Coaching in the NHL is undoubtedly a demanding career, yet it remains a role many are fortunate to hold. Currently, the league features seven head coaching vacancies, as teams look for new leadership after being dissatisfied with their recent performance or direction.
The annual coaching changes bring significant interest each spring. This year is particularly intriguing, presenting golden opportunities with promising, developing teams alongside chances to lead storied, original franchises. Notably, three of the Original Six clubs are currently seeking a new bench boss.
Adding to the pool of available coaches, Mike Sullivan, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, is now on the market as of Monday.
Joel Quenneville, who won three Cups with Chicago, is also a name being discussed. Quenneville was reinstated by the NHL last July, following a ban of over two years related to his insufficient handling of an alleged sexual assault by a Blackhawks video coach in 2010.
David Carle, who has had remarkable success coaching the NCAA`s Denver Pioneers, is also reportedly a candidate. Don`t overlook Jay Woodcroft either, who guided the Edmonton Oilers to win three playoff series across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
While the final destinations for these and other candidates are yet unknown, it`s clear that some highly desirable positions are open. Let`s take a closer look at each franchise currently searching for a head coach.
Anaheim Ducks
Imagine this pitch: Come take charge of a team loaded with young talent at every position, plus a strong prospect pipeline, all while enjoying the Southern California climate. This is genuinely appealing, as the Ducks are clearly a team trending upwards. The expectation, however, will be to quickly turn this potential into results, pushing Anaheim to the brink of the playoffs, if not securing a spot, by next year.
Despite a notable 21-point improvement this season, moving from 59 to 80 points, it wasn`t enough for head coach Greg Cronin, who was dismissed after two seasons. General Manager Pat Verbeek, in his third year, has already made a change behind the bench.
Several reports, including one from Sportsnet`s Elliotte Friedman, have linked Anaheim to Joel Quenneville.
Boston Bruins
Can the Bruins make a swift recovery? While they might not immediately return to contender status next fall, several factors suggest that Boston, aiming for a retool rather than a full rebuild, could be competitive again in the 2025-26 season.
A significant internal boost would come from healthy seasons from their top two defensemen, Charlie McAvoy (missed 32 games) and Hampus Lindholm (missed 65 games), who both missed substantial time this past year.
In net, Jeremy Swayman is a prime candidate for a bounce-back performance after a challenging season that followed drawn-out contract negotiations.
And expect consistent high-level production from star forward David Pastrnak.
Excluding Lindholm, who turned 31 in January, the core of this group is still in their twenties.
Furthermore, anticipate the Bruins being active this summer across various markets—free agency, trades, and even restricted free agency—to improve the roster.
Mike Sullivan, a native of Massachusetts who previously coached the Bruins two decades ago for two seasons, is considered an obvious potential candidate for this role.
Chicago Blackhawks
While the Blackhawks` immediate playoff aspirations may not be as high as the Ducks`, there is a definite sense of urgency for progress in Chicago.
Although comparing this current rebuilding iteration to the dynasty that won three championships in the 2010s is unfair, there are still many positive aspects to the current situation in Chicago.
Despite his first two seasons not dazzling everyone as much as some (perhaps unrealistically) expected, Connor Bedard remains a phenomenal cornerstone player. Adding to the promising future, defenseman Artyom Levshunov, selected second overall in the 2024 draft, showed significant potential in his 18 NHL games this year. Other prospects like forward Frank Nazar and defensemen Kevin Korchinski and Sam Rinzel are also on track to elevate the team`s performance relatively soon.
The expectation within the organization is that this spring`s draft lottery will be the last one where the team is heavily focused on securing a top pick for quite some time.
Tristan Blackwood