The New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks are borderline playoff teams. Their star players have kept them in the mix, with Quinn Hughes leading the Canucks and Ilya Sorokin fueling the Islanders, while their depth skaters have also emerged as key members of the rosters, from Simon Holmstrom to Conor Garland.
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However, head coaches Patrick Roy and Rick Tocchet have not received enough credit for their teams’ success. They are similar coaches who expect disciplined, two-way play, and they’ve done a great job of keeping their teams competitive. Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award last season, and while he won’t win it again this season (and Roy has an unlikely chance as well), that doesn’t take anything away from the jobs they’ve done to stay in the playoff picture.
Tocchet’s Powered The Canucks Through Tough Times
The Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller saga put a wrench in the Canucks’ season, and eventually, the team moved Miller to the New York Rangers to salvage their campaign. Then, at the trade deadline, Vancouver was unable to move Brock Boeser (who isn’t so valuable on the trade market) and the star winger is expected to head to free agency.
The front office didn’t do Tocchet any favors. He wasn’t given a team that could compete, and aside from the Marcus Pettersson addition, the Canucks didn’t make any upgrades as the roster battled injuries. Yet, Tocchet has them playing competitive hockey and has put them in a position to win every night.
The Canucks are only a few points out of a playoff spot. The offense and defense are below average, yet Tocchet has this team playing a structured two-way game. It’s a credit to his system that he’s getting the most out of a depleted roster.
Roy’s Islanders Winning With Defense
When Roy was hired by the Islanders, he brought in a winner culture, something they lost when Barry Trotz was fired in 2022. The team immediately looked better under his guidance and has remained a borderline playoff team because of Roy’s style. They win from the net out and, more importantly, play structured and situational hockey.
More importantly, the Islanders defend. Since the Brock Nelson trade and the many injuries to the offense, they haven’t been able to take over games. Instead, Roy has the Islanders shutting down opponents and allowing the defensive unit to get the job done. It’s why the team, which has had plenty of cold streaks, is still in the playoff picture.
Roy & Tocchet Leaning On Their Stars
The Canucks will need Hughes playing at a Norris Trophy level to make the postseason. He won the award last season by playing great at both ends of the ice, and he’ll need to do that again, while Tocchet will lean on his top defenseman to play more minutes and in all situations.
Roy needs Sorokin to keep playing well for the Islanders to make the playoffs. While he started Marcus Hogberg on March 22 in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames, he’s leaned on Sorokin for most starts. He’s one of the reasons why the Islanders allow only 2.96 goals per game and can make a push for a wild-card spot. Only a few teams on the bubble in the Eastern Conference have elite goaltenders, and Sorokin is one. Roy will get the most out of him as a result.
It’s easy to say Roy and Tocchet have had rough seasons. However, 2024-25 has been a testament to their coaching skills. Through the tough times, they’ve kept their teams competitive and are getting the most out of depleted rosters. The Canucks and Islanders will go through some changes in the offseason, but both coaches will stick around as keys to success in the future.
