Flyers HC Rick Tocchet Expressed Concerns With Bruins

Before the Philadelphia Flyers landed Rick Tocchet as their newest head coach, the Boston Bruins were taking a hard run at the NHL’s top coaching free agent. The Bruins have expressed a ton of interest in Tocchet and Mike Sullivan, but struck out on both.

According to sources with RG, Tocchet avoided joining the Bruins thanks to some uncertainties within their front office. Most of the concern was centered around Bruins general manager Don Sweeney entering the final year of his contract and his future in Boston not being guaranteed.

It’s not unusual for a new general manager to take over a team then implement their own coaching hire to the equation.

“His concern with Boston was that the GM maybe has 1-2 years left,” a source said to RG.

It wasn’t just Sweeney’s contract status that gave Tocchet pause, though. Sweeney also has a reputation for firing coaches early in their tenures. Sweeney has fired three coaches during his time with the Bruins, including two in the last three years.

With a decade under his belt in Boston, Sweeney has fired Claude Julien, Bruce Cassidy, and Jim Montgomery.

The Bruins won the Stanley Cup with Julien in 2011 before his firing in 2017. Cassidy joined the Vegas Golden Knights after his departure from Boston and immediately went on to win the Cup. Montgomery led the Bruins to a record-setting season in 2022-23 but was shown the door less than two years later.

“He was concerned for two reasons,” a different source said to RG. “Sweeney’s status and Sweeney’s track record with his head coaches.”

There is a belief that following a miserable 2024-25 season, Sweeney could be on his way out soon, whether it be his own firing or his contract running its course. That’s not a stable situation for a new coach to enter, including one of Tocchet's pedigree.

The Bruins have pushed hard for a big name as their next head coach, but they’ll need to find someone who doesn’t feel like a lame duck in their position.