NHL Coaches On The Hot Seat

Dallas Eakins - Anaheim Ducks

Dallas Eakins keeps anchoring the worst team in the NHL, but other teams like San Jose, Columbus, Chicago, and Arizona are catching up.   

Anaheim is now 7-18-3, has a -50 goal differential, and their metrics are still the worst in the NHL. Currently, Eakins is safe, yet one has to wonder at what point ownership says enough is enough. Waiting till 2023 is becoming very likely. 

D.J. Smith - Ottawa Senators

The Senators keep dancing around the coaching issue, especially regarding management. Keep in mind the ownership limbo helps matters little.

The Senators’ management still approaches things like a “Christmas freeze” as no moves have been hinted. Alex Formenton is not coming through that door, and the injuries and bad play on defense keep holding Ottawa back.

Even with names swirling around, Smith’s job appears secure only because of all the chaos surrounding him. It seems like the coach is in over his head with a squad underperforming on the ice. Solutions simply have not worked.

Darryl Sutter - Calgary Flames

This is still a name to watch. If the Calgary Flames continue to hover around .500, will Darryl Sutter go back to the farm or transition upstairs as far as management? Right now, a three-game winning streak has helped quell some rumors. 

Now, Calgary expects to be closer to the top of the division standings, and the longer this malaise goes, the more likely things will start happening.

Bruce Boudreau - Vancouver Canucks

Bruce Boudreau and the Vancouver Canucks play an infuriating but entertaining style of hockey. What do we mean? Simply, Vancouver plays hockey like a tightrope performer with things flying at him. There are always things happening, yet Vancouver has somehow managed to get back level.

The problem is Vancouver still needs to get healthy. Can Thatcher Demko get back to playing more consistently? Does the Vancouver penalty kill ever start to look competent? Yes, more questions exist than answers.

Jim Rutherford probably still needs to tinker with this roster. Does that include Boudreau? That’s the question.

Dean Evason - Minnesota Wild

Dean Evason seems to be seeing his seat cool down a bit. Minnesota is 7-3 in their last 10 games and is still at three games over .500. Health and some better play always help.

Minnesota allowing 79 goals is not so bad, and the Wild is now up to 81. Improvement has been slow but tangible. That means Evason may get a chance to guide the Wild into a potential second-half surge. Minnesota and management are banking toward this.

Brad Larsen - Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets steamed ahead to outright awful last week as they continue their push to be one of the worst teams in hockey. Giving up six goals in the opening 20 minutes to Buffalo the other night had to be a low point. Even in their expansion days, Columbus was not that bad.

Deployment of ice time, even in a youth movement, has been poor at times. Jarmo Kekalainen indicated no move is imminent, yet the players are trying meetings to almost no avail. Nothing feels together or in sync with the Blue Jackets. At what point do they pull the plug on the coach or some players? Bluntly, nothing is working there! 

One Warming Seat - Craig Berube

As St. Louis sinks further below .500, the speculation rises again. When do the Blues make changes?