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. Todd McLellan
Since taking over as the bench boss with the Detroit Red Wings, Todd McLellan has turned their entire season around. During the December break, the Red Wings were second-last in the Eastern Conference, ahead of only the Buffalo Sabres. At that time, they had lost nine of their last 12 games, and change needed to happen for the team, who had playoff aspirations.
Since being hired, McLellan and the Red Wings have a 15-5-2 record and have propelled into the playoff race yet again. It isn’t just about the team success that they have been having, but under McLellan, the entire team defense has tightened up, the offensive play is much better, and they are responding very well to his coaching tactics. McLellan has a history of being a great coach, too. During his time with the Los Angeles Kings, they had some great seasons, as well as his tenure with the San Jose Sharks. This likely isn’t just a breath of fresh air and an energetic response to a coaching change. McLellan’s impacts are legit.
9. Scott Arniel
The Winnipeg Jets are one of the best teams in hockey, and while they have the best goalie in the world, Connor Hellebuyck, there was a lot more work to do to continue perfecting this team. Finding ways to get the most out of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Gabriel Vilardi is a big task, but they have all had great seasons. Not only that, but on defense, Josh Morrissey has continued to play great, and Neal Pionk is having an outstanding year by his standards.
With so much doubt surrounding the Jets this season, Connor and Scheifele have been two of the best offensive players in the league, and with the defensive system continuing to tighten up, they are well-deserving of the top spot in the league, and part of that is because of the way that Scott Arniel has made his impacts.
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. This season, Vegas is continuing their dominance, and they are one of the top teams in the league. Great roster composition helps, but Cassidy is a big part of that, too.
7. Dean Evason
The Columbus Blue Jackets are the story of the season. After the tragedy involving Johnny Gaudreau, the expectations that they were going to be a bottom-feeder, and the injuries they have dealt with, nobody expected the Blue Jackets to be this good at this point.
Dean Evason has been a franchise-altering hiring. Players like Zach Werenski, Kirill Marchenko, and Sean Monahan are all having phenomenal seasons, and the young players like Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, and Cole Sillinger have all taken big steps this season. Evason is an integral part of the development of this team, and it has been an excellent story to follow.
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 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 52-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. It isn’t very often that a team deals with as many injuries as the Avalanche did early in the season, but he and the team have recovered and stayed afloat, and are still well within a playoff spot.
4. Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery is without a doubt leading the race for the Jack Adams Award this season. In 2023-24, the Washington Capitals just squeaked into the playoffs and were easily eliminated. This season, he has taken them to a whole new level. They have played 55 games in this season, and they are neck-and-neck with the Winnipeg Jets for first in the league. Alex Ovechkin looks like he is in his prime again, Dylan Strome is playing outstanding, Pierre-Luc Dubois is playing well, and so many others are all fitting in perfectly this season, and Carbery’s tactics are without a doubt making impressions on these players.
3. 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 didn’t start the year with a roster built as well as it has in the past, mostly due to salary cap restraints, but an offensive explosion from Martin Necas helped, and with Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov continuing to display what they have learned from Brind’Amour, they are in a great spot. On defense, Brent Burns is clearly slowing down, and Shayne Gostisbehere is their top offensive option, they are still playing very well as a group, and the defense-first mindset from the whole team is a big factor there.
2. Paul Maurice
Two straight Stanley Cup Final appearances, including one championship, and the Florida Panthers remain on top of the Atlantic Division. While there have certainly been some speedbumps in their season, Paul Maurice has kept the team playing incredible hockey, and they have developed an identity of being a pain to play against. Every player on the ice will play as physical, defensively-minded, or dominate offensively depending on which way Maurice wags his finger. He has a great relationship with his team, and is still one of the best coaches in the game, even after coaching over 1900 games.
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 changes, ages, and plays differently, Cooper has still kept the Lightning in the playoff race.
Sure, having Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, and Andrei Vasilevskiy helps, but there is a reason he was named the coach and won gold with Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He is a brilliant coach and is always able to drive his team to victory.
