Prior to the 2024-25 season beginning, THW put lists together on the top 10 players for each position, as well as coaches. It goes without saying that it is a very tough list to do given how subjective it is, but nevertheless, we are here to do it once again.
This list is not so much of a ranking as who we believe the top 10 coaches overall in the league are, but a mixture of the 10 we believe to be at the top of the charts, paired with how we envision them working out in the future. With that said, let’s take a look.
10. Kris Knoblauch
Though Kris Knoblauch took over as the head coach for one of the Stanley Cup favorites at the beginning of last season, the morale, culture, and position in the standings for the Edmonton Oilers were all in a negative place and he was able to turn a horrific start into a very strong run to Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final.
9. John Tortorella
It seems that whenever a team coached by John Tortorella struggles, the narrative begins that his old-school approach no longer works. Then, a short time later, the two-time Jack Adams Award winner shows the world that he is still one of the best in the business.
Tortorella seems to thrive when coaching an underdog team, making him a perfect fit for the Philadelphia Flyers. A team that most expected to be in the running for the first overall pick at the 2024 Draft missed the playoffs by the skin of their teeth with a 38-33-11 record. Given their expectations entering the season, and how well the team did right up until the last eight games of the year, Tortorella was a strong candidate for the Jack Adams last season.
8. Bruce Cassidey
When he was fired by the Boston Bruins after the 2021-22 season, most figured Bruce Cassidy wouldn’t remain without a job for very long. That was the case, as he was scooped up by the Vegas Golden Knights almost immediately afterward, and has continued to have tremendous success.
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In his first season with the Golden Knights, he led them to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship. While he is known to be hard on his players, he joined a team that was in some clear need of accountability after missing the playoffs the season prior and was able to add just that.
7. Rod Brind’Amour
The 53-year-old Rod Brind’Amour has done a phenomenal job of turning the Carolina Hurricanes into Stanley Cup contenders since being named as their head coach ahead of the 2018-19 season. Defensive accountability has been one of the biggest factors in the Hurricanes’ success, and though they can be hot-and-cold with their scoring touch, Brind’Amour finds a way to get the most out of the club.
The Hurricanes have been consistently in the running for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, and while they head into the 2024-25 season with a much different roster, players seem to waste little time buying into Brind’Amour’s philosophies.
6. Pete DeBoer
The Dallas Stars, while have had success over the past number of years, still feel like an underdog team and get underrated by many. They don’t have the same superstars a team like the Oilers have, or the Tampa Bay Lightning have had over the last few years, but like Brind’Amour, the buy-in for playing the system has been crucial for them. With young players finding their spot in his team and veterans respecting everything he does, Peter DeBoer has been an excellent coach for many years.
5. Jared Bednar
Jared Bednar has been blessed with an excellent roster, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is a phenomenal head coach. The 51-year-old has missed the playoffs just once in his eight seasons behind the bench of the Colorado Avalanche and had brought them to the playoffs again last season.
Related: Avalanche’s Jared Bednar Paves Own Path to NHL Success
The Avalanche certainly have their superstars, but they have also dealt with a significant amount of injuries and adversity. Bednar does an excellent job of keeping the players focused and playing winning hockey. Even without their captain Gabriel Landeskog, the team didn’t miss a beat and continues to be one of the biggest threats in the league.
4. Peter Laviolette
When the New York Rangers chose to hire Peter Laviolette this past summer, some were critical of the decision. The main source of complaints was that it was just another recycled coach getting yet another opportunity, while there were better, younger candidates available. That has quickly proven to be false.
Through his first season, the Rangers owned a league-best 55-23-4 record. While the Rangers are a team with a ton of talent, Laviolette has really done a good job at getting them to play as more of a five-man unit, and it is resulting in plenty of success. Having players like Artemi Panarin and VIncent Trocheck having career years, and Alexis Lafreniere breaking out, those are not just coincidences.
3. Rick Tocchet
Not many had thought the Vancouver Canucks would be much more than a bubble team heading into last season, but they made the playoffs with comfort and were looked at as a threatening team moving into the playoffs. The Canucks, under head coach Rick Tocchet’s guidance, finished with a 5023-9 record and finished first in the Pacific Division.
For several years, it has been apparent that this Canucks team has had the skill, but they lacked any sort of structure to be successful. That has completely changed under Tocchet’s watch, as has their willingness to play for one another. Any supposed locker room issues that popped up with this team in the past are no longer since Tocchet came in late last season.
2. Paul Maurice
After barely squeaking into the playoffs in the 2022-23 season, Paul Maurice led the Florida Panthers all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Some thought it was simply a case of a team getting hot at the right time, but that certainly wasn’t the case as the club went into the playoffs as the top team in the Atlantic Division.
Not only was there much more regular season success, but Maurice led the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup, brought out the best in players like Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Gustav Forsling.
1. Jon Cooper
Back-to-back Stanley Cups, a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, and always getting the most out of every player. That is what Jon Cooper does for the Tampa Bay Lightning. As the core group gets older and the salary cap continues to reduce the high-end players on the roster, Cooper has yet to really have a drop-off with the Lightning and has so much respect for the game and the roles players play.
