NHL Hot Seat: NHL Coaches on the Hot Seat in 2024-25

The 2024-25 NHL season is almost here. This upcoming campaign has the potential to be another very entertaining year, as several teams around the league made big changes to their rosters. 

While the new season offers a clean slate, there are some coaches to watch incredibly closely during the start of the year. Because of this, let’s discuss four coaches who are hot-seat candidates heading into the new season. 

Derek Lalonde – Red Wings 

After holding a wild-card spot for most last season, the Red Wings’ struggles forced them out of a playoff spot at the end of the campaign. It was a brutal way for the Red Wings to go out, as it seemed that playoff hockey was finally returning to Detroit. 

Due to the Red Wings’ poor play down the stretch, there has been buzz about the prospect of Derek Lalonde being let go by the team. With Detroit looking to finally take that next step, a new voice may be needed. This is especially true if they can land a more proven coach.

Lalonde will need to be watched incredibly closely at the start of the year. The Red Wings are in “playoffs or bust” mode, and a slow start to the campaign could lead to Lalonde’s firing.  

Potential Replacement: Gerard Gallant would be a big-time addition to the Red Wings. He has an excellent coaching resume and could help Detroit blossom into a playoff team because of it. With that, he also played nine seasons as a player for the Red Wings.

Mike Sullivan – Penguins

Mike Sullivan is a coach who has the potential to be fired. The Penguins missed the playoffs for the second season in a row, which was not expected after their big 2023 NHL Offseason. 

Sullivan has yet to be let go by the Penguins, and he should start next season as their coach. However, if things continue to go sour for the Penguins in 2024-25, he could be one of the early coaches fired. He has been on the hot seat for quite some time. 

Sullivan has had an excellent tenure with the Penguins, but with Pittsburgh heading in the wrong direction, a change may benefit him and the team. If he does get let go, there would be a lot of interest in him because of his past success and overall experience.

Potential Replacement: Jay Woodcroft is one coach the Penguins should watch closely. While his time with the Oilers ended poorly, he had plenty of success coaching superstars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. As a result, he could do the same with the Penguins’ top guns.

Ryan Huska – Flames 

Ryan Huska is a coach who has gained some steam regarding hot-seat talk. The Flames took another step backward this past season. If this trend continues into the 2024-25 season, it could lead to more chatter about Huska as a hot-seat coach. 

With there being some experienced coaches available, it is fair to wonder if the Flames could make another coaching change if they start next season on the wrong foot. It will be something to pay attention to, but if the Flames play well, Huska’s job security will improve. 

Potential Replacement: Dave Hakstol is a coach to watch if the Flames want to make a change behind the bench. He has plenty of experience and could help the Flames get back on the right track because of it. 

Andre Tourigny – Utah 

Andre Tourigny is another coach to pay attention to. After finally landing an NHL team, Utah wants to be competitive out of the gate to help build its fanbase. This is a fresh start for the former Arizona Coyotes franchise, so perhaps a change behind the bench could be in order.

Overall, Tourigny did a fine job in his first three seasons behind the bench for the Coyotes. However, after being in the playoff race for a good portion of last season, a 14-game losing streak from late January to late February crushed the Coyotes’ chances. That could be something Utah keeps in the back of their mind. 

Potential Replacement: Todd McLellan could be an interesting coach for Utah to bring in. While his time with the Kings ended in a poor fashion, he has had a good amount of success in the NHL and would be a good coach for Utah to have.