According to virtually all sources, the Vancouver Canucks pulled out all the stops when it came to attempting to extend head coach Rick Tocchet. Their final offer was reported to be somewhere in the range of $5 million per year over a term of five years.

Malhotra spearheaded the Abby Canucks to the fifth-best regular season record in the AHL despite seeing many of his key players shuttled up to Vancouver throughout the campaign as call-ups. That included an incredible 13-game winning streak down the stretch when some of Malhotra’s top players were up with the big club.

Rick Tocchet has stepped down as Canucks coach despite the team's attempts to re-sign him. Vancouver becomes the eighth NHL team looking to hire a new coach this offseason.