And with those words, and others, Tocchet laid the groundwork for his first full off-season as head coach of the Coyotes.
Thanks, in big part, to a 0-10-1 start, Arizona finished the season with 70 points. However, the team rallied after New Year's Day and finished 2017-18 with a 20-14-7 record over its final 41 games. That progress has Tocchet already eagerly awaiting training camp in September.
"I'm impressed with the staff," General Manager John Chayka said of Tocchet, assistants John MacLean and Scott Allen, Goaltending Coach Corey Schwab and Video Coach Steve Peters. "I think it's pretty well-accepted that we're the most improved team in the League. Any time you're evaluating coaches, you're looking at a few things. You're not just looking at the record, you're looking at how that team evolves ... I thought they did an excellent job. I think there's a lot of players that got better, both young and old. I thought they brought together the group in a really meaningful way."
Like Chayka, Tocchet was pleased by the chemistry developed within the coaching staff. He said as the season unfolded, the assistants began to feel more comfortable respectfully questioning him, at times, and that, in turn, helped him become a better coach.