vacancy? (UPDATE: Nope)

[Yultron]

Sabres and Jets fan coming in peace, and congratulations on winning the Stanley Cup for the 2nd Year in a row and well deserving!!

I have a question for you Pens fans about the man who runs the forwards and the Powerplay, that of course is Rick Tocchet.

There has been alot of speculation going on about Tocchet being a front runner for the Sabres head coaching vacancy even before Jason Botterill was hired as our new GM. I am very excited about Botterill as he did phenomenal for your organization and I'm hopeful he can bring that same success to the Sabres.

If he hires Tocchet, I am no doubt going to trust he was the best candidate for the job, as Tocchet has some competition with Phil Housley and Todd Reirden but reports are saying Tocchet and Housley are the Front Runners and have been the whole time as Botterill waited patiently until after the Stanley Cup Finals to have interviews with both coaches.

So now I have to ask the question? Would Tocchet be a great NHL Head Coach, how much of an influence and role did he have in the Pens repeating as Stanley Cup Champions, was it all Sullivan , and is he actually as good as the players make him out to be?

I have read multiple articles that he is Kessel's favorite assistant coach ever , he's a players coach, always has fun in practice, He brings fire and passion each game, he played a pivotal part in getting the best out of Stamkos when he was in Tampa, and I read another article that he would have no problem winning over the Sabres dressing room http://www.wkbw.com/sports/sabres/b...roblem-winning-over-sabres-locker-room?page=2

So Pens Fans? What are your thoughts on Rick Tocchet possibly as our next head coach? Would he be a good fit? What would he bring?

Thoughts

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[SEALBound]

I think he would be a wonderful addition to your coaching staff. I will even help him move.

 

[HandshakeLine]

He's got the best razor game in the league. Lookit dat dome... it GLEAMS.

 

[Empoleon8771]

He'd be an awful head coach, but I don't want to lose him as an assistant as long as Sullivan is running the PP.

 

[AltDess]

I thought a Buffalo media member reported that Pegula's jet was flying from Boca Raton (Pegula's home) to Nashville then to Buffalo? So wouldn't that signal Housley as the choice?

 

[Ugene Magic]

I don't know. He failed once already, and he is doing good as an assistant.

 

[Jacob]

I'd be concerned about Botterill's fitness as a head GM if that's the route he ends up going. I think Tocchet's an OK assistant, and not even the best assistant on the team.

 

[Hockeygod66]

I have no idea what he does since Sullivan I believe is also coaching the PP.

 

[Yultron]

He'd be an awful head coach, but I don't want to lose him as an assistant as long as Sullivan is running the PP.

Did you see the roster he was given ?? Outside of Stamkos, Vinny Lecavalier, Vinny Prospal, St Louis and Recchi and Gary Roberts who were both in their 40s and best days were behind them and at the end of their careers what did he have to work with??? Nothing, Even coaches as good as Babcock, Quenville , and Sullivan wouldn't of done much better with a roster like that

 

[Yultron]

I thought a Buffalo media member reported that Pegula's jet was flying from Boca Raton (Pegula's home) to Nashville then to Buffalo? So wouldn't that signal Housley as the choice?

https://sports.yahoo.com/phil-housley-buffalo-sabres-next-coach-155738603.html

We’re saying Housley. Even though odds are it’s Tocchet.

 

[Yultron]

I think this is just an opinion but I believe it will be and I hope its Housley, but I wouldn't be too upset if it was Tocchet. As long as its not Bylsma cause we all know how that went for our teams minus the first year he won the Stanley Cup

 

[Jacob]

I wouldn't be too thrilled with Housley either. Almost zero head coaching experience and he doesn't seem to have the personality of a head coach, either. He strikes me as being like Adam Oates.. really smart guy, just not head coaching material.

 

[BHD]

He's got the best razor game in the league. Lookit dat dome... it GLEAMS.

Even as a person who chose to go bald, this comment made me laugh more than it should have.

 

[JTG]

I think he'd be a **** head coach, but that's just me.

 

[Malkinstheman]

With the success theyve had, hes bound to get atleast an interview for every vacant HC spot. Martin I dont think so since he has stated he doesnt want to be a HC again.

 

[Penske]

Is there much out there for coaches? He might like Tocchet because he's at least familiar with him and he's coming from a pretty successful team. Would have learnt from Sully too.

 

[vodeni]

how would any of us know what kind of coach Tochett would be. I never bought notion that he was coaching PP, I think I like his demeanor, he seems like player's coach, but I think that would be a crapshoot

Ask Boston or Rangers fans, they hated sully as a head coach or assistant, so you really never know.

One thing I can guarantee you: You already had the second worst coach in NHL (after Mike Johnston) so you can only go up at this point

 

[canadianguy77]

Seems like his role as the "Phil whisperer" has already stopped paying dividends. I wouldn't mind a legit PP coach taking his spot..

 

[billybudd]

Does Tocchet still handle the forwards and PP? He did under MJ, but I thought Sullivan was doing that now.

In any event, I'd be surprised if anyone can give you a good answer on the question of what Tocchet actually does. Sort of seems like the type of assistant who just repeats verbatim whatever the head coach says.

 

[clefty]

Tocchet does forwards and five on five pre-scouting.

 

[HawkNut]

I don't know. He failed once already, and he is doing good as an assistant.

How would that be different than in the NFL when a failed head coach redeems himself as a coordinator and gets another chance with a team?

 

[Fordy]

i assume sullivan seems him as valuable in some way. he should not be anyone's head coach and i don't really think he wants to leave based on his twitter

 

[Jacob]

My top picks if I were Botterill would be Paul MacLean & Marc Crawford, probably in that order. Why take a chance on a guy that's either never been a head coach before or someone that has and didn't do all that well when you don't have to.

Seems like his role as the "Phil whisperer" has already stopped paying dividends. I wouldn't mind a legit PP coach taking his spot..

I wouldn't mind hiring Mullen as the designated PP coach. It's such a critical component that I think it's worth having its own coach, that is if you can find a really good one.

Statistically our PP is seemingly fine, but it rarely passes the eye test and far too many goals are scored on broken plays, rushes (after shorthanded chances) or great individual efforts. With our talent we should have a powerplay that is not only tops in the league, but has precision, a purpose, and rarely gives up short handed chances. A *consistently* dangerous powerplay is also the best defense against cheap shots.

 

[cygnus47]

Botterill would know better than us, but there hasn't been anything in the media about him being trusted in particular or standing out as an assistant. The only mentions have been old-school guys blathering on about respect and toughness and the Kessel crap.

My guess is he's probably a better assistant than head coach but that's not based on any real data.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I think Rick interviewing is more of a courtesy thing.

Bottlecap has been through the worst and the best here in PIT. He's gonna select a guy as close to Sully as you can when it comes to 1) being brutality honest with players without losing them 2) the importance of development not only for guys in the farm system but young stars/guys on the roster already.

I think he'd hire Martin before he hired Rick.

But i think he goes in another direction with a non-PIT guy who has a pedigree in development.