NHL Power Rankings: Ranking All 30 Coaches
As the season progresses, we are forced to look at the standings and see how the league has shaken out so far.
A big part of each teams success and failure is the aptitude of the coach.
This season has seen coaching changes and all the ups and downs a coach could ever want to see.
Some coaches are shocking people with their leadership and team performance, while others are disappointing the fan bases they represent.
The following list is of the 30 NHL coaches right now. I took recent play, overall record, team’s performance, tenure and several other factors into consideration when judging the current NHL coaches.
If you disagree, leave a comment and tell me why!
Enjoy!
30. Jack Capuano
1 of 30
Team: New York Islanders (14th in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 10-13-4
Tenure with Current Team: Since November 15, 2010 (interim head coach)
Overall Record: 10-13-4
Experience: First season coaching in the NHL but was head coach of the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Jack Capuano's first year coaching in the NHL has been tough. The Islanders have struggles, but it’s hard to lay blame on this man.
29. Tom Renney
2 of 30
Team: Edmonton Oilers (15th in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 41-71-15
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with the Oilers
Overall Record: 243-237-9-61
Experience: Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers
Tom Renney has been coaching in the NHL since the mid-1990s. He had most of his success with the Rangers, but has been a solid coach anywhere.
28. Brent Sutter
3 of 30
Team: Calgary Flames (14th in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 60-53-16
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with Flames
Overall Record: 157-109-27
Experience: Two seasons with the New Jersey Devils and the last two seasons with the Calgary Flames.
Brent Sutter hasn’t coached for long, but he has stirred the pot since he joined the ranks of NHL coaches. He set a franchise record of 51 wins for the Devils before stepping down due to "personal reasons."
Sutter signed two weeks later with the Calgary Flames and his then-Flames GM brother Darryl Sutter.
The Flames have struggled under Sutter.
.png?w=256 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=256 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=256)
27. Cory Clouston
4 of 30
Team: Ottawa Senators (13th in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 61-55-13
Tenure with Current Team: Third season (second full season)
Overall Record: 80-66-17
Experience: After coaching the AHL Binghampton Senators, Clouston was promoted to head coach of the Ottawa Senators following the firing of Craig Hartsburg.
Since taking over the Ottawa Senators, Clouston has held a team together that hasn’t looked great.
The Senators have struggled and it seems that the youth needs to start developing faster. Ottawa deserves a good team and they don’t have it right now.
26. Davis Payne
5 of 30
Team: St. Louis Blues (11th in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 45-32-10
Tenure with Current Team: Second season as head coach (first full season)
Overall Record: 45-32-10
Experience: Before taking over coaching the St. Louis Blues following the club's dismissal of Andy Murray, he was the head coach AHL Peoria Rivermen.
Davis Payne is a first-time NHL coach whose training has been harder than expected. With all of the injuries the Blues have faced this season, Payne has done a pretty solid job keeping the ship upright.
25. Todd Richards
6 of 30
Team: Minnesota Wild (ninth in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 60-54-16
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with the Wild
Overall Record: 60-54-16
Experience: Besides being the current coach of the Minnesota Wild, Richards was an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks and the head coach of the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Todd Richards is a solid coach who has a lot to offer the Wild organization.
He is trying to instill a different mindset in a team that was lead by longtime coach Jacques Lemaire and his defense-first mentality.
The Wild are in a tough conference and it is a rebuilding process, so wins will be tough.
24. Peter DeBoer
7 of 30
Team: Florida Panthers (10th in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 53-57-17
Tenure with Current Team: Third season with the Panthers
Overall Record: 94-87-28
Experience: DeBoer is in his third full season with the Florida Panthers and has done well with a bad team.
DeBoer was a longtime Kitchener Rangers coach and made the jump to the Panthers. The team has struggled, but DeBoer is the one who has helped keep them in contention.
23. John Tortorella
8 of 30
Team: New York Rangers (sixth in the eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 65-51-14
Tenure with Current Team: Fourth season with the Rangers (third full season)
Overall Record: 349-302-37-65
Experience: Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers
Tortorella's coaching career began with the AHL Rochester Americans, and he was also an assistant coach for the AHL New Haven Nighthawks and the Americans, and the NHL Buffalo Sabres, Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers.
He then took over the job in Tampa Bay.
Tortorella helped turn around an organization in Tampa Bay and helped win them a Stanley Cup in 2004. His tenure in New York hasn’t been as successful, but not terrible.
22. Craig Ramsay
9 of 30
Team: Atlanta Thrashers (eighth in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 23-18-7
Tenure with Current Team: First season with the Thrashers
Overall Record: 29-45-13
Experience: Ramsay is a good hockey mind that has never had a chance to put it all together.
For the Atlanta Thrashers this year, he has been a breath of fresh air and has breathed new life into a non-existent team.
21. Joe Sacco
10 of 30
Team: Colorado Avalanche (seventh in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 67-46-17
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with the Avalanche
Overall Record: 67-46-17
Experience: Sacco is a young coach trying to make his mark on the NHL.
The Avalanche are in a good position going forward, but it will still have to be seen how good Sacco can be in the playoffs.
Sacco has a lot of hockey intelligence and will be a good coach for years to come.
20. Paul Maurice
11 of 30
Team: Carolina Hurricanes (ninth in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 57-55-16
Tenure with Current Team: Second season (second stint with the Hurricanes)
Overall Record: 434-431-99-59
Experience: Maurice is in his 14th season as a NHL coach and is in his second stint with the Carolina Hurricanes franchise.
Maurice helped helm the team in the time of turmoil following the move from being the Hartford Whalers to the Carolina Hurricanes.
He's a good coach who is still young. He has a lot of games left behind the bench.
19. Terry Murray
12 of 30
Team: Los Angeles Kings (12th in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 63-50-16
Tenure with Current Team: Third season with the Kings
Overall Record: 411-337-89-29
Experience: Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings
Terry Murray was raised around hockey, and the man knows his puck. He has been a good coach to a super-young Kings team.
The Kings have struggled this year, but the team still has a chance to get into the playoff mix.
The team is a second-half bloomer, so they could easily make the playoffs and make some noise while they’re there.
18. Guy Boucher
13 of 30
Team: Tampa Bay Lightning (third in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 27-15-5
Tenure with Current Team: First season with Tampa Bay
Overall Record: 27-15-5
Experience: After coaching the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs, Boucher took his limited coaching experience to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
He is a people person who is good with his players.
Boucher has a good hockey mind and plenty of pieces to play with, so it will be exciting to see what happens in the second half of the season.
17. Scott Arniel
14 of 30
Team: Columbus Blue Jackets (13th in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 22-20-5
Tenure with Current Team: First season with the Blue Jackets
Overall Record: 22-20-5
Experience: This is Scott Arniel's first NHL head coaching job and he has been doing well.
The Blue jackets are playing consistent defense and the team is still in the hunt for the playoffs.
If the team keeps him around and he has time to set his system up, he will have Columbus in the hunt sooner rather than later.
16. Ron Wilson
15 of 30
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs (12th in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 48-60-19
Tenure with Current Team: Third season with the Maple Leafs
Overall Record: 600-521-101-78
Experience: Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs
Ron Wilson is one of the best coaches we have today, but his Maple Leafs have struggled mightily of late. The city of Toronto won’t accept losing from a coach for long, so there's always heat on the coaching seat.
Wilson is a good teacher and a good hockey person that is trying his best for a team in Toronto that is a mess.
Yeah, I said it.
15. Barry Trotz
16 of 30
Team: Nashville Predators (fourth in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 72-44-12
Tenure with Current Team: 12th season with the Predators
Overall Record: 436-386-60-66
Experience: The Nashville Predators
Barry Trotz is the picture of regular season success. He owns it.
The problem arises in the playoffs. As good of a coach as he is, he has yet to win a playoff series.
Barry Trotz is the Nashville Predators but he has to help them get past the first round.
14. Randy Carlyle
17 of 30
Team: Anaheim Ducks (fifth in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 64-51-15
Tenure with Current Team: Sixth season with the Ducks
Overall Record: 244-158-45
Experience: Randy Carlyle has spent his whole coaching career with the Ducks and was the coach when they won the Stanley Cup in 2007.
The Ducks still struggles a bit as the team is aging but the injection of young talent has kept the team relevant even as they rebuild.
Carlyle has been a good coach and keeps an even keel throughout any turmoil.
13. Jacques Lemaire
18 of 30
Team: New Jersey Devils (15th in the eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 52-33-8
Tenure with Current Team: First Season with the Devils (Third Stint as head coach of New Jersey)
Overall Record: 597-464-124-62
Experience: Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild
One of the best coaching minds in hockey, Lemaire's defense first mentality revolutionized hockey in the 1990's.
Lemaire's defense first mentality also may be the best thing for the Devils right now.
The team has been terrible and Lemaire's presence is obviously needed.
12. Dan Bylsma
19 of 30
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins (fourth in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 76-42-11
Tenure with Current Team: Third season with the Penguins (second full season)
Overall Record: 94-45-15
Experience: Pittsburgh Penguins
Dan Bylsma took over the year the Penguins won the cup.
There is no better way to win a cup then in your first opportunity.
Bylsma has been a good young coach but how hard can it be when you have a coach on the ice with Sidney Crosby.
11. Marc Crawford
20 of 30
Team: Dallas Stars (third in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 65-44-19
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with the Stars
Overall Record: 535-405-100-71
Experience: Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars
Marc Crawford has been a good leader at every place he has coached. His players like him and ownership respects him.
He has had some black clouds follow him but he is one of the best active coaches there are.
Crawford has done wonders for the Stars and they have a real chance to make a splash in the playoffs.
10. Dave Tippett
21 of 30
Team: Phoenix Coyotes (sixth in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 73-40-16
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with the Coyotes
Overall Record: 344-196-28-53
Experience: Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes
Dave Tippett was a good coach in a transition phase for the Dallas Starts.
The team decided to go in another direction to the benefit of the Phoenix Coyotes.
The Coyotes won 50 games last year and lost in the first round to the tough Detroit Red Wings.
9. Claude Julien
22 of 30
Team: Boston Bruins (second in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 65-43-20
Tenure with Current Team: Fourth year with the Bruins
Overall Record: 278-157-10-65
Experience: Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins
Claude Julien has had a lot of success so far in his coaching career but he has also logged a few miles.
He was let go after success in Montreal and New Jersey but seems to really have found his niche in Boston.
8. Todd McLellan
23 of 30
Team: San Jose Sharks (10th in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 74-39-16
Tenure with Current Team: Third season with the Sharks
Overall Record: 127-57-27
Experience: Assistant under Mike Babcock and the Detroit Red Wings
Todd McLellan started under Mike Babcock but it wasn’t long until San Jose wanted someone to come in and lead them.
McLellan was their man and he hasn’t disappointed.
Until this season of course!
The Sharks are still in the playoff hunt but the team needs to straighten their problems out before it gets too late.
7. Bruce Boudreau
24 of 30
Team: Washington Capitals (fifth in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 79-29-21
Tenure with Current Team: Fourth year with the Capitals
Overall Record: 166-70-36
Experience: After years of coaching in the AHL, Bruce Boudreau took a shot at the NHL.
His success has been directly related to Alex Ovechkin and they will be together as long as Boudreau is the Capitals coach.
I think the HBO series has done wonders for Bruce Boudreau's fame and he is definitely a high profile coach now.
6. Alain Vigneault
25 of 30
Team: Vancouver Canucks (first in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 78-38-12
Tenure with Current Team: Fifth season with the Canucks
Overall Record: 320-242-35-43
Experience: Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks
Alain Vigneault is a silent leader for the Canucks.
He can be vocal in spurts but he is an unyielding force behind the bench and a good person for his team in tough times.
Vigneault has been good with Vancouver and has helped the team steadily improve year after year.
5. Jacques Martin
26 of 30
Team: Montreal Canadiens (seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 65-50-14
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with the Canadiens
Overall Record: 580-459-119-69
Experience: St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens
Jacques Martin has been a mainstay in the NHL for years and has been successful everywhere he has gone.
He has never won a Stanley Cup but he has been a tough competitor and kept his teams tough throughout his career.
Martin has started to instill his mindset on the Canadien organization so it is a matter of time before they are perennially a threat, if the time isn’t now!
4. Lindy Ruff
27 of 30
Team: Buffalo Sabres (11th in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 65-47-15
Tenure with Current Team: 13th season with the Sabres
Overall Record: 528-388-78-72
Experience: A long time with Buffalo!
Lindy Ruff is what every team is looking for when they hire a coach.
The guy doesn’t give up and keeps his team in competition every year.
There is not rebuilding period because they do alright ever when the franchise is turning in a new direction. Like right now.
3. Joel Quenneville
28 of 30
Team: Chicago Blackhawks (eighth in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 77-40-12
Tenure with Current Team: Third season with the Blackhawks
Overall Record: 560-345-77-64
Experience: St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks
Joel Quenneville has been around the NHL for a long time and he knows the game. It was a matter of time before he found the right situation and won a Cup.
It just stinks it was against my beloved Flyers.
Quenneville!
2. Mike Babcock
29 of 30
Team: Detroit Red Wings (second in the Western Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 72-36-20
Tenure with Current Team: Sixth season with the Red Wings
Overall Record: 354-175-19-74
Experience: Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings have been a perennial threat for the Stanley Cup and Mike Babcock is a huge part of the success.
Babcock has appeared in three Stanley Cup finals and has won one.
He is one of the best coach’s today and will remain one of the best as long as Detroit keeps putting winning pieces in play.
1. Peter Laviolette
30 of 30
Team: Philadelphia Flyers (first in the Eastern Conference)
Record Last 2 Seasons: 87-39-29
Tenure with Current Team: Second season with the Flyer (first full season)
Overall Record: 302-219-25-44
Experience: New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers
Peter Laviolette has been great for the Flyers but he was good before that.
He won the Stanley Cup in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes and is one of the best American born coaches ever.
.png?w=480 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=480 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=480)
.png?w=600 "B/R NHL Staff Second-Round Predictions 🏒")
