NHL coaches face sky-high expectations and short windows to accomplish them.
Only three active NHL coaches have been with their team for at least four years: the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper, Colorado Avalanche’s Jared Bednar and Carolina Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour. Of that trio, Cooper and Bednar brought their squads to Stanley Cup championships.
As for Brind’Amour, he’s one of five NHL coaches with the most to prove in 2025-26. He’s not necessarily on the hot seat – not every coach on this list is at an immediate risk of getting fired – but there’s a lot for them still to accomplish. Some of them are in the first season of their new role, while others have another step to take.
Here are the bench bosses in alphabetical order, beginning with a closer look at the third-longest tenured coach.
Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
Brind’Amour won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year, but that was back in 2020-21. As we know, the coaching industry in hockey’s top league is very much a “what have you done for us lately” line of work.
Brind’Amour undoubtedly faces pressure to bring the Hurricanes beyond the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 2005-06.
We’re not suggesting Brind’Amour will be fired during the season if the Hurricanes slump anytime before the Stanley Cup playoffs. He’s earned the landing strip he’s got, and Carolina’s lineup is as deep and dangerous as it’s been in nearly 20 years. But the churn-and-burn of the coaching business is a very real thing, and if the Hurricanes fail to at least win the Eastern Conference title next year, there will be questions again about Brind’Amour’s future with the squad.
Brind’Amour’s cachet will guarantee he quickly gets a new coaching job of his choice if he does move on from Carolina, but when you’ve had seven years with the same team and you haven’t won it all, your time with that team is likely nearing an end. Brind’Amour could be an exception, but either way, he would benefit greatly from showing progress with the Hurricanes.
Adam Foote, Vancouver Canucks
Whenever you’re an assistant coach who is getting their first…