Nov 19, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet on the bench against the New York Rangers during the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Flyers' Rick Tocchet Contract Details Revealed

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Nick Horwat | Last updated May 15, 2025 8:30 AM ET

The Philadelphia Flyers recently ended their coaching search and officially hired Rick Tocchet as the 25th head coach in franchise history. Tocchet played with the Flyers on two separate occasions during his playing days and was one of the most sought after coaching free agents in the league.

With numerous teams interested in Tocchet, the Flyers knew they would need to open up their pocketbooks quite a bit. According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Flyers didn’t shy away from signing Tocchet to a huge contract.

LeBrun tweeted that Tocchet signed a five-year deal that will earn him $5.25 million annually.

Tocchet’s five-year deal pays him $5.25M a year.
He had multiple teams chasing him. Strong market ends up in a very good contract. https://t.co/7C36ZZDRlz
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 15, 2025

“He had multiple teams chasing him,” LeBrun tweeted. “Strong market ends up in a very good contract.”

Tocchet’s $5.25 million price tag makes him one of the highest-paid head coaches in the NHL. Former co-worker Mike Sullivan recently signed a deal that featured the highest annual salary for a coach in NHL history sitting at $6.5 million.

Tocchet and Sullivan spent time together behind the Pittsburgh Penguins bench where they led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.

Those Cup wins, plus a Jack Adams Award following a 50-win 2023-24 season with the Vancouver Canucks are part of what made Tocchet such a highly coveted free agent.

In nine years as an NHL head coach, Tocchet has a 286-265-87 record. The Flyers had to out-bid teams like the Boston Bruins and Seattle Kraken. The Canucks said they were willing to give Tocchet a massive contract to keep him around, but the two sides decided to part ways not long after their season ended.

From the moment Tocchet became a free agent, the Flyers seemed like the perfect fit. Tocchet was briefly the Flyers captain during his time as a player and the Philadelphia organization loves adding former players to their staff.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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