I spent yesterday morning in South Philly for Rick Tocchet’s introductory press conference. The atmosphere was like a night and day difference from how it felt up to about six weeks ago.
As someone who has spent much of my post-playing career working in media, the presser was fine. I thought the media some asked good questions. I knew beforehand that Tocc would give well-reasoned answers from the heart. I knew he’d say all the right thing, as would Keith Jones, Danny Briere and Dan Hilferty.
Really, the presser itself was pretty standard stuff. The fan interaction piece was a nice addition. Overall, though, if you’ve seen one coach intro presser, you’ve pretty much seen them all.
However, there was one thing that set Tocc’s day apart from all the others: something you can’t fake or gloss over with one autopilot cliche after another. What it is? It the human part.
Tocc is 100 percent genuine in all he says and all he does. He treats people right: gives respect, gets respect. He’s easy to get to know. There’s no paranoia (all too common among some hockey people). He talks to you, not at you. He will ask other people’s opinions and actually pays the same attention he expects when he’s speaking.
Yesterday, there were lots of happy faces at Wells Fargo Center: Flyers season ticket holders. Media people. Fellow Flyers Alumni who attended, including several who do not work for the organization itself in any capacity (such as Flyers Hall of Fame defenseman Jimmy Watson).
Unlike other coaches who make a show of calling everyone by their first name at their intro presser and answering everything patiently and thoughtfully — but with everyone knowing damn well that’s not going to last very long — Friday was Tocc being Tocc. He’s always this way. He’s as fiery of a competitor as you’ll ever see, but he’s a human being first and foremost.
If you don’t already know Rick, it doesn’t take long at all to get to know him. He’ll keep in the dressing room or coach’s office what belongs there, but otherwise, is happy to talk about just about anything (hockey or whatever). He’s all about forming relationships with others. He puts people at ease and makes them feel valued.
Tocc isn’t two-faced, at all. That’s far from a given in any walk of life but especially in the business and hockey worlds.
As far as the hockey side of hiring goes, we will see. Tocc has a lot of work ahead of him. Management has perhaps even more work ahead so that Rick will be put in position to succeed. Time will tell.
Final thoughts on Shaw
In regard to Brad Shaw — good man, good coach — I think people need to understand something. While I don’t know Shawsy nearly as well personally as I know Tocc and Jonesy, I do know that there’s mutual respect because Brad and Rick. This was really a classic case of someone coveting a job he didn’t get. When he didn’t, it was time to move on from the organization.
Once — and only once — I saw this situation end up in some way other than the former coach leaving despite an invite to stay on as assistant. I experienced it when Bob Clarke asked Wayne Cashman to stay as an assistant coach after a short and underwhelming tenure as head coach. When the late Roger Neilson stepped in, Cash became his assistant coach.
I’ve never asked Wayne why he did it. I suspect he was already relieved when Roger came in. I don’t think Cashman enjoyed the head coach role, and he struggled in performing it. Cash was more in his element as an assistant. I think he liked it much better.
Even so, in all honesty, when Cash accepted being Roger’s assistant, this was the reaction on our room: Wait, what? He wants to just back right away to being an NHL assistant? To the guy who took his job? Roger was a special man, but that was shocking. Hell, I bet Clarkie expected a “no ” right up until Wayne said, “OK, I’ll do it.”‘
No chip needed
I am not a professional psychologist. Hell, I’m not even an amateur one. I do know, however, how to read people.
Rick Tocchet doesn’t walk around with a chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t need to. He’s already carved out his legacy in hockey. Hopefully, his time as Flyers head coach will only add to it. Again, time will tell.
I do think Tocchet’s predecessor spent too much time flexing his power. As someone who never reached the American Hockey League level as a player and who stands no taller than about 5-foot–6, I’m sure he felt like he had had to prove himself smarter, tougher and more in control than anyone else. It became a permanent part of how he is, even though he’s a good structural coach who has a Stanley Cup ring from the 2003-04 Tampa Bay Lightning.
Maybe that’s unfair. I don’t know Tortorella personally. I’m not trying to take a cheap shot. I just have never figured out what makes him tick and why he does certain things that seem so counterproductive.
Tortorella won’t let most people get to know him, at all. He likes his closed little circle with a couple trusted associates. With everyone else, even within the same organization who aren’t the enemy (in fact, are on the same side and want the same things), he’s mistrustful. Cold and condescending. Sometimes even downright hostile.
It is what it is. John has had a lot of success at points of his NHL coaching career. No one can take that away. But it terms of a working atmosphere, it’s an instant night-and-day difference with Tocc at the helm. I fairness, I think that was also true (under brutal circumstances) during Shaw’s brief interim head coaching stint.
In fact, I think Shawsy was a nice transition. He deserves some credit for that, as well as with work with the defensemen and penalty kill.
Snow the Goalie
After Tocch’s pressure, Anthony San Filippo and I went to the “secret” location where the Flyers do many of their podcast recordings. It’s the same spot where Jason Myrtetus, Brian Smith I do record the pregame show for the Flyers Broadcast Network. Smitty also records the Prospect Pipeline pod there with Bill Meltzer. It’s a nice little place to record. We want to add some things to it moving forward.
At any rate, Ant and I recorded a special edition of Snow the Goalie. In the segment, Bill joined us. He gave a 411 thumbnail of some of Tocchet’s systems. Shortly thereafter, Danny and Hilf joined the pod for most of the program.
I am optimistic about Tocc. But the biggest thing I want is a good power play coach!