Nine NHL teams have a new coach this off-season

Nine NHL teams will begin the season with a new head coach, marking one of the league’s busiest off-seasons in years as leadership changes ripple across the standings. The marquee move sent Mike Sullivan from Pittsburgh to the New York Rangers, a franchise that missed the playoffs last season but remains stacked with talent. Sullivan, who has coached Sidney Crosby and was chosen by USA Hockey to lead the country at the Milan Olympics, arrives with a reputation for detail and intensity. In Anaheim, Joel Quenneville is back in the league four years after resigning from Florida amid controversy, taking over the Ducks with the goal of restoring a championship outlook. Philadelphia hired Rick Tocchet, reuniting with a city and fan base he knows well, after Tocchet left Vancouver in a high-profile departure. These moves, among others, signal a league-wide push to blend veteran leadership with fresh development paths as teams recalibrate around core players and hopeful contending windows.

In addition to those high-profile hires, the offseason featured a second wave of changes designed to address recent results and future projections. Dallas, after parting ways with Peter DeBoer following three consecutive trips to the West final, tapped Glen Gulutzan, a former Dallas coach who has spent the past seven seasons as an Edmonton assistant guiding the power play and other areas. Boston turned to Jim Sturm, a coach whose path through the American Hockey League and international stops culminated in a readiness to lead the Bruins, with Sturm stating, "This is the time. Timing is everything, and I couldn’t end up in a better spot than Boston." Chicago awarded Jim Blashill a head-coaching job as the Blackhawks pursue a rebuilding arc around a young core that includes Connor Bedard, the 2023 No. 1 pick who is expected to grow into a longer-term role as the organization retools. In Pittsburgh, Mike Muse—formerly an assistant under Peter Laviolette—steps into a Penguins chair that has long been shaped by Crosby, Malkin and Letang, while navigating a shift toward youth. Seattle’s bench has seen a double move: Lane Lambert, fired by the Islanders in January 2024, was brought in to steady a franchise seeking to regain its footing after last season’s upheaval. Vancouver faces its own leadership questions as Tocchet’s exit left a void the Canucks hope to fill with a coach who can keep Quinn Hughes in the picture beyond 2027, while Hughes himself noted that the league’s evolving dynamics demand adaptability from whoever sits behind the bench. And through it all, the league continues to emphasize structure, accountability and development as predecessors and successors balance established stars with a next wave of players who could determine the trajectory of each team for years to come.

Players around the league weighed in with early reactions as teams prepared for training camps and the new coaching era. On the Rangers, defenseman Carson Soucy praised Sullivan for his pedigree and his approach, saying, "He’s intense, very detail-focused and he wants to win." In Anaheim, Quenneville’s arrival drew praise for the experience and championship resume he brings to a franchise eager to reclaim the path to contention. In Philadelphia, defenseman Travis Sanheim welcomed Tocchet back to the city and the organization, noting that Tocchet’s familiarity with the fans and the building could accelerate the team’s evolution. The changes were also reflected in the goaltending and defensive corps around the league: Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger acknowledged the upheaval with a pragmatic, yet hopeful view of a fresh start, saying, "You never want to see anyone lose their job. It’s a tough business, and with how good we’ve been the last three years, it’s tough. ... Looking forward to getting a fresh start." Bedard, moving forward with Blashill in Chicago, expressed optimism about the coaching change, saying, "We’re excited to have him. He’s thrilled to be with us. He’s showing a ton of excitement." In Pittsburgh, the players around Crosby, Malkin and Letang have acknowledged the transition as Muse brings a new strategic lens while remaining mindful of the franchise’s core identity; Letang, in particular, remarked on Muse’s work ethic and attention to detail, noting how he observed Muse spending late hours at the rink planning game plans and practice structure.

As the nine-head-coach snapshot unfolds, the NHL faces a period of adjustment with teams betting on leadership that can blend proven experience with a thoughtful path for younger players. The league’s balancing act—honoring tradition while pursuing new methods—will be on display as coaches implement systems designed to maximize talent while managing the inevitable ebbs and flows of a long season. With top players still at the center and the next generation pressing for more opportunity, the early returns from these coaching changes will influence playoff races, development timelines and the strategic directions of franchises for years to come.