As far as I can tell, Rick Tocchet becoming the coach of the Coyotes is the worst kept secret in sports. Well, other than Bryce Harper going to the Yankees maybe.
Two separate people told me that the announcement has been delayed this week due to certain people being off on vacations or otherwise unavailable.
Whatever the truth is, we'll almost certainly find out on Monday.
I would peg Tocchett being named the coach at 99.999% probability.
And I think he's a good choice. I don't have any good data to back this up - which is why I generally don't have opinions on coaches unless they've coached a team I watch a lot.
I have no clue how Tocchet organized or deployed his roster when he coached the Lightning. I do know that he has a reputation of being a coach that is good with young players.
That is one of the two boxes I need to check off.
The other is - does he coach an puck-moving, up-tempo game? IF the answer is yes, I am aboard. If the answer is no, then the only way I would approve is if he was known to be a Guy Boucher level tactician.
That answer will come clear with time.
The reason I am a fan of this hire (assuming it happens) is because of Rick Tocchet's past.
As everyone will know or be aware of shortly, Tocchet was charged with conspiracy around ten years ago for allegedly being involved with the Gretzkys in an illegal gambling ring. (Apparently just Janet, but it's hard to believe that Wayne's good name hasn't just been shielded here).
The NHL has a terrible habit of labeling players who make mistakes as 'problem childs' with 'bad attitudes' who are 'terrible in the room.'
This has been so prevalent in the NHL it's become sort of a joke among people who know better, and yet, real live NHL teams appear to buy into, and act on, this kind of crap all the time.
Whether it's a player dropping in the draft (Ho Sang) or getting traded (Kane) or being denied opportunities (Kadri) or being unfairly labeled in the media (DeAngleo) or being demoted at the first sign of trouble (Duclair) it's extremely common in the NHL to demand that players be saints with no personalities.
OR at least it seems that way.
So I think that by giving a guy with a checkered past another chance, the Coyotes can do something to erase, or at least lessen, this ugly and pretentious side of hockey.
Tocchet has learned his lesson and repaired his career and reputation, and maybe getting a high profile job will help show that teams should be much more open to players doing the same thing.
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