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Canucks coach Rick Tocchet may face NHL discipline for brutal comments towards referee

Originally posted on Oilers Daily | By Liam McCormick | Last updated Mar 10, 2025 11:21 AM ET

NHL coaches can run a little hot when it comes to referees, and last night Canucks Coach Rick Tocchet may have earned himself a fine.

Tocchet and the Canucks are finding themselves in a much different position this year than last, now crawling just to make the playoffs instead of being an actual contender.

Coach Tocchet could face NHL fine for hardcore chirp to referee

In last night's game while arguing a call, Coach Tocchet pulled out a real personal insult towards the referee, taunting him for not being selected to work in the playoffs.

Get the **** out of here. That's why you don't work in the ******* playoffs. Hey, it's true.
- Coach Tocchet

Tocchet was unloading on this referee for the call, using tons of profanity and direct personal insults to the specific referee. Usually, that's pretty clear grounds for a coach to be fined.

The Canucks coach is actually even right in his chirps too, which make it all the more crushing to referee. The NHL does select their most accurate and veteran refs for the playoffs, so whoever Tocchet was arguing with is a ref on the outside.

Most recently, Sheldon Keefe of the New Jersey Devils received a fine for $25,000 for his comments toward a referee, and he wasn't half as mad as Tocchet was.

We'll see if Tocchet is assessed a fine for his words last night, and the decision should be coming. At the end of the day it may not be productive to insult the referees, but Tocchet will build some rapport for sticking up for his players.

This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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