Job security is tenuous as an NHL coach, as the list below proves. While rarities like
Lindy Ruff of the
Buffalo Sabres and
Barry Trotz of the
Nashville Predators have held onto their positions over the long haul, two-thirds of the League's teams have replaced their coaches as recently as 2009 and only five teams have employed their coaches for longer than five years now.
Dale Hunter of the
Washington Capitals and
Kirk Muller of the
Carolina Hurricanes are the newest additions to the coaching fraternity, named Monday to replace
Bruce Boudreau and
Paul Maurice, their respective predecessors.
Here's a look at coaching seniority among the 30 NHL franchises (sorted by hire date [longest tenure] with current team):
Head coach
|
Franchise |
Hire date
|
Career games coached
|
Lindy Ruff |
Buffalo Sabres |
July 21, 1997 |
1,089 games |
Barry Trotz |
Nashville Predators |
Aug. 6, 1997 |
1,006 games |
Mike Babcock |
Detroit Red Wings |
July 14, 2005 |
678 games |
Randy Carlyle |
Anaheim Ducks |
Aug. 1, 2005 |
516 games |
Alain Vigneault |
Vancouver Canucks |
June 20, 2006 |
699 games |
Claude Julien |
Boston Bruins |
June 21, 2007 |
588 games |
Ron Wilson |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
June 10, 2008 |
1,361 games |
Todd McLellan |
San Jose Sharks |
June 12, 2008 |
266 games |
Terry Murray |
Los Angeles Kings |
July 17, 2008 |
1,006 games |
Joel Quenneville |
Chicago Blackhawks |
Oct. 16, 2008 |
1,105 games |
Dan Bylsma |
Pittsburgh Penguins |
Feb. 15, 2009 |
213 games |
John Tortorella |
New York Rangers |
Feb. 23, 2009 |
744 games |
Jacques Martin |
Montreal Canadiens |
June 1, 2009 |
1,286 games |
Joe Sacco |
Colorado Avalanche |
June 4, 2009 |
188 games |
Brent Sutter |
Calgary Flames |
June 23, 2009 |
350 games |
Dave Tippett |
Phoenix Coyotes |
Sept. 24, 2009 |
678 games |
Peter Laviolette |
Philadelphia Flyers |
Dec. 4, 2009 |
649 games |
Scott Arniel |
Columbus Blue Jackets |
June 8, 2010 |
105 games |
Guy Boucher |
Tampa Bay Lightning |
June 10, 2010 |
104 games |
Tom Renney |
Edmonton Oilers |
June 22, 2010 |
533 games |
Jack Capuano |
New York Islanders |
Nov. 15, 2010 |
86 games |
Kevin Dineen |
Florida Panthers |
June 1, 2011 |
23 games |
Paul MacLean |
Ottawa Senators |
June 14, 2011 |
23 games |
Glen Gulutzan |
Dallas Stars |
June 17, 2011 |
23 games |
Mike Yeo |
Minnesota Wild |
June 17, 2011 |
23 games |
Claude Noel |
Winnipeg Jets |
June 24, 2011 |
47 games |
Peter DeBoer |
New Jersey Devils |
July 19, 2011 |
268 games |
Ken Hitchcock |
St. Louis Blues |
Nov. 6, 2011 |
1,051 games |
Dale Hunter |
Washington Capitals |
Nov. 28, 2011 |
0 games |
Kirk Muller |
Carolina Hurricanes |
Nov. 28, 2011 |
0 games |