With training camps in full swing and the puck drop just around the corner, fans are watching the usual headlines—results from big trades, rookie debuts, and who’s going to lead the scoring race. But just as important? The guys in the coaches’ room. In Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver, coaching decisions this season won’t just shape systems—they’ll shape playoff hopes, player legacies, and maybe even job security.
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In this post, I will try to break down three of the most fascinating storylines to watch as the 2025–26 NHL season gets going.
Storyline 1. Winnipeg Jets: Arniel’s Management of Hart and Vezina Trophy Winner Hellebuyck
When Rick Bowness stepped away in May 2024 after nearly five decades in the game, Scott Arniel was the obvious next man up. He’d already worn the interim tag, knew the room, and was well respected. What followed was a dream regular season. The Winnipeg Jets went 56-22-4, clinched the Presidents’ Trophy, and Connor Hellebuyck took home both the Hart and Vezina. Jets fans had every reason to believe this was the year. Then came the playoffs. And just like that, it was over in Round 2.
Hellebuyck didn’t look like himself—worn down, perhaps, maybe even rattled. Arniel now faces a challenge bigger than managing line matchups: keeping his all-world goalie fresh, focused, and ready to deliver when the pressure spikes. That means smarter workload management, employing depth behind Hellebuyck, and knowing when to hit the gas or pump the brakes. This is a Stanley Cup-caliber team. But we’ve seen before—regular-season hardware means little if the tank is empty in April.
Storyline 2. Edmonton Oilers: Can Peter Aubry Help Skinner Settle In?
In Edmonton, the formula’s pretty straightforward: McDavid + Draisaitl = goals. The missing piece? Consistent, playoff-worthy goaltending. Stuart Skinner has shown flashes of becoming that guy. He’s athletic, reads the game well, and can steal a night. But inconsistency has crept in, especially in the playoffs.
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This summer, the Edmonton Oilers made a low-key but potentially huge move: hiring Peter Aubry as the new goalie coach. He comes in with experience from the Chicago Blackhawks’ system, where he earned a solid reputation for helping young goalies find their game—and stick with it.
Skinner doesn’t need to be Carey Price. He needs to be solid. Reliable. Consistent. That goalie who gives his team a chance every night. Aubry’s role here will be part technician, part psychologist. If he can help Skinner stabilize, the Oilers could finally match their firepower with the kind of back-end security that wins Stanley Cups. And if not? Well, fans know how this movie ends.
Storyline 3. Vancouver Canucks: Foote, Pettersson, and the Power of a Reset
A lot is riding on the Adam Foote–Elias Pettersson dynamic in Vancouver. Foote takes over as head coach after Rick Tocchet’s exit. Tocchet won the Jack Adams (2024) and pushed the team forward, but tension—especially with Pettersson—seemed to linger. The Vancouver Canucks fizzled, and their best player looked out of sync both on and off the ice.
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Foote isn’t here to reinvent the wheel, but he brings a different tone. He’s demanding, sure. As a Stanley Cup–winning defenseman, he gets structure. He also knows that top-end players like Pettersson don’t thrive in a straitjacket. The early buzz is encouraging.
The Foote-Pettersson relationship could be the key to Vancouver’s season. If Pettersson’s free to be himself while still buying into team structure, the Canucks may finally punch above their weight and become a consistent playoff threat.
Why These Coaching Stories Matter
These aren’t just interesting side plots—they could define the season. In Winnipeg, you’ve got a coach managing the weight of expectation and the legs of a workhorse goalie. In Edmonton, it’s about unlocking potential before the window narrows. And in Vancouver, it’s about hitting reset on a star relationship that could either ignite or implode.
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Every team in the league has talent. What separates contenders from cautionary tales often comes down to what happens between games—how coaches manage personalities, pressure, and the long grind of an NHL regular season (and hopefully more).
These three situations?
They’re worth watching from Day 1. Because in today’s NHL, the biggest wins don’t always come from the players. Sometimes, they come from the people who keep the bench steady when everything else starts to wobble.
