With Rick Tocchet set to guide the Vancouver Canucks through his first full season with the team, the head coach has continued to emphasize the importance of good habits and accountability.
Joining Sportsnet 650’s Halford & Brough in the Morning on Tuesday, Tocchet provided some insight into how he expects the Canucks to kick off the 2023-24 season on the right track.
“We’ve got to create those habits and we’ve got to stay on top of each other,” said Tocchet. “Coaches and players making each other accountable. The way we change, come off the ice, the way we practice. We don’t have the greatest schedule, so we don’t have a lot of practices compared to other teams. We can’t waste practices.
“That’s what I’ve got to relay to these young guys, especially. Have a purpose when we have practice, there’s a reason why we’re doing certain things. Just don’t get by practice and just put time in, make sure you get something out of it.”
Tocchet was brought in by the organization after the Canucks went 18-25-3 with former coach Bruce Boudreau behind the bench for the first half of 2022-23. Both Boudreau’s firing and Tocchet’s subsequent hiring were announced on Jan. 22.
But ahead of last season, Boudreau had also emphasized the importance of a strong start. The Canucks, however, failed to do so, losing their first seven games. Jerseys were thrown on the ice at Rogers Arena multiple times throughout the season by dissatisfied fans, and boos from the home crowd were not a rarity. By the time Tocchet took over, Vancouver’s playoff contention hopes had become too far out of reach despite their improved play.
“It starts (at the opening of training camp), that’s really when it starts,” said Tocchet. “We’ve got to keep each other all accountable on every rep we do.”
After missing the playoffs for the past three seasons, and seven of the last eight seasons, the pressure to turn things around moving forward has only intensified for the Canucks.
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