The old adage in the NHL is that “you can’t fire the players.”
I mean, there are so many of them. It’s much easier to fire just one person, which is why the head coach usually pays for the team’s on-ice sins.
Theoretically, firing the head coach is a surefire way to change the tone, tenor and trajectory of a struggling team. Since the end of last season, there have been 11 head coaches hired by NHL teams on a permanent or interim basis. That includes seven coaches who took over their respective benches during the 2021-22 season.
Some of these changes have been effective wake-up calls for their teams. Other changes have been like expecting a caffeine boost and then realizing the barista handed you decaf.
Here’s a look at those 11 new coaches, their impact thus far and whether they should return next season.