Tocchet, Bowness, Montgomery, Laviolette to coach at 2024 NHL all-star weekend

The NHL announced on Sunday that Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks, Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets, Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers and Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins will serve as the four head coaches for the NHL All-Star Weekend next month.

“Under the All-Star selection process, the head coach of the team with the highest points percentage (points earned divided by total possible points) in each of the four divisions through games of Saturday, Jan. 13 – the halfway point of the regular season – guide the four All-Star rosters,” the NHL said in a press statement.

Montgomery’s Bruins (.702, 25-8-9), Bowness’ Jets (.714, 28-10-4), Laviolette’s Rangers (.659, 26‑13‑2) and Tocchet’s Canucks (.709, 29-11-3) recorded the highest points percentages in their respective divisions through Saturday’s games.

Laviolette will be making his fourth All-Star Weekend appearance as head coach (2011, 2015, 2018), the most among active head coaches in the League.

Montgomery is making his second career appearance (2023), the lone repeat qualifier from last season among the quartet.

Tocchet also is making his second career trip to All-Star Weekend as head coach (2020) to go along with his four appearances during an 18-year NHL playing career, while Bowness will be making his All-Star head coaching debut.

The NHL revealed its All-Star jerseys on Saturday, in collaboration with Justin Bieber’s streetwear line. Along with the Eastern Conference and Western Conference announcements, the league also revealed the final players voted by fans onto the All-Star rosters on Saturday. The list includes Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward William Nylander and Canucks’ forward Elias Pettersson.

The 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend takes place between Feb. 1 and 3 in Toronto.