Flyers Next Team to Watch in HC Carousel

The New York Rangers quickly named Mike Sullivan their 38th head coach. It took less than two weeks for Sullivan to go from being fired in Pittsburgh to being hired in New York. Following this move, the NHL has seven vacant head coaching spots.

There are plenty of exciting coaching opportunities still up for grabs. The Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Seattle Kraken, and Vancouver Canucks all need a new permanent head coach. Which role will be filled next and by whom?

Don't be shocked when the Philadelphia Flyers name Rick Tocchet as their next head coach. Breakaway On SI named the Flyers as a top destination for Tocchet following the news of his departure from Vancouver.

The signs are all pointing toward Tocchet heading to the City of Brotherly Love. After he and the Vancouver Canucks parted ways, the revered bench boss is a free agent. The Flyers are desperately in need of a coach that can stick with the team for the next few years and oversee the organizational rise that they expect to happen.

Tocchet would also be the perfect hire to shepherd the Flyers' star second-year winger, Matvei Michkov. It was clear that he and the Flyers' former coach, John Tortorella, didn't see eye-to-eye. Tocchet has a history of getting the best out of players many deem to be "difficult" or "quirky."

Many remember how Tocchet took on the role of Phil Kessel whisperer for the Pittsburgh Penguins during their Stanley Cup runs. While Mike Sullivan and Kessel sparred frequently, Tocchet and Kessel were commonly seen conversing separately. It was a key to Kessel's and the Penguins' success during those Cup-winning seasons.

It's easy to see Tocchet striking that kind of relationship with the burgeoning superstar in Philadelphia. Pair that with Tocchet's ability to grow a locker room and his technical genius, and he seems like a perfect fit for the Flyers. With the coaching carousel only set to spin faster, Philadelphia will likely move quickly to name him as its next head coach.