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

With the offseason here for most NHL teams, now is a prime time to see coaches around the NHL get fired. Last week’s top hot-seat coach, Pascal Vincent, was recently let go by the Blue Jackets.

Due to changes behind the bench being on the rise, multiple coaches could still be let go by their clubs before the season starts. Let’s review four coaches who could be given the boot before the start of the 2024-25 season. 

Mike Sullivan – Penguins

Mike Sullivan is a coach who has the potential to be fired, as the Penguins missed the playoffs for the second season in a row. When noting that they had high expectations heading into the season, missing the playoffs was a major disappointment. 

It is clear that the Penguins are trying to stay competitive during the final years of Sidney Crosby’s career, but right now, they are not close to being a true contender. Because of this, now may be the time for a change behind the bench. A new voice could be the drive they need to get things back on track.

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.

Derek Lalonde – Red Wings 

After holding a wild-card spot for most of the 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.

However, if the Red Wings did fire Lalonde, he would almost certainly get attention around the NHL for other gigs. The potential for him to be a very good coach is there, but we must wait and see if he stays put in Detroit.  

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.

Ryan Huska – Flames 

Ryan Huska is a coach who has picked up some steam regarding hot-seat talk. The Flames took another step backward this season, and some have speculated that the club could make another change behind the bench because of it. 

With there being some big-name and experienced coaches available, it is fair to wonder if the Flames could make another coaching change. The Flames want to be competitive as soon as possible, so it is something to look out for. 

However, it would also be understandable if the Flames elected to give Huska another chance. This season was challenging for the Flames, as they were forced to part ways with Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and Noah Hanifin because of their expiring deals. 

Potential Replacement: Dean Evason is a coach to watch if the Flames want to make a change behind the bench. He had plenty of success with the Wild and could help the Flames get back on the right track because of it. He also played for the Flames as a player. 

Andre Tourigny – Utah 

Andre Tourigny is another coach to pay attention to this offseason. 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 the 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.