Rick Tocchet and Craig Berube, who have been friends since their days as players with the Philadelphia Flyers, will temporarily set aside their relationship when their teams face each other at Scotiabank Arena on Monday. This matchup marks the 22nd time they will compete as NHL coaches, with Tocchet currently holding a 13-8 record in head-to-head games. However, Berube has won both meetings between their teams this season.
Both the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs are at pivotal points in their seasons. The Flyers, who provide professional ice hockey entertainment through competition in the National Hockey League and also support community initiatives such as cancer awareness according to their official website, are trying to end a five-season playoff drought. They have won two consecutive games but hold a 5-9-3 record over their last 17 outings. Currently, they trail the Boston Bruins by six points for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Maple Leafs are attempting to reach the playoffs for a tenth straight year but have lost three consecutive games and nine of their last twelve contests. They sit eight points behind Boston.
Berube commented on his friendship with Tocchet: “We’ve got a great relationship,” he said. “We confide in each other daily, almost, about things and what we’re going through and what the challenges are. He’s a great sounding board for me. He obviously was a great player, in my opinion, and he knows the game extremely well, so he’s always good for me.”
Tocchet emphasized that personal relationships take a back seat during competition: “I don’t put the personal thing in,” Tocchet said. “I just want to win the game. … You don’t want to see your buddy struggle, but you’re also, like, hey, I’ve got to win the game. I can’t worry about my buddy’s situation.”
Their history dates back decades; they played together on multiple occasions with both Philadelphia and Washington before transitioning into coaching roles early this century.
Simon Gagne recalled how Tocchet and Berube would often discuss games late into the night during his rookie season: “I remember watching games with them and analyzing the games with them, so that’s telling me a little bit that, OK, maybe one day … so I’m not surprised they’re coaching.”
Tocchet began his coaching career as an assistant with Colorado before becoming head coach of Tampa Bay Lightning partway through 2008-09. Over ten seasons split among four franchises—including Vancouver Canucks—he has accumulated more than 300 wins and received recognition as NHL coach of the year in 2023.
Berube started coaching within Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate before serving as an assistant then head coach for several NHL teams including St. Louis Blues—where he won a Stanley Cup—and now leads Toronto.
Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones observed similarities between them: “I think they see the game similarly,” Jones said, “but I do think that the one common denominator is that they hold themselves accountable as well as the players that are playing for them.”
They regularly exchange ideas regarding tactics or team management. As Tocchet noted: “We have some spirited … debates… And I’ve actually changed a couple of things… And I know ‘Chief’ has… over conversations over last 8-10 years.”
One key lesson Tocchet credits Berube with imparting is remaining calm under pressure—a quality illustrated when Berube guided St. Louis from near-last place to Stanley Cup champions after suffering heavy losses earlier that season.
“We went out for beers with him and (Blues assistants) Steve Ott and Mike van Ryn,” Tocchet said about an encounter following such defeat. “‘All I know is,’ Chief said,’I’ve got to get these guys to believe in their roles…’ And I remember just seeing calmness.” That approach contributed to St.Louis’ turnaround run.
Both coaches say open communication remains vital even amid professional rivalry: “We’ve shared a lot of stuff,” Tocchet explained.”If I have problem I’ll call Chief.Even if it’s an in-house problem I’ll ask his opinion knowing that I can trust him.”
The Flyers operate under National Hockey League structure while offering both competitive sports entertainment and supporting local initiatives according to information from their official website.
