Yahoo Sports New Coach Tiers: The Fortunes Of The NHL’s First-Year Bench Bosses Range From Fantastic To Frightful
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The leash is short for NHL coaches.
Just four have been in their current positions since before the pandemic, and we've already seen in-season changes this year in Boston, St. Louis and Chicago.
Last summer, eight teams brought in new blood — a quarter of the NHL. For the Winnipeg Jets, the move was necessary after Rick Bowness decided to retire — and Scott Arniel's second crack at the top job has turned out very well indeed.
For the other seven squads, the moves were all about improvement, whether that was climbing out of the cellar in the standings, returning to the playoff picture or taking the next step toward pursuing a championship.
Here's how this year's new crop of coaches has fared so far.
Top Tier: Levelling Up
Sheldon Keefe, New Jersey Devils
Last Season: 81 pts, .494 points percentage
2024-25: 43 pts in 33 games, on pace for 107 pts, .652
After a nightmare season that was riddled with injuries and shaky goaltending, the Devils charged Keefe with getting the group back to respectability while overseeing a revamped roster. He has done just that.
New Jersey successfully weathered early-season injuries to Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes on the back end. Since their return, the Devils have been rock solid with an elite puck possession game and the reliable goaltending tandem of Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. All told, they're allowing eight-tenths of a goal per game less than last year. And much like he did in Toronto, Keefe is overseeing a terrific power play, which is clicking at 30 percent.
Ryan Warsofsky, San Jose Sharks
Last Season: 47 pts, .287
2024-25: 27 pts in 33 games, on pace for 67 pts, .409
When a team bottoms out and wins the NHL draft lottery, there’s always a risk that the road to recovery will be rockier than expected. But San Jose got a gem in Macklin Celebrini, and once Warsofsky suffered through an excruciating nine-game losing streak that started his NHL head coaching career, his team has performed pretty well.
They gave the rest of the field a significant head start, but the Sharks are 11-10-3 since picking up their first win on Oct. 28, so they're now five points out of the league basement. Over the full season, they’re scoring half a goal per game more while allowing half a goal less, and their penalty kill is in the top half of the NHL. Those are all positive signs that the players buy what Warsofsky is selling.
He'll just have to ensure he doesn't get fined $25,000 again, as he was on Tuesday for inappropriate conduct on Saturday against Utah.
Tier II: Trending Nicely
Dean Evason, Columbus Blue Jackets
Last Season: 66 pts, .402
2024-25: 29 pts in 31 games, on pace for 77 pts, .468
After a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference in 2023-24, the Blue Jackets hired Evason with an eye toward starting the journey back to respectability.
Amid an incredibly difficult start to the year, Evason has arguably over-delivered in the results column, and his team’s explosive offense has been wildly entertaining to watch.
There’s still work to be done on the defensive side of the puck, and goaltending has been shaky. After his call-up last week, Jet Greaves delivered a pair of solid performances in net.
Travis Green, Ottawa Senators
Last Season: 78 pts, .476
2024-25: 32 pts in 30 games, on pace for 88 pts, .533
On a 7-2-1 run in their last 10 games, things are starting to click for Green’s Senators, who have climbed into the second wild-card spot in the East. The power play has become a dangerous weapon, and Linus Ullmark has been flashing his Vezina form.
Since U.S. Thanksgiving, Ullmark's save percentage has climbed from .886 to .910. With just five goals allowed in his last five games, he was just named the NHL’s third star of the week.
Related: We're About To See What The Ottawa Senators Are Made Of With Long Road Trip Ahead
Tier III: Making A Good Thing Better
Scott Arniel, Winnipeg Jets
Last Season: 110 pts, .671
2024-25: 45 pts in 32 games, on pace for 115 pts, .703
Rick Bowness served up a gem for his final season before retirement. But after the Jets' 2024 playoff flame-out, Scott Arniel has his team playing like true contenders in his first crack at a head coaching role since 2012.
This season’s biggest change in Winnipeg has been a spike in scoring, driven by a league-best power play that’s clicking at better than 30 percent. Arniel’s explosive Jets are have been delivering plenty of run support for Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck.
Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs
Last Season: 102 pts, .622
2024-25: 40 pts in 31 games, on pace for 106 pts, .645
Craig Berube has improved the Maple Leafs’ results, but the real story is how he’s doing it. Toronto is giving up more than half a goal less per game and has beefed up the penalty kill.
The Florida Panthers won a Cup by shifting their run-and-gun style to a team-wide commitment to defense. Berube is looking to guide the Leafs down a similar road.
Tier IV: Status Quo
Dan Bylsma, Seattle Kraken
Last Season: 81 pts, .494
2024-25: 32 pts in 32 games, on pace for 82 pts, .500
Promoted after two standout seasons with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, Bylsma’s early returns in Seattle look eerily similar to Dave Hakstol’s team from last season.
Brandon Montour has been a blueline beast, and overall scoring is up, but the Kraken remain streaky and inconsistent.
Tier V: Freefall
Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres
Last Season: 84 pts, .512
2024-25: 26 pts in 31 games, on pace for 69 pts, .419
With 24 seasons of coaching experience to draw from, Ruff’s second act in Buffalo started well enough. The Sabres were 11-10-1 at U.S. Thanksgiving but collected just three loser points in their next 10 games. They're now in full-on crisis mode.
Owner Terry Pegula is believed to have told his players that he’s backing them to find their way out of this skid when he flew to Montreal to meet with the team on Monday, while GM Kevyn Adams is imploring them to forget the past and keep their eyes on the road ahead. Once again, it's getting late early in Western New York.
Related: Three Big Steps The Buffalo Sabres Could Do To Get Back On Track
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