The 2024-25 NHL regular season ended less than a week ago, but there are already several teams searching for a new head coach.
Some teams on the list are a bit of a surprise, while others were expected to be in this position.
Chicago Blackhawks
It's no shocker that Chicago will be looking for a new head coach this summer. Luke Richardson did the best he could with a young roster in the middle of a rebuild, but the Hawks decided to part ways with him in the middle of the season and put Anders Sorensen in charge on an interim basis. Sorensen is a long shot to get the permanent gig, but will remain with the organization in some capacity.
The Blackhawks are one of the teams that will likely try to convince David Carle, the longtime head coach of the University of Denver, to leave the NCAA ranks and go to the NHL. Other options include Jay Leach, Jay Pandolfo, and Jay Woodcroft.
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks, like the Blackhawks, were in a tough position for any head coach to come in and have success. Greg Cronin was hired before last season, but is out of the gig after two seasons behind the bench for the rebuilding Ducks.
Anaheim is keen on competing for a playoff spot next season and will likely look for a head coach with experience to lead this young roster into contention. Jack Capuano, Peter Laviolette, and Woodcroft could be a few names that end up on Pat Verbeek's shortlist.
Philadelphia Flyers
Another team ready to step out of the rebuild and into contention, the Philadelphia Flyers and John Tortorella parted ways at the end of the season after a turbulent campaign. The Flyers will likely want to go in a different direction for their next hire, which could be a landing spot for Carle, Pandolfo, or Leach.
Jay Woodcroft could also make sense for a team looking to push its way up the standings.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins made the polarizing decision to fire Jim Montgomery in the early stages of the 2024-25 campaign and replace him with Joe Sacco, but the move didn't pay off. The B's will now move on from Sacco, which opens up a wide range of possibilities for their next head coach.
The Bruins will want to get right back into the mix in 2025-26, and are likely going to target a big name like Peter Laviolette, Joel Quenneville, or Woodcroft.
New York Rangers
It wasn't a surprise that the New York Rangers fired Peter Laviolette with the way their season went, but it's still a bit of a shock to the system since the former Stanley Cup winner had them atop the NHL standings at this time last year.
The Rangers are expected to be in on Quenneville and Woodcroft, but there's no telling where this one will go right now.
