Seven NHL teams will have new head coaches when their 2017-18 seasons kick off this week. With a higher level of parity on the ice than ever before, the focus has shifted even more on the coaches around the league with high expectations for each team almost every season. Some coaches are in better position to succeed with their new clubs than others. Others could be in a tight spot to begin with. Here is a look at the four new head coaches that are in the best position to succeed with their new clubs this season.
Ken Hitchcock, Dallas Stars
Hitchcock is the most experienced and accomplished head coach to take a job with a new team this past offseason. The expectation is that he will help the Stars contend for a Stanley Cup right away. Hitchcock is an extremely efficient head coach that isn’t afraid to delegate responsibilities. While he is known for his work with teams that have done an excellent job shutting down opponent scoring, he will have plenty of high-scoring weapons to work with in Dallas and he has made it clear that he doesn’t intend to limit his team’s offensive potential through strategy. Hitchcock is focused on getting the most out of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov and Jason Spezza while also improving the team’s ability in its own end. The addition of veteran netminder Ben Bishop should help as the Stars attempt to take a major step forward under Hitchcock’s direction this season.
John Stevens, Los Angeles Kings
The Kings finished 25th in the NHL in goal scoring and were without their best player in goaltender Jonathan Quick for most of last season yet still finished just short of a playoff spot in 2016-17. Now the Kings get Quick back in goal and will be hoping that the addition of Mike Cammalleri and a healthy Marian Gaborik could help them get to another level this season. Stevens spent seven seasons in Los Angeles as an assistant to both Terry Murray and Darryl Sutter and he is very familiar with a lot of the players still in the organization. The Kings have the talent to contend for a playoff spot right away this season. Stevens should benefit from the talent and familiarity within the organization in his first year as head coach. A coaching change might be all this team needs to wake up and get back in the thick of things in the Western Conference.
Rick Tocchet, Arizona Coyotes
Success means something different to all 31 NHL teams. For the Coyotes, demonstrating a substantial improvement on the ice while contending for a playoff spot could be enough to consider the season a success. Tocchet will have a plethora of young talent at his disposal and should benefit from the fact that expectations have been tempered for this club in his first year on the job. If the Coyotes contend for a playoff spot and finish in the top-10 in the Western Conference, it will be considered a success for Tocchet and his staff in their first season. The bar is fairly low for him in this spot, which is why he makes the list. We’re not expecting the Coyotes to contend for a Stanley Cup or Western Conference Finals appearance this year.
Bob Boughner, Florida Panthers
The Panthers are looking to move past the absolute disaster of a season that took place in 2016-17. Boughner was hired to succeed Tom Rowe and he should have plenty of support in his first year on the job. It should help that Florida will get several key players back after injuries ravaged its roster a year ago. Jonathan Huberdeau, Alexander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad in particular are young players that dealt with injuries all of last season but have a lot more to give if they can stay healthy this year. The Panthers are talented enough to contend for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It won’t be a surprise if they take a substantial step forward in Boughner’s first season as head coach.
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