3 NHL Coaches On The Hot Seat In 2026-27

The 2026-27 NHL season began with an unlikely scenario as the Boston Bruins, led by Marco Sturm, took the team to the top spot in the Atlantic Division. 

A scrappy team that has been through a retool, they have performed above expectations, with David Pastrnak, Fraser Minten, and James Hagens contributing every night. 

At 9-2-1, head coach Sturm has given them a profound new outlook this season. 

With winners in the league, there are losers, and these three teams below could find themselves searching for a head coach in the near future if these teams fire their current head coaches.

Andrew Brunette, Nashville Predators

The Predators have a new regime in the front office, with general manager Chris McFarland taking over from Barry Trotz. With new leadership comes changes, and there's been increased speculation that Andrew Brunette could be one of the first coaches fired in 2026-27.

With a record of 4-3-4. and 5th in the Central Division, Brunette's fourth season as a head coach in Nashville has started off poorly. Of course, Brunette isn't to blame for Trotz's poorly constructed roster, which McFarland has attempted to address with offseason additions, but in 257 games he's only won 119 of those, with a winning percentage of .333 in Nashville. 

Time may be forgiving for now, but McFarland may not when his patience ends with Brunette's performance.

Jeff Blashill, Chicago Blackhawks

Jeff Blashill has taken over a roster that has been fully fleshed out as the rebuild led by Kyle Davidson persists into the 2026 season. The team has anchored its future on Connor Bedard, and with the additions of Nick Lardis, Roman Kantserov, Anton Frondell, and Patrick Kane, fans had higher expectations. 

Blashill made it a goal at the start of his tenure to develop their young prospects and give Bedard a chance to flourish into the superstar he's supposed to be. But at the start of the year, the team is 3-8-0, 8th in the Central Division, and destined for another lottery selection in the 2027 NHL Draft if things don't change. 

The team needs a coach who builds structure around its players, and it isn't unrealistic to suggest they take a look at Bruce Cassidy in order to give them a competitive edge that's missing with Blashill. 

Ryan Huska, Calgary Flames

The Flames are in a similar situation to the Blackhawks, as they're in the throes of a rebuild. As one of the worst teams in the Pacific, they have had some bright spots in the lineup with Matvei Gridin, Devin Cooley, and Joel Farabee finding his game again. With a record of 5-6-0 in the West, the team needs to find its offense soon, or else Huska could be one of the first coaches on the chopping block.