If he can manage pressure and succeed here, Tocchet would be beloved in the Valley. Tocchet has a stronger personality than other candidates and if successful would fit the city of Las Vegas more than DeBoer did.
Winning in Vegas would earn him more respect across the league. Which is why Tocchet was applauded for what he did with a young, raw roster in Arizona. The TNT analyst understands today’s NHL isn’t the same league he played in. On the ice Tocchet was a gritty forward that played 22 seasons, scored 40+ goals twice and added 20 power play goals in 1992-93. The Golden Knights as a whole could use a voice like that. Tocchet will tell it like it is, not how it could have been. Some consider Tocchet a player’s coach because he was a successful former player but there’s more than just having something in common. Just imagine if he had a hungry, skilled lineup to coach. Somehow he managed to register 284 points in 290 games. Over four seasons he quietly led a team at the bottom of the league in organizational support, payroll and talent. However, Tocchet could boost his personal stats in Vegas. The former Coyotes and Lightning coach has never had a winning percentage above. High expectations but overall underachieved. Maurice is a safe choice, and could end up being a continuation of VGK’s last three seasons.
Both find the other to be superior leaders, yet neither have rings. It led Maurice to step down this season because he felt his team needed a fresh voice, in other words he ‘lost the team.’ Sounds a lot like what happened to Pete DeBoer. It was disappointment after disappointment in Winnipeg. Over his last three postseasons, the Jets were swept by the Montreal Canadiens, lost in the bubble qualifying round, and were eliminated in six first round games. Really, Maurice wouldn’t lose much by taking Vegas’ head coach position. Remember when most of the hockey world predicted Maurice’s Jets sweeping the Golden Knights in 2018? The 24-year bench boss has had strong lineups before and appeared just once in a Stanley Cup finals. He was the former coach of the Winnipeg Jets, so he has the all important Manitoba connections the front office desires. If hired Maurice would be a warm welcome to the Golden Knights organization.
That’s not how you get in the conversation with Scotty Bowman. It’s just speculation but Trotz may have a fundamental difference chasing a Stanley Cup when his lineup is over the salary cap. Also, it’s unlikely he will sit idly by when the front office is performing their annual cap gymnastics. Will the Cup winning coach want to deal with an already crowded Vegas front office? There’s a potential power struggle situation if Trotz wants to shop for his own groceries. Trotz has shown interest in having an influence on team management. Some have weaker rosters than Vegas but have less red tape. More than a handful of NHL organizations are hoping he accepts their offer. So, how does Trotz have anything to lose? Also, Trotz will be known as the guy that was able to clean up the mess in Vegas. Which would cement him as one of the elite coaches in NHL history. The 23-year veteran would be one of four coaches to win a Stanley Cup with two different franchises. History would be made if Trotz led the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup. There will be immediate pressure on Vegas’ next coach no matter who it is. However, there isn’t much room for error. The new skipper will have a roster filled with known veteran players impatiently waiting for another Cup run. In reality no coach really loses accepting a position with the Golden Knights. Let’s reverse that and examine the same for potential head coaches. On Wednesday we highlighted several Golden Knights players that will have the most to gain and the most to lose under a new coach. (Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)