Major Twist in Boston Bruins’ Pursuit of Rick Tocchet for Head Coach Role
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As the Boston Bruins continue their search for a new head coach for the 2025–26 season, a significant development has emerged regarding their pursuit of one of the top candidates—Rick Tocchet.
Tocchet, who recently parted ways with the Vancouver Canucks, had been heavily linked to Boston due to his impressive coaching résumé and past connections with the Bruins organization. However, according to Elliotte Friedman on his latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, there may be a major stumbling block in the way.
Friedman explained:
“The thing about Boston is that Tocchet sees himself as being worth a certain market value. We saw that with his negotiations in Vancouver—reportedly around the $4 million range. Boston, historically, doesn’t go that high for head coaches. So while it’s possible, I’m just not sure it’s going to happen.”
In essence, Tocchet is seeking a significant contract, and while that may be justified given his track record, the Bruins have typically avoided spending big on coaching salaries.
NHL insider Jimmy Murphy echoed this sentiment, suggesting on Bruins Vibes and The Sick Podcast that the Bruins are unlikely to meet Tocchet’s financial expectations:
“It would be surprising to see the Bruins match what Tocchet is asking for. But hey—at least they’d avoid hiring another Jack Adams winner only to fire him later.”
While the door isn’t completely closed, it seems more and more likely that financial differences could prevent the Bruins from bringing Tocchet on board. Still, if Boston believes he’s the perfect fit, they may be willing to stretch their usual limits.
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