NHL: Pacific Division head coach rankings

With the NHL season right around the corner, here are the Pacific Division coaches ranked.

No. 8: Ryan Warsofsky (San Jose Sharks)

The San Jose Sharks replaced David Quinn with Ryan Warsofsky making him the youngest head coach in the NHL back in June.

Warsofsky has potential but due to just getting hired as the bench boss, he has to be number eight on this list.

No. 7: Greg Cronin (Anaheim Ducks)

Cronin was hired in 2023 and posted a 27-50-5 as Ducks head coach in his first season.

Anaheim finished seventh in the Pacific and that's the spot Cronin comes in on this list.

No. 6: Ryan Huska (Calgary Flames)

Ryan Huska is entering year number two. With a 38-39-5 record a year ago and missing the playoffs, Huska looks to get Calgary on track.

The Flames have goaltending uncertainty entering the year and until they show something, Huska ranks sixth.

No. 5: Jim Hiller (Los Angeles Kings)

Last February, the LA Kings fired coach Todd McLellan and named Jim Hiller interim head coach.

Hiller went 21-12-1 behind the bench and lost in five games to the Oilers in Round 1 of the playoffs.

Hiller is back as head coach and looks to get LA to the playoffs again. He ranks fifth.

No. 4: Dan Bylsma (Seattle Kraken)

Bylsma was promoted to Kraken head coach on May 28 after Seattle canned Dave Hakstol.

I don't believe Bylsma is a great coach, but he comes in at number four because of his Stanley Cup victory back in 2009 with Pittsburgh. We’ll see what he brings to Seattle this year.

No. 3: Kris Knoblauch (Edmonton Oilers)

The Oilers hired Kris Knoblauch as their head coach last November after firing Jay Woodcroft.

Knoblauch led the Oilers to a 46-18-5 record as bench boss and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance where Edmonton came back from a 3-0 deficit to eventually lose in seven games.

Knoblauch earns the third spot on this list due to the success after taking over last season.

No. 2: Bruce Cassidy (Vegas Golden Knights)

Bruce Cassidy is entering his third year in Vegas. Cassidy couldn’t find a way to win the Stanley Cup in Boston but in his first year in Vegas, he accomplished that feat.

Last season, Vegas lost in Round 1 to the Dallas Stars in seven games.

The Knights lost some key pieces over the offseason but Cassidy and his squad look to bounce back this season. Cassidy ranks second.

No. 1: Rick Tocchet (Vancouver Canucks)

In his first full season as the Canucks head coach, Tocchet led Vancouver to a 109-point season, Pacific Division crown and won the Jack Adams Award.

The Canucks lost in the second round to the Oilers in a great seven-game series.

I personally love the Canucks and love Rick Tocchet because of the way he played and the way he coaches his team to play. Toc comes in at number one in the Pacific.

Austin Moran is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email acm6506@psu.edu.