It is very difficult for anyone not privy to the locker room to make any tangible evaluation of how good a NHL coach is – you have no basis for making any judgement on why this player was benched, that one is getting more ice time, why they are playing a particular system, etc. etc. The only measure fans can use is – “has this team matched its talent level, played above or below it”.

By that token, Tocchet hasn’t really done a great job with the Canucks, who have always underperformed in the playoffs – but there are plenty of mitigating factors around that too (I dont follow the Canucks closely enough) – eg, a roster issue (winning regular season games and the playoffs are very different things), a goaltending issue, etc etc.

As for being a Flyers alumni – I think there is a little nuance there that the fans need to have. The issue until recently wasn’t related to just hiring former Flyers – it has to do with the nucleus of Flyers insiders who had come up under Snider’s “try to win every year” culture and were unable to adapt to modern times. Briere and Jones were definitely not a part of that – Clarke and Holmgren were. Some familiarity with candidates isn’t a bad thing – that’s how pretty much the entire world operates.

But that shouldn’t be the deciding factor, and there is no reason to assume that is going to be the case. Briere/Jones, despite being ex-Flyers, are a very different breed from the Old Guard – they started a rebuild, they have admitted that it is going to be a while before they are competitive and they DID tank this year once it became clear the team wasn’t going anywhere. While we can argue with their specific draft picks and their decision to not tear everything down, their process has been very consistent with how they have stated they want to rebuild the team. That’s why I have some confidence that if they do hire Tocchet, it will be for hockey-related reasons.

Am going to hold off from the knee-jerk responses and see how he does.

The ex-Flyer thing is way overblown to me. Yes Briere and Jones are former Flyers but they’ve made numerous “outside the family” hires in recent years in Hakstol, Fletcher, Vigneault, Tortorella, all of which went more or less disastrously. Being a former Flyer doesn’t automatically make you an idiot (not that you yourself are saying that, Charlie). Also “people we know” is how a lot of hiring works, like it or not. Connections mean a lot.

Having said that I’m not waving the pom-poms for Tocchet either. I don’t think the evidence says that he’s a “bad” coach, though I guess that can depend on your definition of bad, but he doesn’t excite me either largely due to the points presented in this article. I’m not “out” if they hire him (believe me if the Flyers haven’t driven me away by now they’re probably stuck with me for life). I just don’t find it overly compelling.

Hire Tocchet and offer all 3 #1s, Cam York and Owen Tippett for Quinn Hughes.

He certainly wouldn’t be my top pick, but I don’t think he’d be a disaster.

Dump and chase, uuuuggggghhhh! I just want to see some offensive creativity for Michkov. Is that so much to ask?!

His statement was very interesting. Speaks about family and wanting to do something in or around hockey. Maybe he doesn’t want the grind and travel that being a coach brings. Wants to spend more time around family. Maybe wants to go back to being a TV studio commentator. Gets to be into hockey without the same time investment. Easier on the family.

Statement: Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes the opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities in and around hockey.”

“Tocchet’s preferred on-ice tactics might actually be more conservative than those of Tortorella.”

Wonderful. Since this incestuous hire seems like all but a done deal, I can’t wait to watch Michkov dumping the puck into the zone for the next decade.

The comments regarding Petterson’s play are the most concerning to me. Playing a more “north-south” style isn’t a good fit for Michkov

I will not welcome a dump and chase offense from any candidate for coach. Matvei will not either. Hire the Western Michigan coach. Cheaper, will likely settle for shorter term ,knows how to develop less than elite players. and has head coached a championship team.

If you think Tocchet is a bad hire because he’s an ex-Flyer – tell us who is a better hire.

I am not against the team hiring a former Flyer for head coach. Jim Montgomery, Craig Berube, and Rod Brind’Amour are pretty decent coaches who I would take in a heart beat. If the Flyers were about to turn the corner into a playoff team, I wouldn’t mind hiring Tocchet. But right now I don’t think that he is the best fit. Nothing against dump and chase, but the Flyers are not built to play that way right now. They are one of the smaller teams in the league. In order to play that way you have to win most of the board battles. I am hoping they go after a college coach or keep Shaw.