After a long and tumultuous season, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">Vancouver Canucks&#8217;</a> bench boss has decided to fully pack it in for the year.
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During locker clean-out day, head coach Rick Tocchet informed the media that he has decided not to coach Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men&#8217;s World Championship.
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Rick Tocchet says he doesn’t think he can give Hockey Canada the best version of himself after a long season, so he won’t be going to the World Championships. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet650</a>
&mdash; Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/BatchHockey/status/1913277858606412033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Tocchet explained that he doesn&#8217;t believe he can give his best effort behind the bench for his country in one of the biggest tournaments in international hockey, citing that it has been a long season in Vancouver.
Previously, Team Canada <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/canada-gm-dubas-says-vancouver-canucks-tocchet-debrusk-myers-radar-worlds">general manager Kyle Dubas</a> stated on a recent episode of Donnie &amp; Dhali &#8211; The Team that he would be interested in bringing Tocchet on board to coach the team in Stockholm, Sweden, next month. Dubas also mentioned that Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk and defenceman Tyler Myers were on his radar to add to the Canadian roster.
Tocchet had already coached for Canada this season, serving as an assistant under Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
It makes sense that Tocchet would want some time away from the game. The 61-year-old admitted it&#8217;s been a trying year for him, admitting that he has had <a href="https://x.com/patersonjeff/status/1913279422192562201">&#8220;more meetings than I’ve had in my life.&#8221;</a> There has been <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/friedman-tocchets-decision-vancouver-canucks-should-come-quickly">speculation about Tocchet&#8217;s future</a> with the team, with some believing this might be his last year in Vancouver.
&#8220;Of course you want to be back here,&#8221; Tocchet said. &#8220;But there&#8217;s a process you have to go through.&#8221;
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&quot;Of course you want to be back here, but there&#39;s a process you have to go through.&quot;
Rick Tocchet weighs in on his future behind the Canucks bench. <a href="https://t.co/cKxrwH9deV">pic.twitter.com/cKxrwH9deV</a>
&mdash; Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1913283661295673806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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On top of that, there was the off-ice drama between star players J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, as well as <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/8-things-2024-25-vancouver-canucks-season-forgotten-about">working to put together a winning lineup</a> when numerous big names were forced to miss time due to injury.
In all, Vancouver came up short. One season removed from having the best record in the Western Conference, and making it within a win of the Conference Finals, the Canucks missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.
Canada will be competing in Group A at this year&#8217;s Men&#8217;s World Championship. The team will open up its schedule on May 10 against Slovenia.

After a long and tumultuous season, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">Vancouver Canucks'</a> bench boss has decided to fully pack it in for the year.
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During locker clean-out day, head coach Rick Tocchet informed the media that he has decided not to coach Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championship.

https://twitter.com/BatchHockey/status/1913277858606412033

Tocchet explained that he doesn't believe he can give his best effort behind the bench for his country in one of the biggest tournaments in international hockey, citing that it has been a long season in Vancouver.

Previously, Team Canada <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/canada-gm-dubas-says-vancouver-canucks-tocchet-debrusk-myers-radar-worlds">general manager Kyle Dubas</a> stated on a recent episode of Donnie &amp; Dhali - The Team that he would be interested in bringing Tocchet on board to coach the team in Stockholm, Sweden, next month. Dubas also mentioned that Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk and defenceman Tyler Myers were on his radar to add to the Canadian roster.

Tocchet had already coached for Canada this season, serving as an assistant under Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

It makes sense that Tocchet would want some time away from the game. The 61-year-old admitted it's been a trying year for him, admitting that he has had <a href="https://x.com/patersonjeff/status/1913279422192562201">"more meetings than I’ve had in my life."</a> There has been <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/friedman-tocchets-decision-vancouver-canucks-should-come-quickly">speculation about Tocchet's future</a> with the team, with some believing this might be his last year in Vancouver.

"Of course you want to be back here," Tocchet said. "But there's a process you have to go through."

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1913283661295673806

On top of that, there was the off-ice drama between star players J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, as well as <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/8-things-2024-25-vancouver-canucks-season-forgotten-about">working to put together a winning lineup</a> when numerous big names were forced to miss time due to injury.

In all, Vancouver came up short. One season removed from having the best record in the Western Conference, and making it within a win of the Conference Finals, the Canucks missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.

Canada will be competing in Group A at this year's Men's World Championship. The team will open up its schedule on May 10 against Slovenia.

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