5 NHL Coaches Who Were Fired This Season

It’s been a tough season for NHL coaches with five of them being fired so far. Who are they and what led to their firing?

NHL Coaches Who Were Fired This Season

It’s been a tough year for NHL coaches. Five of them were fired during the season, and many more could be on the chopping block in the offseason. Here’s a look at the five coaches who were let go:

1. John Stevens, Los Angeles Kings
Stevens was let go after just 13 games, with the Kings mired in last place in the Western Conference It was a harsh move, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected given the team’s poor performance.

2. Mike Yeo, St. Louis Blues
Yeo was fired after two-plus seasons with the Blues. He led the team to a playoff berth in his first year, but they missed the postseason in his second year and were off to a slow start this season.

3. Joel Quenneville, Chicago Blackhawks
Quenneville is one of the most successful coaches in NHL history but even he couldn’t save the struggling Blackhawks this season. They’re currently last in the Central Division and Quenneville was let go after 10 years with the team.

4. Todd McLellan, Edmonton Oilers
McLellan was let go after four seasons with the Oilers. He led them to a playoff berth in his first year, but they missed the playoffs in each of his next three seasons. They’re currently last in the Western Conference standings.

5. Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers
Vigneault was let go after six seasons with the Rangers. He led them to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in his first year and helped them to regularly compete for playoff spots thereafter, but they missed the playoffs this season and he paid the price.

What Led to Their Firing?

In the National Hockey League coaching changes are commonplace during the season. In fact, it’s not uncommon for multiple coaches to be fired in a single week. This season was no different, as five coaches were let go by their respective teams. So what led to their firing? Let’s take a look.

1. Mike Yeo – St. Louis Blues
Yeo was sacked by the Blues after a disappointing start to the season. The team was struggling to find its identity and had just lost seven straight games. While some of the blame falls on the players, it was ultimately Yeo’s job to get the team back on track.

2. John Stevens – Los Angeles Kings
Like Yeo, Stevens was also let go due to his team’s poor performance early in the season. The Kings were off to a sluggish start and Stevens wasn’t able to turn things around. He was replaced by former player and coach Willie Desjardins.

3. Joel Quenneville – Chicago Blackhawks
Quenneville is one of the most successful coaches in NHL history but even he couldn’t save the Blackhawks from their disappointing season. The team was near the bottom of the standings and showed no signs of improvement under Quenneville’s guidance. He was replaced by former player Jeremy Colliton.

4 .Todd McLellan – Edmonton Oilers
McLellan is another victim of his team’s poor performance this season. The Oilers were expected to contend for a playoff spot, but they have been one of the worst teams in the league all year long. McLellan couldn’t get them back on track and paid for it with his job.

5 . Dave Hakstol – Philadelphia Flyers
Hakstol is perhaps the most surprising coaching casualty of this season as he had led the Flyers to playoff appearances in each of his first three seasons at the helm. However, things took a turn for the worse this year as Hakstol struggled to adapt to changes in personnel and strategy. He was ultimately replaced by former player Scott Gordon

Who Replaced Them?

The NHL season is well underway, and there have already been a number of coaching changes. Here are five coaches who were fired this season and who their teams have chosen to replace them.

1. Bruce Boudreau (Anaheim Ducks) – Replaced by Randy Carlyle
2. Claude Julien (Boston Bruins) – Replaced by Bruce Cassidy
3. Gerard Gallant (Florida Panthers) – Replaced by Tom Rowe
4. Glen Gulutzan (Calgary Flames) – Replaced by Brett Sutter
5. Michel Therrien (Montreal Canadiens) – Replaced by Claude Julien

How Have the New Coaches Fared?

The NHL season is well underway, and we’ve already seen a number of coaches get the axe. Let’s take a look at how the teams with new head coaches have fared so far this season.

1) The Vancouver Canucks fired John Tortorella after just one season in charge. The team has since hired Willie Desjardins, who coached the Dallas Stars last season. Under Desjardins, the Canucks have gone 16-10-3, good for fourth place in the Pacific Division

2) The Washington Capitals fired Adam Oates after two seasons at the helm. They replaced him with former Nashville Predators Head Coach Barry Trotz. The Capitals have gone 18-9-4 under Trotz, which puts them third in the Metropolitan Division.

3) The Florida Panthers made a change mid-season, firing Kevin Dineen and hiring Gerard Gallant. Gallant coached the Quebec Major Junior hockey League’s Saint John Sea Dogs to a Memorial Cup title in 2011. He has since lead the Panthers to a 12-12-4 record, which puts them sixth in the Atlantic Division

4) The Philadelphia Flyers fired Peter Laviolette after three games this season and replaced him with Craig Berube. Berube was an Assistant Coach under Laviolette for two seasons before being promoted to head coach The Flyers have gone 19-10-3 under Berube, good for second place in the Metropolitan Division behind only Trotz’s Capitals.

5) Finally, the Winnipeg Jets let go of Claude Noel midway through last season and replaced him with Paul Maurice. Maurice had previously coached the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes franchise for parts of 10 seasons. He has led the Jets to a 18-12-5 record so far this season, good for fifth place in the Central Division behind only Chicago, St Louis, Nashville and Colorado.

What’s Next for the Fired Coaches?

In the NHL, coaching changes are a dime a dozen. But this season has seen an unusually high number of coaches get the axe, with five teams making mid-season coaching changes. So what’s next for the fired coaches?

1. Peter Laviolette: Laviolette was one of the most successful coaches in Predators history, leading the team to two Stanley Cup Finals Appearances But after a slow start to the season, Laviolette was let go. He’s sure to get another head coaching gig soon, as his resume is among the best in the league.

2. John Hynes: Hynes was surprisingly let go by the Devils after four seasons at the helm. He led the team to a playoff appearance in 2018 and had them in contention for a playoff spot this season. Hynes is a young coach with a lot of potential, so he should have no trouble finding another NHL head coaching job.

3. Michel Therrien: Therrien was fired by the Blackhawks after just two seasons on the job. He led the team to a playoff appearance in his first season, but they missed the playoffs this year and struggled to find consistent success. Therrien is an experienced NHL coach and should be able to land another head coaching gig soon enough.

4. Gerard Gallant: Gallant was let go by the Golden Knights after leading them to an unlikely Stanley Cup Final appearance in their inaugural season. This year, however, the team missed the playoffs and Gallant was shown the door. Gallant is a highly respected NHL coach and will surely get another chance to lead an NHL team soon enough.

5. Mike Yeo: Yeo was fired by the Blues after five-plus seasons on the job. He led the team to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2018, but they failed to make it back to that level this year and missed the playoffs entirely. Yeo is still young and has had success at both the NHL and AHL levels, so he should have no trouble finding another NHL coaching job when he’s ready for it.