Is the NHL Coaching Market About to Explode?

[Thanks to Ben Abel for the information for this post.]

Is the NHL coaching rumour mill heading into high gear? Several teams need coaches, including the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. In fact, it may already be, as news dropped today that John Tortorella and the Vegas Golden Knights have parted ways. The hockey club shared the news on its X account in a press release.

Pierre LeBrun sent out a tweet on X that said: Tortorella was working under his Flyers contract, which was expiring June 30.

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There Are a Number of NHL Coaching Vacancies to Fill

With Tortorella now out in Vegas, the club will have to fill that vacancy. That’s also true of the Edmonton Oilers, who need a new head coach. Third, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are also without a coach after Craig Berube was fired.

Vegas denied Edmonton permission to speak to Bruce Cassidy. Another article on NHL Trade Talk elaborated on Mike Babcock’s ties to Edmonton and the NHLPA’s blowback over his treatment of players during his most recent coaching job in Columbus, which ended in 2023. He was considered a frontrunner for that job.

Darryl Sutter has also been linked to Edmonton, and former player Joe Pavelski has also been linked to the Maple Leafs’ coaching position.

Pavelski shared that news last week when he said: “There’s truth to that stuff, we’ve had discussions,” Pavelski told Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group. “I’m excited to go through the process and kind of see where it leads.”

Tortorella was hired with eight games left in the regular season after Vegas let Bruce Cassidy go. The Golden Knights had a 5–10–2 record after the Olympic break and were 1–5–2 before Cassidy was removed.

Cassidy brought a Stanley Cup to Vegas in 2023 and had a .623 points percentage during his time with the club.

What Happens to These Coaches?

Where do these coaches now land? If Cassidy has been denied by Vegas, does he get another chance to work with a club? Or does he wait until his current deal expires? What about Babcock? Torts? Adam Foote, who may be close to something with the Utah Mammoth? Darryl Sutter?

The NHL coaching carousel has more drama. Honestly, it generates more interest than the upcoming draft, which happens on June 26.

Related: Insider Wonders if Oilers or Maple Leafs Would Hire John Tortorella