Tocchet to receive $2.75M from Canucks through 2024-25

New Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet will earn $2.75 million per season through the 2024-25 campaign, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.

Tocchet was officially hired by the Canucks Sunday after weeks of speculation finally culminated in the firing of Bruce Boudreau. Assistant coach Trent Cull was also let go on Sunday while Adam Foote was brought on as an assistant coach and Sergei Gonchar as a defensive development coach.

LeBrun notes the Canucks are still paying Boudreau his $2 million salary for this season as well as previous head coach Travis Green $2.75 million. Green and the Canucks reached an agreement on an extension in May of 2021 but he was fired in favour of Boudreau in December of that year. Last May, the Canucks announced they would bring Boudreau back for the 2022-23 season.

“Those decisions are never easy,” general manager Patrick Allvin said of the coaching change at a news conference Sunday. “But at this point I felt there was needed a new voice to see if we can get this group to buy in, to play a different way.”

Boudreau grew emotional multiple times throughout games in Vancouver Friday and Saturday as fans showed support for their soon to be outgoing head coach. Defenceman Tyler Myers said Friday that the emotion of the situation got to the team and affected their mindset.

“Unfortunately, it’s turned out the way it did. Nobody takes great pride in this,” president Jim Rutherford said. “I’ve known Bruce for a long time. He’s been a friend and I feel very bad about it. And if I’ve offended anybody in the process, I apologize personally, on behalf of the Canucks.”

Vancouver will play their first game under Tocchet on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks.