Flyers hire Rick Tocchet to lead the next phase of the rebuild, fans rightfully doubt it will be different this time around

The Flyers went back to the well Wednesday, officially naming Rick Tocchet as the franchise’s next head coach, bringing one of the organization’s most beloved former players back to Philadelphia.

It’s a move that felt inevitable for weeks after media outlets connected the dots, and now it’s reality. Rick Tocchet, who spent 11 seasons in orange and black during two stints, is tasked with guiding the Flyers’ next era out of mediocrity and into something resembling Cup contention.

Good luck with that…

The Flyers have talked a lot about “new era of orange”, but it’s fair to say the fanbase is still waiting to see if they’re serious about it. Tocchet joins a leadership group of Danny Brière, Keith Jones, and Dan Hilferty, all with deep Flyers ties.

Flyers announce Rick Tocchet as the 25th head coach in franchise history

🔶 WELCOME HOME, TOCC! 🔶

We’re proud to announce that Rick Tocchet has been named the 25th head coach in franchise history. https://t.co/pY0ljNFtoq

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) May 14, 2025

While there’s still a lingering concern among the fanbase that the organization is once again leaning too hard on the old boys club, the front office insists this is different.

Rick Tocchet, for his part, leaned into his Philly roots hard in his introductory statement.

Back where Tocc belongs. 👊 pic.twitter.com/pJFRC5QMOg

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) May 14, 2025

“I’ve always been a Flyer at heart and have taken that passion and energy that embodies this city and organization with me throughout my career… I couldn’t be more excited to lead this team back among the NHL elite where we belong.”

Tocchet’s got a young roster to work with, headlined by Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, and established vets like Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim. The roster still has holes—center depth is shaky, the goalie position remains unsettled, and there’s a heavy reliance on prospects like Oliver Bonk and Jett Luchanko eventually stepping up.

This summer is massive for the Flyers’ rebuild.

They hold the No. 6 overall pick in the NHL Draft, plus two more first-rounders via Edmonton and Colorado. They also have a little cap flexibility to play with after dumping Joel Farabee’s deal. The pieces are being lined up, but now it’s on Tocchet to develop the youth and push this thing forward.

His coaching track record has been mixed as a head coach, with runs in Tampa, Arizona, and most recently Vancouver, where he walked away after a turbulent season and some eyebrow-raising comments from Canucks President Jim Rutherford, who openly questioned Tocchet’s focus knowing the Flyers job was in play.

As an assistant, Tocchet’s resume is far more decorated—most notably his role in Pittsburgh’s back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, where he was widely credited with running the power play and molding a lethal offense around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Flyers could desperately use some of that offensive structure, especially on the man advantage.

But the skepticism among the fanbase is still real. Flyers fans have seen too many familiar faces get recycled in positions of power, only for the team to remain stuck. Tocchet’s hiring is another gamble that the “Flyers family” can finally get it right this time.

Brière and Jones are betting that Tocchet’s connection to the city, combined with his ability to connect with players and push young talent forward, will be enough to finally turn the corner.

Tocchet’s tenure behind the bench will be the latest—and maybe most crucial—test of whether this Flyers rebuild is actually moving forward or just spinning in circles.

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