Overshadowed with the news with Porter Martone. New Flyers’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet has been named an Assistant Coach for Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, as announced by Hockey Canada on July 21, 2025.
Tocchet will serve under head coach Jon Cooper alongside assistant coaches Bruce Cassidy, Peter DeBoer, and Misha Donskov. This coaching staff previously led Canada to a gold medal at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025, and their continuity is aimed at replicating that success at the Olympics, which will be held from February 11-22, 2026. This marks Tocchet’s second time representing Canada as a coach, having also been an Assistant at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Tocchet has not previously coached in the Olympics. His appointment as an Assistant Coach for Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, will mark his first Olympic coaching experience.
New Flyers’ Head Coach in Tocchet will bring a wealth of experience and a hard-nosed, player-focused coaching style to Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- NHL Coaching Expertise: As the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks since January 2023, Tocchet has demonstrated an ability to elevate team performance, leading the Canucks to a 50-23-9 record in the 2022-23 season and their first playoff appearance since 2020. His success in transforming the Canucks into a competitive, structured team will translate to Team Canada, where he’ll help implement systems that maximize the roster’s elite talent.
- Defensive Structure and Discipline: Tocchet is known for instilling a strong defensive framework while maintaining offensive creativity. His teams play a gritty, structured game, emphasizing puck control.
This is a great gig for the new Flyers coach, and one that he can mark off his bucket list.
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