The Philadelphia Flyers have hired Rick Tocchet as their next head coach, it was announced Wednesday.

The framework of the deal puts Tocchet among the highest-paid coaches in the NHL, sources told ESPN.

“I am very happy to welcome Rick Tocchet as our head coach,” general manager Daniel Briere said in a statement. “During this process it became clear that Rick was the absolute right coach to lead our team. He has enjoyed the highest level of success both as a player and coach.

“Rick’s ability to teach and understand his players, combined with his passion for winning, brings out the best in young players at different stages of their development and has earned the respect and confidence of highly talented All-Stars and veteran players alike.”

Tocchet, 61, is already in the Flyers Hall of Fame after spending parts of 11 seasons with the team during his 18-year playing career.

The Flyers still consider themselves in a rebuild phase after missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. Philadelphia fired John Tortorella in March after philosophical differences emerged between the coach and the front office.

Brad Shaw served as interim coach for the remainder of the season, and the Flyers (33-39-10) finished tied for last place in the Eastern Conference.

“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,” Tocchet said. “… I couldn’t be more excited to lead this team back among the NHL elite where we belong. We have a lot of work to do and much to accomplish, but I am confident in the direction we are heading and determined to get us there.”

Tocchet, who stepped down as coach of the Vancouver Canucks after the season as his three-year contract expired, was among the most desirable candidates in a crowded coaching market.

According to sources, Tocchet also spoke with the Seattle Kraken and the Anaheim Ducks, who never formally interviewed Tocchet before hiring Joel Quenneville last week. The Boston Bruins also had Tocchet high on their list.

“What is impressive about Rick is that players gravitate towards him and develop a strong relationship in the process,” team president Keith Jones said in a statement. “There is a genuine trust that he will do everything he can to bring success to the team.”

Tocchet was also considering a return to television next season, sources told ESPN, after he served as a regular on TNT’s coverage before joining the Canucks. He has also appeared on the network’s coverage during the 2024-25 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Tocchet left Vancouver just one year removed from winning the Jack Adams Award. The Canucks, after a season of turmoil that included the trade of center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers, missed the playoffs by six points.

Tocchet, who replaced Bruce Boudreau as Canucks coach in January 2023, had previous head coaching stints with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Arizona Coyotes. His career NHL coaching record is 286-265-87 in the regular season and 11-11 in the playoffs.

Tocchet, who also played for the Coyotes, becomes the 14th individual to have played for/coached multiple teams in NHL history, according to ESPN Research. That list also includes Craig Berube, who played for/coached the Flyers and now the Maple Leafs, and Jim Montgomery, who played for/coached the Stars and now the Blues.

The Vancouver Canucks have named Adam Foote as their new head coach, the team announced Wednesday.

Foote, 53, had served as an assistant coach under head coach Rick Tocchet for the last three seasons. His only previous head coaching experience was one season behind the bench of the WHL Kelowna Rockets, going 29-28-6 in 63 games in 2019-20.

He’s the 22nd head coach in franchise history. TSN reported that Foote agreed to a three-year deal.

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the team has hired Adam Foote as the 22nd Head Coach in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/dJTDh8XoHb

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) May 14, 2025

Tocchet stepped down after his three-year contract expired at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. Vancouver opted not to exercise its contract option on Tocchet, having instead offered him a large extension. Team president Jim Rutherford said that the Canucks “did everything in our power” to retain Tocchet but that “he may have his mind somewhere else.”

Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that Tocchet will be the next head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, with whom he played for 11 seasons.

Foote won two Stanley Cups as a player with the Colorado Avalanche (1996 and 2001) and was considered one of the NHL’s premier defensive defensemen during his 19-season career. Foote also played for the Quebec Nordiques before the franchise moved to Colorado and for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“His past experiences on the ice have translated nicely into a coaching style that fits our organization’s goals and vision. He has worked extremely hard the past few years, gaining our players’ respect and trust for his strong communication and honest, straightforward opinion. He knows this group better than anyone else we interviewed and has inside knowledge and understanding of what it will take to get us back to where we want to be,” Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said.

Foote wasn’t the only internal candidate interviewed for the Vancouver head coaching job. AHL Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra was also under consideration.

Foote takes over a Canucks team that failed to make the playoffs after advancing to the second round in 2023-24. Vancouver has made the postseason only twice in the past 10 NHL seasons. The Canucks face a series of questions heading into next season, from the fate of free agent winger Brock Boeser to how to get 26-year-old star center Elias Pettersson back on track offensively. But the hiring of Foote might serve to address another one of the team’s uncertainties: the fate of captain Quinn Hughes.

The defenseman is signed through the 2026-27 season, but Rutherford recently sparked speculation that Hughes might seek to eventually leave Vancouver to play with brothers Jack and Luke, who are currently with the New Jersey Devils.

“He’s said before he wants to play with his brothers, and that would be partly out of our control,” Rutherford said.

Foote spent the past two seasons working with the team’s defensemen. They were the two best seasons of Quinn Hughes’ NHL career, with him winning the Norris Trophy in 2023-24 and being a finalist for the award again this season. Now, the man who got the best out of the captain is sticking around as the team’s new head coach.

Cal Foote, son of Adam Foote, is one of five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior championships team facing sexual assault charges from an incident in a London, Ontario, hotel room. The trial is ongoing. All five players have pleaded not guilty.

HERNING, Denmark — Tage Thompson completed his hat trick with a power-play goal in overtime to give the United States a 6-5 win over Norway after the Americans squandered a four-goal lead at the ice hockey world championship on Wednesday.

Norway forced overtime when defenseman Stian Solberg scored with 1:27 left in regulation, as the Anaheim Ducks prospect completed a hat trick of his own.

Thompson, a Buffalo Sabres center, scored the winner 4:09 into overtime for the U.S., which has eight points in Group B while Norway earns its first point.

“We did some good things and it was obviously great to get the win,” U.S. head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We’ll build on this as we get set to take on a very good Germany team on Saturday.”

For the Americans, captain Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists, and Cutter Gauthier and Michael McCarron added a goal each for the U.S. to rebound from a loss to Switzerland.

Gauthier put the U.S. 1-0 ahead 4:50 into the game before Keller hit the top corner of the net to double the lead 7:18 into the frame.

Gauthier is tied with Canada forward Bo Horvat atop the goal scoring table with four goals.

Solberg reduced the deficit to 2-1 on the power play before Thompson and McCarron completed the four-goal period for the U.S.

Thompson added his second 2:55 into the middle period for a 5-1 lead.

Norway was not done, though.

Solberg had his second goal on a power play for Norway to trail 5-2 and Martin Ronnild added another one on a breakaway still in the frame.

Midway through the third, Noah Steen made it a one-goal game before Norway pulled its goalie for an extra attacker — and Solberg scored to make it 5-5.

“It was an important game for us and taking a point was huge,” Solberg said. “I am happy for the team and happy for myself.”

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had an assist for the U.S. in his first game at the worlds. He arrived Monday but his equipment was delayed and he couldn’t play in the 3-0 loss to Switzerland that day.

Werenski is one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy given to the NHL’s top defenseman.

In Stockholm, Slovakia beat France 2-1 for its second win. France remains on one point.

Sweden faces Latvia later in the day in Stockholm while Denmark plays Kazakhstan in Herning.