6 NHL Coaches in the Hot Seat

(Photos - Getty Images/AlwaysHockey Editor)

The NHL season has started and for six NHL clubs the season didn’t start the way they expected. Many people expected the Anaheim Ducks, L.A Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets to have solid seasons and be playoff teams. Unfortunately these four clubs haven’t looked strong yet this season. Columbus made trades in the off-season to help improve their roster but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has started the season poorly and could be blamed for half of losses for the team. However, it’s being shown that the players don’t believe in Todd Richards’s system and changes are needed. The Blue Jackets are currently 0-6-0 this season. The Ducks are the most surprising and fans can’t believe that they’ve only scored 1 goal in 4 games this season. In the off-season Management held an internal meeting and came to the conclusion that the team could have a slow start. They replaced 1/3 of their roster with new players and it takes time for the players to learn the systems. GM Bob Murray is giving the Ducks some freeway to the start the season, but that generosity won’t last long. The team has placed a 10 game limit to turn it around. It’s believed that if the team can’t turn it around then a change will be made. The Kings have looked terrible so far this season and have a record of 1-3-0 with only 4 goals scored. The Kings haven’t had any support from their leaders and it’s resulting in poor play on the ice. Experts believe Sutter could be on the hot seat but that seems like the further option the Kings need to make. The biggest surprise from the East is the Pittsburgh Penguins with a record of 2-3-0. They started the season 0-3 before beating Ottawa and Toronto. The Penguins have huge holes on defense and their star players can’t generate scoring chances. Crosby hasn’t registered a point this season and didn’t have a shot on net until the third game of the year. Since game 3, Crosby has had 8 shots on net but nothing has transpired from them. Head Coach Mike Johnston is under fire due to the team’s unsuccessful playoff performance last season and the poor start to this year. The Pens added top sniper Phil Kessel to help Crosby but that plan hasn’t worked for the team. If Johnston can’t light a fire under Crosby, Malkin and Kessel soon then a coaching change could happen. Management and the Owners believe this is a Stanley Cup team and right now they’re not playing like one.

Other teams like Carolina and Boston are also off to poor starts and the internal feelings from both teams, is that they are playoff teams. Many experts believe that Carolina and Boston have a slim chance of a playoff spot, but because internally the teams believe they can, changes could be made if they’re still out of a playoff spot. Boston’s Coach, Claude Julien almost lost his job last spring when the Bruins didn’t reach the post-season. Instead owners parted ways with former GM Peter Charelli and hired Don Sweeney as the new General Manager. Julien is being evaluated under a microscope daily and his mistakes are being noted. The team is currently 2-3-0 but started the season 0-3. The team has shown life after Chara returned in their 4th game against Colorado. Carolina’s Bill Peters is in his second season as Head Coach for the Hurricanes. GM Ron François believes that his team is a playoff team and wants them to play like one. Currently the Hurricanes are 1-4-0 this season and they don’t look like a team that could battle in the playoffs. If Francois truly believes that, then changes to his coaching staff may happen in the coming weeks. The pain in Carolina doesn’t look like it’s going to let up and a rebuild is among us.

I do believe that Columbus needs a coaching change and if Anaheim can’t turn it around by games 10-15, then the Ducks need to make a change as well. The rest of the coaches that are on the hot seat won’t be let go until around the 20 game mark. This is only possible if they continue to lose games.

AlwaysHockey’s Coaching Hot Seat Rankings

1 – Todd Richards (Columbus Blue Jackets)

2 – Bruce Boudreau (Anaheim Ducks)

3 – Mike Johnston (Pittsburgh Penguins)

4 – Bill Peters (Carolina Hurricanes)

5 – Claude Julien (Boston Bruins)

6 – Darryl Sutter (LA Kings)

The season is still young but that doesn’t mean a coaching change won’t happen. If a team starts off ruff, it is always harder for them to build confidence under the same systems. These players want to win and if they’re not, they’ll lose faith in what the coach is trying to teach.

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