Rick Tocchet isn’t going anywhere.
The Buffalo Sabres hired Phil Housley on Thursday to become their head coach, a position many expected Tocchet, a Penguins assistant, to at least interview for given his relationship with Sabres general manager Jason Botterill.
Botterill was a longtime Penguins employee, working his way up to associate GM under Jim Rutherford.
“I think Rick is a great coach,” Phil Kessel said earlier in the day at locker cleanout. “He’s been the best assistant coach I’ve had. He knows the game. He understands the game. He relates to players well.”
It was also possible that Jacques Martin would interview in Buffalo, but now coach Mike Sullivan should return his entire coaching staff for next season.
Tocchet plays a crucial role. Besides managing the team’s forwards, he provides a system of checks and balances with Sullivan, and he’s the coach most responsible for dealing with Kessel.
“Me and Rick have a good relationship,” Kessel said. “It’s fun. I think he understands me well. We have a good time.”
Tocchet has been with the Penguins since June 2014. Before that he was the head coach of the Lightning.
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: June 15, 2017, 7:01 p.m.