Now departed head coach Rick Tocchet really wanted a dedicated practice facility during his time with the Vancouver Canucks, and he couldn't be happier to see his wish come true with his new club, the Philadelphia Flyers.
And Tocchet let everyone know during his introductory Flyers press conference Friday morning.
"I walked around that practice facility, here, like the inside, the bowels, right? There's so many tools to work with. The practice rink had three sheets of ice," Tocchet glowed. "As a coach, you're like, 'Oh my God.' These are the things you want as a coach. Those are attractive things to help me be an even better coach.
"I can't speak for the past. All I know is what I see now and the relationship of the people I deal with now, and it excites me."
The Canucks are notably the only team in the NHL without a dedicated practice rink, while, speaking from personal experience and knowledge, the Flyers have a pretty nice one out in Voorhees, N.J., complete with a team gear shop.
Plus, the main entrance was recently renovated, so there's that, too.
So, Tocchet's parting shot at the Canucks, which was honest and completely fair, shows how much of a factor something as simple as a dedicated practice rink meant to him on a professional level. The 61-year-old obviously has extensive ties to the Flyers organization, and those will strengthen as he embarks on his next journey as an NHL head coach.
