Who Will Be The Next NHL Coach to Get Dismissed?

By Steve Bittenbender

@BittGDCG

June 10, 2025 11:41am

Fact Checked by Jim Tomlin

Editor’s Disclaimer: This article was last updated on June 10, 2025.

You may remember that when the Stanley Cup playoffs commenced nearly two months ago, we at OntarioBets included Pete DeBoer in our betting odds for the next NHL coach to be let go, and we had solid reasons for making that decision.

The Dallas Stars eventually made it to the Western Conference finals, where they were defeated by the Edmonton Oilers. This marked the third consecutive year the Stars reached that stage. If they manage to do it again next season, DeBoer will not be part of the team; he was dismissed on June 6. Our team at deereplanet.com analyzed this peculiar scenario in Dallas.Ontario sports betting Open to Parlays, Diverse Futures Options, High Betting Limits

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The Stars entered the playoffs with a troubling streak of seven consecutive losses, and many of those defeats were particularly disheartening. They had reached the Western Conference finals in the two seasons prior, and this time, they invested heavily at the trade deadline to acquire Mikko Rantanen. Furthermore, they faced off against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. Although the Stars enjoyed home ice advantage, the Avalanche seemed like the stronger team at that point.

The Stars entered the playoffs with a troubling streak of seven consecutive losses, and many of those defeats were particularly disheartening. They had reached the Western Conference finals in the two seasons prior, and this time, they invested heavily at the trade deadline to acquire Mikko Rantanen. Furthermore, they faced off against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. Although the Stars enjoyed home ice advantage, the Avalanche seemed like the stronger team at that point.

Why Did The Stars Fire Peter DeBoer?

Thanks to Rantanen's contributions, the Stars managed to overcome a series against the Avalanche that many feared they would lose. Following this, Dallas eliminated Winnipeg, the Presidents’ Trophy holders, in six games. At that time, with the Stars heading to the Western finals for the third consecutive year and their odds being as favorable as +275, it appeared that DeBoer had secured his position.

However, the turning point came during Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. With Edmonton leading the series 3-1, they scored two goals within the first 7 minutes and 9 seconds. This led DeBoer to make the perplexing choice to bench their star goalie, Jake Oettinger. Edmonton quickly scored on Oettinger’s replacement just 58 seconds later and sealed the victory with a 6-3 win, eliminating the Stars.Stanley Cup odds After the match, DeBoer explained that his decision to replace the seasoned goalie, who had a 2.52 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage, was influenced by the fact that the team had lost six of their last seven games against the Edmonton squad that featured stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

"I aimed to ignite our team's energy and recognize that our usual approach wasn't yielding results; it was a significant sample size,\" DeBoer stated following their loss on May 29.

Just eight days after he controversially replaced his goalie, DeBoer was let go. On June 9, general manager Jim Nill acknowledged that DeBoer's handling of Oettinger played a role in his dismissal.

"Was that a factor in the decision-making process? Absolutely. It was one of the aspects, but it wasn't the sole reason for the conclusion,\" he informed Dallas sports radio station KTCK-FM.

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With DeBoer now out,OntarioBets has once again updated our odds board.

Odds Of Next NHL Coach Fired

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NHL Coaches Prepare for the Upcoming Season

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The encouraging aspect for the coaches featured here is that they still hold their positions and are expected to continue as we approach the start of the 2025-26 NHL season in October. The downside is that DeBoer, who has led both the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks to the Stanley Cup finals, as well as the Stars and Vegas Golden Knights to the Western finals, is now available. This means the pressure has intensified for those coaches who may be at risk of being fired. Should any of these teams falter in the initial games, their management might act quickly to salvage the season.

The encouraging aspect for the coaches featured here is that they still hold their positions and are expected to continue as we approach the start of the 2025-26 NHL season in October. The downside is that DeBoer, who has led both the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks to the Stanley Cup finals, as well as the Stars and Vegas Golden Knights to the Western finals, is now available. This means the pressure has intensified for those coaches who may be at risk of being fired. Should any of these teams falter in the initial games, their management might act quickly to salvage the season.

Andrew Brunette, whose Predators had the most disappointing performance in the NHL this last season, remains a top contender for a potential exit. Islanders' coach Patrick Roy recently received a vote of confidence from new GM Mathiew Darche and will likely benefit from having the No. 1 draft pick on his team this fall. That said, a poor start for the Islanders could alter the outlook.

Overall, Tourigny has been credited with effectively managing a team undergoing significant changes over recent years. Nonetheless, the team last made the playoffs in 2020 when they were still located in Arizona. The Mammoth have a promising group of young talent, but if Tourigny cannot guide them to the playoffs in the upcoming season, it may result in a coaching change.

Interestingly, Tourigny is currently the second favorite for the

2026 Jack Adams Award. Odds makers have set his chances at +800 to take home the title of the league's most outstanding coach next season.

Out of the four coaches with odds of +900 or greater, Ryan Huska of Calgary is the only one who has not led his team to the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Flames missed out on a playoff spot this season after losing a tiebreaker to the St. Louis Blues. Huska is also just entering his third season as Calgary’s coach, whereas Tourigny is moving into his fifth.DraftKings Ontario Sportsbook Craig Berube, who guided the Blues to the Cup victory in 2019, has led the Maple Leafs to the Atlantic Division title this season, marking his inaugural year in Toronto. Despite this success, few teams or fanbases demand more than Toronto does, often with realistic expectations. There are likely to be some roster changes during the offseason, meaning Berube will be held accountable if the Leafs face early setbacks. He deserves recognition for taking the Leafs to a seven-game playoff series against the Florida Panthers, even though Florida dominated them in Toronto on two occasions.

Longer Shots To Be Replaced

Rod Brind’Amour, a revered figure in Carolina, would need to have his team crash for the Hurricanes even to think about making a change. Given the young talent present in Raleigh, that seems highly improbable. In contrast, Bruce Cassidy has proven effective in Vegas, and winning the Cup there in 2023 should provide him with some leeway. Nevertheless, the management in Vegas has shown little tolerance for a lack of success in the past.

Anticipates that both the Hurricanes and Golden Knights will emerge as strong contenders for the 2026 Stanley Cup. Carolina ranks as the third choice at +800, while Vegas sits at +900. Only Florida (+700) and Edmonton (+750), the two teams competing in this year's Cup final, have better odds for the 2025-26 season.Maple Leafs Stanley Cup odds Steve is a seasoned and award-winning journalist with over two decades of expertise covering gaming, sports, politics, and business. He has contributed to prestigious organizations like the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square, and many others. Operating out of Louisville, Kentucky, Steve has tracked the evolution of sports betting across the U.S. and various gaming topics. His insights are shared on OntarioBets and additional platforms.

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