Flyers’ Rick Tocchet erupts on Trevor Zegras amid Game 3 vs. Hurricanes

Rick Tocchet was a bit of a controversial hire by the Philadelphia Flyers, but as a former member of the team, he knew the identity that would bring successful hockey back to the city. After making the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his first season as the head coach, it’s easy to see that the front office made the right choice.

One partnership that people were unsure about was Tocchet and flashy forward, Trevor Zegras. The playmaker has a bit of a reputation for hot-dogging, which is one trait that Tocchet doesn’t appreciate in a hockey player. It led to a couple of blowups this season, and it happened again in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Rick Tocchet to Trevor Zegras pic.twitter.com/jiw2riAXUQ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 8, 2026

The tough love from Rick Tocchet seemed to work for Zegras, as he scored the goal that tied the game at 1 in the second period. While there were some growing pains for Tocchet and Zegras, whatever the head coach was doing worked, as Zegras had a career-high in points with 67 in 81 games. It may have been an odd couple match given the two personalities, but Tocchet brought a sense of discipline to the forward’s game.

When Zegras was with the Anaheim Ducks, their head coaches didn’t fully trust him to play center because of his offensive-centric style. It didn’t seem like that would work for Tocchet either, but the coach moved him there mid-season and completely changed his game.

If Tocchet can keep pushing the right buttons, advancing past the Hurricanes may not seem as far-fetched as some suggest. However, being down in a 2-0 hole in the series doesn’t give them much breathing room.

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