Coyotes’ Tocchet to coach All-Stars

The National Hockey League announced Thursday that Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet will coach the Pacific Division team at the NHL All-Star Weekend.

Tocchet will join Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins (Atlantic), Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues (Central) and Todd Reirden of the Washington Capitals (Metropolitan) as All-Star Game coaches.

The NHL All-Star Weekend, which will be held Jan. 24-25 in St. Louis, will once again consist of a three-game tournament, played in a 3-on-3 format, featuring four teams - one for each NHL division.

Tocchet has guided the Coyotes to a 26-18-5 (57 points) record while Arizona currently occupies first place in the Pacific Division this season.

The 55-year-old native of Scarborough, Ontario was previously a fourtime NHL All-Star as a player. He will become the second Coyotes coach to participate in an All-Star game (Jim Schoenfeld - 1999).

Tocchet replaces Gerard Gallant as the Pacific Division coach.

Gallant was fired by the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

“I was shocked like everybody,” Tocchet said of the Gallant firing. “He’s a friend of mine. I mean, I think he’s a great coach. He did a great job in Florida and he did a great job in Las Vegas. I just know, for him, he’s a great coach. I feel bad for him.”

Tocchet, who was hired in July 2017, is now the 11th-longest tenured head coach in the NHL. Only Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green, one of Tocchet’s closest friends, rivals Tocchet in tenure among bench bosses in the Pacific Division.

“We’re all in it and we know the result,” Tocchet said. “But to get the end result, it’s a commitment to the process. There’s a process you have to go through. Sometimes the results won’t be there right away, but I agree with (Gallant). Sometimes you don’t like it because sometimes it’s not the coach’s fault. It’s hard for me to speak because I’ve been there before. You just move on. Do your best, and move on.”

Entering play Wednesday, the Coyotes held sole possession of first place in a crowded division, one where the Golden Knights were just three points back.

Vegas was in first place at the NHL’s holiday break, which meant Gallant was slated to be head coach for the Pacific Division at the All-Star Game in St. Louis.