Time is flying by as the NHL’s 2026 off-season unfolds, but here at TheHockeyNews.com, we’re ranking all the NHL’s coaches. In this short series, we’re ranking the 32 coaches, in reverse order, from No. 32 through No. 1.
After getting through half of the rankings, it's time to go over the coaches ranked 15 to 11, the final increment before getting into the top 10.
Criteria for our coaches’ ranking include each coach’s accomplishments, their short-term and long-term history, as well as their expectations and general reputation. But full disclosure – this ranking is subjective.
Here are our choices for coaches ranked 15th through 11th.
15. PETER LAVIOLETTE, LOS ANGELES KINGS
If Peter Laviolette were an NHL player, he’d be labelled a journeyman, as he’s coached six different teams before being named coach of the Los Angeles Kings this summer. Laviolette is a Stanley Cup winner with the Carolina Hurricanes, but that happened in 2005-06.
Laviolette is higher on this list because of his 1,594 games of regular-season experience, and his teams have made the playoffs 11 times since that Cup win.
Laviolette has his work cut out with a Kings team pivoting into a post-Anze Kopitar era. Laviolette has shown he can generate positive results, but the Kings need to go on a deep playoff run.
14. RICK BOWNESS, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Rick Bowness infamously went off on his Columbus Blue Jackets players late in the season. But Columbus GM Don Waddell supported Bowness by signing him to a one-year contract extension.
Although Bowness has only a half-season of experience with the Blue Jackets, he has 840 games of NHL experience, and he’s got a Cup final appearance to his credit when he coached the Dallas Stars.
Bowness is 71 years old, but he showed this past season he could still succeed as an NHL coach, as he put together a 21-11-5 record in 37 games. Columbus narrowly missed the playoffs, but Bowness has a mandate to push his group into the post-season in 2026-27. He’s a no-nonsense coach who can provide structure and stability.
13. DAN MUSE, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
We have only a small sample size by which to judge Dan Muse, whose rookie season as an NHL coach came this past year with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Muse’s Penguins posted a 41-25-16 record, got the Pens into the playoffs for the first time in four years, and finished third in the Jack Adams Trophy voting for the coach of the year.
Muse was a solid hire by Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas, and he has earned the respect of Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
The Penguins benefit from playing in a weak Metropolitan Division, but Muse is under considerable pressure to get Pittsburgh deep in the playoffs while developing the organization’s young players. The Pens can’t afford to waste Crosby and Malkin’s final years, and Muse must balance the needs of the ‘now’ with Pittsburgh’s long-term needs.
12. LINDY RUFF, BUFFALO SABRES
Lindy Ruff was in danger of being fired early this past season, but the veteran bench boss turned things around for the Buffalo Sabres, who went 39-9-5 in their final 53 games to surge to the top of the Atlantic Division. And Ruff is a previous Jack Adams Award-winner, so he’s earned the respect of his peers.
Ruff got a two-year contract extension after his success in 2025-26, and that’s about as good as any coach gets it in the modern-day coaching business. With 1,938 regular-season games of experience, Ruff is going to push past the 2,000-game mark this season.
Ruff already is the fourth-most-experienced coach in NHL history, and he’s got the opportunity to steer the Sabres to at least an Eastern Conference final appearance.
11. JOHN HYNES, MINNESOTA WILD
John Hynes led the Minnesota Wild to the NHL’s seventh-best record the past season at 46-24-12. Also, in his three years in Minnesota, the Wild improved their record every year. So while Hynes hasn’t had a great deal of playoff success, he has coached his team to a playoff appearance in five of the past seven seasons.
In the past 12 campaigns, Hynes coached three teams – the Wild, New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators. That’s impressive staying power, and although he’s facing major pressure in the hyper-competitive Central Division, Hynes has a terrific core of talent in Minnesota.
The Wild need to take that next competitive step in 2026-27 and get at least to the Western Conference final, but Hynes has the confidence of Minnesota GM Bill Guerin.
Image