Rick Tocchet Can Come Back in February
Two years, approximately from the day he was placed on leave from the NHL and the Phoenix Coyotes, Rick Tocchet can return to the bench. According to the Arizona Republic, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman felt that a two year absence from hockey was an appropriate punishment.
Head coach Wayne Gretzky was quoted as saying that he’s glad it’s finally over.
When Tocchet left the Coyotes in 2006, the Coyotes were a .500 team and with the other tragedies and difficulties that Gretzky dealt with that year, he must have felt that life was piling on him. I think if Tocchet was around last year, the Coyotes would have been a different team.
He has the ability of getting the best effort out of players. Tocchet worked hard on the ice and there is no doubt about it. No one would ignore what he would have to say.
Now Tocchet will be entrusted of helping to teach younger players how to win in the NHL.
In order to come back, Tocchet cannot gamble, legally or illegally, which leaves another run at the World Series of Poker out and place himself for evaluation for the NHL substance abuse program to determine if he is a compulsive gambler, which I think is a great idea.
The jokes about Tocchet’s gambling issues will never cease and many will take cheap shots at him, which he probably doesn’t care about. Clearly, this was a mistake that he has learned from, and if others cannot be creative enough to find something else to write about will still do.
I think he’s paid the price and we can all move along now that there is nothing more to see here.
I loved Rick as a player but I love him even more as a coach. He makes Gretzky a better coach… With his knowledge and carisma he could make the rookies feel more comfortable… He brings passion to the locker room and of course he has won a Stanley Cup.
Comeback Ricky boy!