Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet added to his storied NHL legacy after the Flyers’ 5-3 win versus the New Jersey Devils, tallying his 300th career win as a head coach.
In the same game where Owen Tippett scored his 100th NHL goal, the 2023-24 Jack Adams award winner hit the triple century mark, while the Flyers improved to a 14-7-3 record on the season.
The 18 year NHL veteran began his coaching career in Tampa Bay in 2008, before an eight year layoff that was then followed by stops in Arizona and Vancouver. Tocchet has coached over 660 NHL games, and amassed a .521% win percentage in his time as a bench boss. After joining the Flyers this past season, Tocchet has brought more communication and stability to a locker room that seemed in turmoil at times under John Tortorella, and his early returns have been very positive.
Tocchet joins a list of 58 other NHL head coaches who have reached the 300 win mark, including other Flyers coaching alumni such as Craig Berube, Ken Hitchcock, Fred Shero, Roger Neilson, and the aforementioned Tortorella, amongst others.
Tocchet’s next victory will bring him level with former Oilers coach Craig MacTavish in a tie for 57th, and his 310th win will allow him to pass Rick Bowness, and elevate Tocchet to 56th. Tocchet is one of only 12 active NHL coaches to have amassed over 300 victories.
Tocchet’s Flyers have thus far proven to be a hard out most nights, despite still lacking the elite top line center that is so crucial to ultimate success in today’s NHL. They remain top 10 in the league in goals against per game, partially due to the resurgent play of Dan Vladar, yes, but partially due to a style of play, brought by Tocchet, that has turned the Flyers into a team with much more defensive consistency.
If the Flyers’ win percentage was to hold where it currently is, it would be Tocchet’s best team since the 2023-24 Canucks, the year he won the Jack Adams. Safe to say that if this team was to make a playoff spot like Vancouver did that year, he will be in the running for that same award this season.
It hasn’t all been perfect, but another coaching milestone is just the cherry on top of what has been a near ideal start for Tocchet back in his old stomping ground.