While Nelson isn’t currently in the AHL, there are plenty of standouts in the league who either have great track records or are leading their teams on deep playoff runs. Below are five names to keep an eye on. MANNY MALHOTRA Manny Malhotra already has plenty of interest from a few teams, including the Maple Leafs and the Vancouver Canucks. While the Abbotsford Canucks missed the playoffs, he coached the team to the Calder Cup title in 2025 and, like the GM Ryan Johnson (who was promoted to the NHL this week), has checked off a lot of boxes while he was in the AHL. AHL Canucks Manny Malhotra is an Intriguing NHL Head Coach Candidate [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/952a309f-759a-4f5d-a099-24f6ffb2e0d9.jpeg] AHL Canucks Manny Malhotra is an Intriguing NHL Head Coach Candidate But why will NHL teams pump the brakes and possibly pass on him? [https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/ahl-canucks-manny-malhotra-is-an-intriguing-nhl-head-coach-candidate] What makes Malhotra a great coach is his ability to adapt to the team and the situation. He understands the game and can have the team win a fast-paced, high-scoring contest or a defensive battle. It was on full display during the Calder Cup run as the team adjusted depending on the opponent. There’s a good chance the Canucks prevent him from leaving the building because otherwise, the Maple Leafs, who had him as an assistant, might hire him instead. STEVE OTT If there’s one coach who has boosted his coaching stock in the last few months, it’s Steve Ott. he was a longtime assistant with the St. Louis Blues and viewed as a coach on the rise but needed to remove any doubt that he could coach at any level. His move to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds did just that. He turned around a team that looked poised to finish in last place and not only got them into the playoffs but has them in the Atlantic Division Final. The playoff run has particularly shown how he can get a group to rally and battle back even when the odds are stacked against them. The Thunderbirds weren’t supposed to beat the Charlotte Checkers, especially after losing Game One 8-1 but they did. They weren’t supposed to beat the Providence Bruins, who had the best record in the AHL, yet they upset them in four games. They were down 3-0 heading into the third period against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins and battled back to win 4-3 in overtime. How Steve Ott’s Move to the AHL Turned Springfield Around & Made Him an NHL Head Coach Candidate [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/da0db992-9e52-4151-b6d9-32168f70f287.jpeg] How Steve Ott’s Move to the AHL Turned Springfield Around & Made Him an NHL Head Coach Candidate “The best thing about this league is you get to have fun with it as well, you can try different things you might have wanted to try in the NHL” - Steve Ott [https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/how-steve-ott-s-move-the-ahl-turned-springfield-around-made-him-an-nhl-head-coach-candidate] Ott got the team to buy into his system, and they are confident they can beat anyone. For an NHL team, this is what you want to see in a head coach: someone who gets the buy-in and knows how to coach in a big game, something he’s done throughout the playoffs. The irony is that the longer this playoff run goes on for the Thunderbirds, the harder it will be for Ott to find a coaching position, as some of the seats might be taken up. RYAN MOUGENEL He led the Bruins AHL team to the best record in the league and won the AHL’s Coach of the Year Award. Ryan Mougenel is one of the most impressive coaches in the league, someone who is in the sweet spot to jump to the NHL after being in the AHL for a few years. He had a talented roster and the best goaltender in the league but he took the Bruins to another level with a historic season. While Mougenel and the Bruins came up short in the playoffs, this season boosted his resume. His style is different, and he doesn’t lead a system that works for everyone but he’s the type of coach a rebuilding team might want to bring in. GEORDIE KINNEAR Geordie Kinnear is a tough nut to crack; that’s what a few people around the AHL circles have noted when talking about the Charlotte Checkers head coach. It's reflective in the way the team plays as a tough checking team that loves to pressure and generate a surplus of shots. It’s not for everyone but with the right group, his style works. He led the Checkers to the Calder Cup Final last season on the backs of a high-pressure system and a tough mentality that the players bought into. He’s a wild card coach because a team might give him a chance at some point. At the very least, the Florida Panthers should promote him to the NHL bench and groom him as the successor to Paul Maurice. TRENT VOGELHUBER What’s wild about Trent Vogelhuber is that he’s been a head coach for four years already, yet is still one of the youngest in the AHL at 37 years old. He’s already led the Cleveland Monsters to a few successful seasons and has them in the North Division Final playing well above their weight. Vogelhuber is the definition of a startup coach and is ideal for a rebuilding team to hire. The problem is that the Columbus Blue Jackets are beating everyone to the punch. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, they have an assistant role lined up for Vogelhuber whenever the Monsters' season ends. It’s a smart move considering he’s a rising star in the coaching ranks and someone other teams will want to hire if they don’t. HONORABLE MENTIONS It’s worth adding that John Gruden and Pascal Vincent are two of the best coaches in the AHL. Vincent led the Rocket to the best record in the North Division and has NHL experience as he coached the Blue Jackets for one season. Gruden, meanwhile, was a longtime NHL assistant and has put together multiple great seasons with the Marlies, including this season, where they are in the North Division Final. The problem both coaches face is that they are older, and it might be held against them. The Maple Leafs can promote Gruden from within but it’s doubtful they’ll want him as a first-time head coach. That said, they should have him around even as an assistant, considering the job he’s done in the AHL with the prospects. Maple Leafs Have Uncertain Future, but Marlies' Gruden is Part of Solution [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1d438fda-74c9-44f8-a2c0-bf6d3e6cc93f.jpeg] Maple Leafs Have Uncertain Future, but Marlies' Gruden is Part of Solution The Toronto Marlies have overachieved all season, and it's a credit to head coach John Gruden. Even if the Maple Leafs don't make him their head coach, he must be a part of their future in some capacity. [https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/maple-leafs-have-uncertain-future-but-marlies-gruden-is-part-of-solution] This list is mostly coaches from the Eastern Conference, which might come off as a biased perspective. It’s worth noting that there are a few names in the Western Conference to keep in mind as well, including Dan Watson of the Grand Rapids Griffins, Andrew Lord of the Ontario Reign, and Derek Laxdal of the Coachella Valley Firebirds. In fairness, it’s hard to evaluate them since yours truly does not know them as well compared to the Eastern Conference coaches who have been interviewed by The Hockey News this season.
