{"id":166133,"date":"2025-09-24T13:08:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T13:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/166133\/"},"modified":"2025-09-24T13:08:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T13:08:12","slug":"9-nhl-teams-have-a-new-coach-heres-what-to-expect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/166133\/","title":{"rendered":"9 NHL teams have a new coach: Here\u2019s what to expect"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sports<\/a>Hockey<\/a>NHL<\/a><\/p>\n

A look at the changes for nearly a third of the league and what to expect<\/p>\n

Author of the article:<\/p>\n

\"Associated<\/p>\n

Associated Press<\/p>\n

Stephen Whyno<\/p>\n

Published Sep 24, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n

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\"MikeHead coach Mike Sullivan of the New York Rangers handles bench duties during the game against the New Jersey Devils in preseason action at the Prudential Center on September 21, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett\/Getty Images)Article content<\/p>\n

When Mike Sullivan\u2019s time in Pittsburgh came to an end after nearly a decade behind the bench produced two Stanley Cup championships, he became the most-sought after coach on the market.<\/p>\n

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With plenty of vacancies around the NHL, Sullivan had his pick of the litter. He landed with the New York Rangers, tasked with taking over an Original Six franchise that missed last season\u2019s playoffs but is loaded with talent.<\/p>\n

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Sullivan has coached Sidney Crosby and was picked by USA Hockey to lead the country at the upcoming Olympics in Milan. Starting this journey with the Rangers had him struggling to find a way to capture his emotions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a new challenge for me,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard for me to express in words how excited I am about this challenge and about this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sullivan is one of nine coaches with a new challenge in front of him. A look at the changes for nearly a third of the league and what to expect:<\/p>\n

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Mike Sullivan, Rangers<\/p>\n

Sullivan made trips over the summer to begin building personal relationships with his players. The 57-year-old from Massachusetts wanted to get to know players away from the rink and vice versa. When it comes to hockey, Sullivan\u2019s straightforward approach is evident.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously a good pedigree,\u201d defenseman Carson Soucy<\/a> said. \u201cHe\u2019s intense, very detail-focused and he wants to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rangers haven\u2019t won it all since 1994 but reached the Eastern Conference final in 2024.<\/p>\n

\"Quenneville\" Joel Quenneville talks to the media after he was introduced as the new coach of the Anaheim Ducks during an NHL hockey press conference in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Paul Bersebach\/The Orange County Register via AP)Joel Quenneville, Ducks<\/p>\n

Quenneville is back in the league with Anaheim, four years since resigning from Florida in the wake of an investigation into Chicago\u2019s 2010 sexual assault allegations. Quenneville said at his introductory news conference he understands those who question is return and will \u201cdemonstrate (by) my actions that I am a man of character.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup three times with Quenneville as their coach. Only Scotty Bowman has more NHL wins.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust to have a voice like that behind the bench guiding and leading our team, we got a good mix of some veterans and some young guys, so I think it\u2019s a great hire and I\u2019m really, really excited to play for him,\u201d winger Sam Colangelo said.<\/p>\n

\"Philadelphia Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet oversees practice during hockey training camp at the Flyers Training Center on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. (Jose F. Moreno\/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)Rick Tocchet<\/a>, Flyers<\/p>\n

Tocchet was nearly as prized as Sullivan after he decided not to renew his contract in Vancouver. Philadelphia is a homecoming of sorts for Tocchet, who played over 700 games in orange and black during separate stints.<\/p>\n

\u201cHim being back in Philly and wanting to be there and picking us, his excitement for where we\u2019re headed, I think it excites us as a team and kind of the growth that we\u2019re about to take,\u201d defenseman Travis Sanheim said. \u201cHe\u2019s already a step ahead. He already knows the organization, the city, the fans and so I think that\u2019s going benefit us moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Gulutzan\" Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan responds to questions during a news conference at the NHL hockey team\u2019s headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)Glen Gulutzan, Stars<\/p>\n

Dallas fired Peter DeBoer following three consecutive trips to the West final. Pulling franchise goaltender Jake Oettinger in the series-deciding loss and his handling of it afterward played a part.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never want to see anyone lose their job,\u201d Oettinger said. \u201cIt\u2019s a tough business and with how good we\u2019ve been the last three years, it\u2019s tough. \u2026 Looking forward to getting a fresh start.\u201d<\/p>\n

That comes with Gulutzan, rehired 12 years after being fired by the Stars his first time around. Gulutzan the past seven seasons has been an assistant in Edmonton, where he ran the power play and earned praise from Connor McDavid for his communication skills.<\/p>\n

Marco Sturm, Bruins<\/p>\n

Playing over 1,000 games in the NHL, coaching Germany at the Olympics and spending multiple years as a Los Angeles Kings assistant didn\u2019t prepare Sturm for taking over in Boston. It took three full seasons running a bench with Ontario of the American Hockey League to be ready.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis is the time,\u201d Sturm said. \u201cTiming is everything. And I couldn\u2019t end up in a better spot than Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeff Blashill, Blackhawks<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard, the top pick in 2023, might finally have a long-term coach after Chicago fired Luke Richardson last December and played out the season with Anders Sorensen in an interim role. Blashill gets his second head-coaching job in the league after seven years with Detroit from 2015-22.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re excited to have him,\u201d Bedard said. \u201cHe\u2019s thrilled to be with us. He\u2019s showing a ton of excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lane Lambert, Kraken<\/p>\n

Dan Bylsma lasted one season in Seattle after he was promoted from the minors to replace Dave Hakstol. Lambert, fired in January 2024 by the New York Islanders, is tasked with getting the Kraken back to respectability.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe brings a structure, an emphasis on structure that we desperately need a little bit,\u201d captain Jordan Eberle said.<\/p>\n

Dan Muse, Penguins<\/p>\n

Muse, who was an assistant under former Rangers coach Peter Laviolette, takes over with Pittsburgh nearing a crossroads. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are still around but a youth movement is coming. Muse has caught players\u2019 attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came and grabbed dinner here at the rink,\u201d Letang said. \u201cWhen I left, I think it was 8 o\u2019clock and he was still on his computer working on some stuff. So there you go. You see the passion that he has for the game and trying to work on every little detail to make us better and improve every single guy out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Foote, Canucks<\/p>\n

Tocchet\u2019s exit opened a void for the Canucks, who would love to convince elite defenseman and captain Quinn Hughes<\/a> to stick around beyond the end of his current contract in 2027. Hughes said he had his two best seasons with Foote, a former defenseman, as an assistant, but that guarantees nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s different being a head coach,\u201d Hughes said. \u201cI\u2019m sure there\u2019s going to be challenges as a first-year head coach that he\u2019s going face, just like anyone else would. But I think he\u2019s prepared for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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