NHL Rumors: 3 Coaches On The Hot Seat Early

According to Lyle Richardson of Bleacher Report, three NHL head coaches are feeling the heat early in the 2024-25 season due to their teams’ sluggish starts. 

Leading the list is Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who, despite a decorated tenure that includes back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017, finds his job under threat. 

The Penguins have missed the playoffs for two consecutive years, and their current issues—shaky defense and inconsistent goaltending—pose further challenges. 

Richardson notes that Sullivan "could pay the price if the Penguins fail to rise in the standings," especially with new GM Kyle Dubas potentially seeking change as Pittsburgh struggles to regain its former dominance.

I have a hard time believing Kent Hughes is watching this and thinking Martin St. Louis is the long-term answer. Nothing against MSL, but this system isn’t cutting it. Fans can't sit through 82 games of this and just be OK with it. Losing? Fine. But not like this.#GoHabsGo

— Data Puck (@DataPuck) November 3, 2024

In Montreal, Martin St. Louis faces mounting criticism over the Canadiens’ 4-7-2 start, despite his reputation for developing young talent. 

The team’s defensive struggles are a major concern, with one of the league’s highest goals-against averages and poor penalty killing. 

Richardson points out that the "honeymoon is ending between St. Louis and the Montreal media," as the Canadiens sit near the bottom of the standings. 

Though his recent contract extension offers some job security, continued defensive woes could test management's patience, especially as fans grow restless with the team’s trajectory.

#Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette: "Frustration plays tricks on you. Frustration makes you think you're actually working when you're not working. Frustration actually makes you a poor teammate. Frustration is contagious, so those are some pretty bad things, and that's kind of…

— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) November 5, 2024

Finally, Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators is under pressure after a disappointing 4-7-1 start, despite the team’s high-profile offseason acquisitions of stars like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. 

The Predators were expected to make a strong playoff push, but so far, the new roster has struggled to find cohesion. 

Richardson observes that while there’s no immediate sign that Brunette’s job is at risk, his "seat must be starting to feel uncomfortable" as Nashville underperforms relative to expectations.

Photo Credit:  Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images