Flyer Name Rick Tocchet No. 25th Head Coach in Franchise History – Hockey Writer – Philadelphia Flyer

The Philadelphia Flyers hired Rick Tocchet as the 25th head coach in franchise history as flyer general manager Daniel Briere has been the winner of the 2024 Jack Adams Award as the new leader of his club.

The 61-year-old head coach returned to draft his franchise in the sixth round of the 1983 NHL admission draft. This is also the team he completed his career in 2001-02. “I’m so happy to welcome Rick Tocchet as our head coach,” Brill said. “In the process, it’s clear that Rick is the absolutely right coach to lead our team.”

🔶Welcome home, TOCC! 🔶

We are proud to announce that Rick Tocchet has been appointed the 25th head coach in franchise history. https://t.co/py0ljnftoq

– Philadelphia Flyers (@nhlflyers) May 14, 2025

Tocchet brings a decade of NHL coaching experience to the Philadelphia bench, including a 286-265-87 record in 638 regular season games and a .500 playoff record (11-11). Tocchet won a pair of Stanley Cup rings with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 as an assistant coach for Mike Sullivan employees.

In 2020, Tocchet led the Arizona Coyotes to their only playoff since 2012 after a qualifying series against the Nashville Predators. The Coyotes lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. Brier will look for Tocchet to return Philadelphia to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 playoffs. In their last playoff appearance, the flyer entered the second round before losing to the New York Islanders seven-game series.

During his game, Ontario-born Tocchet spent seven seasons in Philadelphia between 1984-85 and 1991-92. Tocchet served as the Flyers captain in the 1991-92 season, and then sent him across the state with a deal. In February 1992, Tocchet was a key part of the multiplayer trade with the Penguin in exchange for Mark Recchi, which led to the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup titles. At the end of his career, Tocchet returned to Flying in a March 2000 deal by Mikael Renberg. The 35-year-old winger spent two more seasons in Philadelphia, playing 621 games, 232 goals and 208 points in 11 seasons. Tocchet was introduced to the Flyer Hall of Fame in 2021.

Related: How Rick Tocchet’s game days shape his coaching style

“I have always been a flyer and have done everything I can to embody the enthusiasm and vitality of the entire city and organization,” Tocchet said in a statement Thursday. “I am very excited to bring this team back to the NHL elite we are part of. We have a lot of work to do, but I am confident in the direction we are moving forward and determined to take us there.”