The Flyers hired Rick Tocchet as their 25th Head Coach in franchise history on May 14, 2025. Tocchet, a former Flyers player for parts of 11 seasons and a member of the team’s Hall of Fame, replaces John Tortorella, who was fired in March 2025 after the team missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
“I am very happy to welcome Rick Tocchet as our head coach,” Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere says. “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. 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.”
Tocchet previously coached the Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Arizona Coyotes, with a career NHL coaching record of 286-265-87 and a Jack Adams Award win in 2023-24. The Flyers, still in a rebuild phase, aim for Tocchet to leverage his experience and player connections to guide their young roster, including talents like Matvei Michkov, toward playoff contention, “I’ve always been a Flyer at heart and have taken that passion and energy that embodies this city and organization with me throughout my career,” Tocchet’ said.
Tocchet continues, “I want to thank Danny Briere, Keith Jones and Dan Hilferty for this honor and opportunity. I couldn’t be more excited to lead this team back among the NHL elite where we belong. We have a lot of work to do and much to accomplish, but I am confident in the direction we are heading and determined to get us there.”
The Flyers’ organization and fans are showing strong confidence in Rick Tocchet as their new Head Coach. The front office, led by General Manager Daniel Brière, views Tocchet’s hiring as a pivotal move for their rebuild, citing his track record of developing young talent and instilling a competitive edge.
His success with the Vancouver Canucks, where he led a turnaround to the second round of the 2024 playoffs and won the Jack Adams Award, bolsters the Flyers belief that he can lead them to grade things down the road. Tocchet’s familiarity with the Flyers’ culture as a former player and his gritty, player-focused coaching style resonate with the team’s identity. Early reports indicate players, including young stars like Matvei Michkov, are excited about his arrival, with Tocchet already engaging with the roster to build trust.
“We are thrilled to have Rick lead our team into the future,” President of Hockey Operations, Keith Jones said. “What is impressive about Rick is that players gravitate towards him and develop a strong relationship in the process. There is a genuine trust that he will do everything he can to bring success to the team.”
How this will all pan out, no one knows, but it’s become apparent the Flyers have their guy.
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