NHL rumors continue to circulate. With the 2024-25 NHL season winding down, it’s time to evaluate which coaches may be fired. This article will focus on NHL rumors involving head coaches’ futures after this season. All four of these teams have experienced a downfall far from expectations. When that happens, changes can be considered behind the bench.
Poor results and an aging team can bring a head coach’s tenure to a screaming halt. It’s always, “What have you done for me lately?” In Sullivan’s case, it may be time for a change. And, if that occurs, he will not be unemployed for long. His record behind the Pittsburgh bench is impeccable. In 743 games, he has 404 wins, 251 losses, and 88 overtime losses. That amounts to a stellar .603 points percentage. Sullivan’s playoff record is not as impressive with a 44-38 record and a .537 points percentage.
Sullivan came into Pittsburgh in 2015-16 and won two Stanley Cups. It seems those days have passed. If Sullivan were to leave, it could be a reunion for Rick Tocchet if he feels his days are done in Vancouver. It would more than likely be an attractive destination for Tocchet.
A prediction for Sullivan’s future could see him heading to the Boston Bruins. The Bruins have made some changes, and Sullivan can mold that team to his liking. It was where Sullivan started his head coaching career in 2003-04.
To be fair to Sacco, he took over for Jim Montgomery in November after a slow start for the Beantown boys. Going 8-9-3 was enough to send Montgomery walking. It is strange since he led the Bruins during the 2022-23 season to a record of 65-12-5. He lost to the Florida Panthers in the playoffs in seven games. His plight was written.
Proteau believes that Sullivan would be an excellent replacement for Sacco. There will be some jockeying around for head coaching positions after this season. For now, Sacco has NOT inspired the Bruins players to their tradition of winning. It didn’t help to see all the changes made to the roster at the trade deadline. They traded Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, Justin Brazeau, and Brandon Carlo. They did acquire Casey Mittelstadt and William Zellers. They planned for the future, adding two 2025 second-round picks and one fourth-rounder. They acquired a 2026 first-round from Toronto in the Carlo trade and a 2027 conditional second-round choice in the Marchand deal.
It’s unclear what the future holds for Sacco. His coaching record may not attract many suitors.
Nashville made some awesome additions last summer, adding Jonathan Merchessault, Steven Stamkos, and Brady Skjei. It certainly hasn’t produced the expected results. The Predators are awful, with a 26-36-8 ranking putting them 14th in the Western Conference. It most likely isn’t Burnette’s fault completely. After all, he led the team to an excellent 47-30-5 record last season.
Nashville didn’t make any stunning roster changes at the trade deadline to right the ship. GM Barry Trotz can, however, replace his head coach. It may not seem right, but as in any professional sport, the head coach is at the top of the blame list when things go south. If Burnette (or shall we say ‘when’) gets fired, he will land on his feet. He holds a career coaching record of 124-84-19 with a .588 points percentage mark. Some team will grab him.
Lindy Ruff must possess tons of patience. He has coached the now inept Sabres for 16 seasons. He doesn’t have a terrible career record with 599 wins, 467 losses, and 78 overtime losses. Ruff’s points percentage is decent, .553 with the Sabres. Their current season record shows they have a ways to go to improve. A record of 28-35-6 is the worst in the Eastern Conference. Even with draft picks from their low league standings, they haven’t been able to improve.
Perhaps it is time for GM Kevyn Adams to be on the chopping block, as well as Ruff. Often, clubs start over with a new general manager and a replacement head coach.
Despite some obvious talent on the roster and long-term contracts, the Sabres have had another disappointing year. They will now miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season. It may be time for Buffalo to look in another direction for the coach behind the bench. Perhaps a younger coach is needed who can get his players to perform better. They need something because what they’ve been doing just isn’t working.
There will more than likely be coaching changes after this season concludes. NHL rumors suggest that these four coaches may or may not get fired or decide to resign, depending on what team ownership decides to do going forward. A coaching change is no guarantee for instant success, and doing nothing is not an option. Tough decisions will be made soon.
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