The NHL is a troublesome enterprise, and whereas gamers face slim odds of constructing it to the league, changing into an NHL head coach is much more difficult. With solely 32 head teaching positions accessible, the competitors is fierce, and the job market usually revolves round a well-known carousel of recurring names. Breaking into the teaching ranks and sustaining a spot is an uphill battle, making the trail to changing into an NHL coach one of many hardest in skilled sports activities. Frankly, if three Jack Adams finalists are all fired inside 18 months, what likelihood does anybody else stand?
Again in Might 2023, the three coaches of the yr had been Jim Montgomery, Dave Hakstol, and Lindy Ruff. Since then, all three have been fired, the most recent being Montgomery on Tuesday.
Jim Montgomery – Boston Bruins
Montgomery was the coach of the most effective regular-season workforce of all time. Sadly, all good issues come to an finish. On the time of his firing, he was teaching a under .500 workforce that misplaced to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who’re one of many worst groups within the NHL. That was the ultimate straw for him, and the Boston Bruins let him go.
Montgomery coached the Bruins for 184 video games. Throughout that point, he solely misplaced 41 occasions in regulation. His total teaching document with the group was a 120-41-23 document, which was good for a .715 factors proportion.
Lindy Ruff – New Jersey Devils
Lindy Ruff discovered himself in an damage scenario very similar to Montgomery. Only a yr after teaching the New Jersey Devils to their finest common season document of all time, he was let go. The Devils’ document on the time of his document was 30-27-4, which had the membership eight factors out of a wildcard spot.
Ruff coached the Devils for a complete of 4 seasons and had a document of 128-125-28. After Ruff was let go by the Devils, he signed with the Buffalo Sabres, the place he returns dwelling to assist them lastly clinch a playoff berth.
Dave Hakstol – Seattle Kraken
Dave Hakstol was the primary named head coach in Seattle Kraken’s workforce historical past. He coached the workforce for 3 seasons earlier than he was let go after failing to make the playoffs. The yr prior, he helped lead the workforce to a 100-point season and superior to the Western Convention semifinals.
Hakstol, who went 107-112-27 with the franchise, was put right into a no-win scenario by being the primary coach of a corporation after an enlargement draft. He did his finest with the workforce, however sadly, that’s the enterprise. Since he was fired, he has but to search out one other NHL teaching job.
There are three NHL head coaches who could possibly be on the new seat, corresponding to Mike Sullivan, coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins; Derek Lalonde, coach of the Detroit Crimson Wings; and Andrew Brunette, coach of the Nashville Predators.
Which one will probably be fired subsequent?
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