After six coaching changes this season, expect more NHL teams to replace their bench bosses, particularly in the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions, says Adam Proteau.
The NHL coaching community changes more and more each season, and this year is no different.
Six coaches were replaced at one point or another – nearly 20 percent of the league’s bench bosses. Once this season is over, there will likely be more changes in the coaching world.
Forget, for the sake of brevity, that current interim coaches – Jim Hiller in L.A., Travis Green in New Jersey, Jacques Martin in Ottawa and Drew Bannister in St. Louis – may well move on after the season ends. There are still many coaches likely to be moved on from this summer.
For example, in Buffalo, Don Granato is on shaky ground with the Sabres after a hugely disappointing season.
Granato just celebrated his third year on the job, and in coaches’ terms, that’s almost an eternity. But someone has to pay for the Sabres’ inability to consistently produce positive results.
There will likely be some experienced candidates – think of Gerard Gallant or Bruce Boudreau – who can step in and provide structure and confidence for beleaguered Sabres players. The pressure in Buffalo will be massive, which is probably why Sabres GM Kevyn Adams will go with a veteran bench boss rather than a first-time NHL coach.
Similarly, in Columbus, the massive internal shakeup that began with the firing of former GM Jarmo Kekalainen is almost certainly going to push Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent out the door.
Kekalainen’s replacement as GM may want his own candidate running things. While Vincent hasn’t had good fortune regarding the health of his Blue Jackets players, the coaching business doesn’t allow for continual excuses as to why things don’t work out. So it’s going to be fascinating to see what the Blue Jackets do with their management and coaching team.
However, for our money, the most intriguing coaching predicament is unfolding in Pittsburgh.
Mike Sullivan has coached the Penguins since December 2015 – he’s the second-longest-tenured coach after Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, who started in March 2013. While Pens GM Kyle Dubas has spoken about his respect for Sullivan’s tenure, the reality is the organization has to move away from the glory days of the past and map out a new direction to try and make the most of the years superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have left.
Sullivan hasn’t been able to deliver enough wins from Pittsburgh’s veteran-laden lineup, but don’t kid yourself – if or when the Penguins fire him, Sullivan will be in high demand elsewhere in the league.
That brings us to a possible replacement for Sullivan – and one currently employed by another team – in Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe.
If Toronto fails to win at least two rounds in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Keefe is likely to be fired by Buds GM Brad Treliving. If the Penguins’ job hasn’t been filled by then, Dubas could choose a familiar route by bringing Keefe aboard and reuniting the duo that won an AHL championship in 2017-18. Keefe and Dubas are comfortable with one another, and that working relationship could be the backbone behind a Keefe move to Pittsburgh.
As you can see – and if you include the current interim coaches – there could be as many as eight coaching changes before next season begins. That shouldn’t surprise anyone anymore. When GMs can’t effect change in the lineup, their next move often is changing coaches. As a result, the coaching carousel spins faster and faster.
It’s not a question of if coaches will be dismissed but when. The only thing we can be sure of is that a modern-day coach’s life span at the NHL level is tentative at best.