5 coaches who deserve to step up and manage their own NHL roster in 2024 ft. Todd McLellan

Last year, the NHL saw 10 teams part ways with coaches during the regular season. Then, as many were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs parted ways with their coach. This added to the slew of firings that have taken place across the league in the past 12 months.

As we look ahead at the 2024-25 season, it's clear that there are several coaches on the hot seat, such as the Utah Hockey Club's Andre Tourigny, and Detroit's Derek Lalonde.

In addition, as teams with coaches on the hot seat wind up with vacancies, we'll see new and former coaches replace them.

With that in mind, let's take a look at five coaches who deserve to be on the bench next season, with some familiar names who already have plenty of experience.

Five NHL coaches who deserve to coach next season

#5 Joel Quenneville

Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers

Joel Quenneville may be a controversial name to kick off this list, however, his 969-572 record speaks for itself. Quenneville was recently reinstated by the NHL. But it's remained unclear whether a team will look to sign him given his controversial past.

His actions in the Kyle Beach scandal made him unfit to coach the Panthers. However, after a lengthy suspension, if he acknowledges his mistakes, given his status as one of the best coaches in NHL history, he deserves to be coaching.

#4 Jay Woodcroft

Edmonton Oilers at Arizona Coyotes

Jay Woodcroft spent just one full season coaching the Edmonton Oilers. During this time, the team went 50-23-9 during the regular season before being eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As a head coach, he has a record of 79-41-13, posting a 26-9-3 record during the 2021-22 season prior to his one full season with the team. Despite putting together a strong record, he was let go after just 13 games last season.

Given that he only had one full season to coach, Woodcroft deserves a second chance to coach elsewhere.

#3 Dean Evason

Ottawa Senators at Minnesota Wild

While Dean Evason and the Minnesota Wild failed to make it out of the first round every year but one, his 147-77-27 record warrants another crack at coaching an NHL team.

His first year with the Wild was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a shortened 56-game season the next year.

Over his two full seasons as coach, the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, Evason put together a 99-47-18 record before being fired early last season after a 5-10-4 start. While he didn't find playoff success, a change of scenery could see different results given his impressive coaching record.

#2 Gerard Gallant

Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Ranger

Over 705 career games coached across four teams, Gerard Gallant has only posted a negative coaching record with one team, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Despite that, his 369-262 record as a head coach is one of the more impressive records among available coaches. This makes him a favorite to get picked up by a team before the start of the 2024-25 NHL season.

#1 Todd McLellan

Los Angeles Kings at Arizona Coyotes

Todd McLellan's time with the LA Kings came to an abrupt end last year after a 23-15-10 start to the season following back-to-back years without a playoff berth.

Despite that, and the fact that he's never coached a team to the Stanley Cup Final, his record of 598-412-124 proves that he has what it takes to coach in the NHL.

While he was ruled out of the Blue Jackets coaching search, if he doesn't find a team before the start of the season, expect him to land with a team sometime during the year.