NHL insider Elliotte Friedman provided a very intriguing reason as to what is causing the holdup with a Rick Tocchet extension, and it's a lack of facilities. On the latest 32 Thoughts Podcast, <a href='https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported</a> that Rick Tocchet met with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday but there was no agreement yet as of Sunday evening. Canucks president Jim Rutherford last week said <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/vancouver-canucks/new-report-confirms-which-team-is-the-favorite-to-steal-rick-tocchet-away-from-the-canucks' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the team will not pick up the option on Tocchet's contract</a> and would like to sign him to a new one. Of the holdouts with Tocchet, Friedman mentioned, is the team's failure to provide an exclusive practice facility, with Vancouver the only NHL team without one. I would understand that, Friedman said. I think if you're the one team that doesn't have one and the nights where your main rink is not available, and you kind of have to go into a public rink. It's a little bit different. I could see why that would drive a coach crazy. If you follow real estate in Vancouver, it's not inexpensive. That is clearly, even though Rutherford had some pretty hilarious comments about what he would do to try to get it done, it's obvious that it's a bit of a thing. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/arpan_on_BC/status/1916863126844084509'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Rutherford assured that although many years have been spent discussing building a facility, a decision is far from being made. He also addressed the matter of securing land in the Vancouver area and indicated that negotiations with potential partners have not yet yielded an agreement. I assure you, we're going to get this done, Rutherford, 76, said. Maybe long after I'm here, maybe long after I'm even on this earth, but it'll get done. We need 20,000 square feet that we can build on, with a dressing room (added) to a rink somewhere, and then just use the ice. For different reasons, it didn't work out. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1916884651458830420'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Earlier this year, Tocchet praised the facilities at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton in training camp, giving credit to the luxury of having several ice sheets available to them, something most of the other NHL teams can only dream about. At the same time, the <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/vancouver-canucks/vancouver-getting-second-professional-hockey-team-joining-canucks-in-the-city' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is expanding and adding a Vancouver franchise</a>. Their new team will play home games at the refurbished Pacific Coliseum and enjoy a private practice rink at the improved Agrodome, again placing the Canucks' long-time issue at center stage. Vancouver did not qualify for the playoffs this year, finishing fifth in the Pacific Division, their fourth playoff omission in five seasons.