The Arizona Coyotes’ search for a new head coach might be coming to an end.
According to TSN hockey analyst Darren Dreger, there’s a good chance that they’ll give the job to Penguins assistant Rick Tocchet.
Tocchet, of course, was part of Mike Sullivan’s staff that won back-to-back Stanley Cups over the last two seasons.
Prior to joining the Penguins in 2014-15, the 53-year-old served as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning for two years, but he failed to make the playoffs in each of those seasons.
Tocchet has already been part of the Coyotes’ coaching staff, as he was an assistant there during the 2005-06 campaign.
“I think he’s an invaluable part of our staff,” Sullivan said of Tocchet, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I lean on him in a lot of ways. He’s such a great hockey mind. I think he’s a student of the game. He has a good analytical eye.
“He brings a lot of passion to what he does. I think our players have so much respect for him, not only as a coach, but his body of work as a player speaks for itself. He’s one of the all-time warriors of the game. Not only was he tough in the true sense of the word, he was a guy that could score goals and play with elite players.”
The ‘Yotes have been searching for a new head coach since deciding to part ways with Dave Tippett exactly two weeks ago.