Oftentimes, when an NHL coach is fired or removed from their role in any fashion, it’s natural to immediately look for candidates who are next in line to take that job. The obvious picks are outside hires who have NHL experience and who are one or two years removed from an NHL coaching position.

However, there is another path for a team’s brass to go down when it comes to narrowing down a coaching search, and that path leads them to the AHL. All the great coaches once coached in the American League at some point.

 In fact, 21 of the 32 coaches in the NHL have coached in the AHL at some point in their careers. That includes Stanley Cup winners Paul Maurice, Jon Cooper, Joel Quenneville and more.

Here’s a list of AHL coaches who could earn a promotion to the NHL in the near future, in no particular order.

Manny Malhotra, Abbotsford Canucks

Manny Malhotra is coming off a Calder Cup championship in his first year as a professional head coach. He led the Abbotsford Canucks to their first championship since the franchise moved to Abbotsford in 2021.

It’s not uncommon for AHL coaches who win championships to get some time as an NHL bench boss. Sheldon Keefe is an example of that when he was with the Toronto Marlies and was promoted to the Toronto Maple Leafs just a couple of seasons later.

It may seem unlikely for Malhotra to get promoted to the Vancouver Canucks, considering Adam Foote was just hired. However, it doesn’t mean other teams around the league aren’t taking note of his accomplishments in the minors.

Geordie Kinnear, Charlotte Checkers

Geordie Kinnear has been a head coach in the AHL for a long time now. He’s been the bench boss for the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Charlotte Checkers for nine seasons. The 52-year-old is coming off his best season with the Checkers, leading them to the Calder Cup final.

Aside from last season’s fourth-place finish in the regular season and final appearance, Kinnear was the man behind a few other solid campaigns with Charlotte. Since the 2021-22 season, Kinnear’s team has put up a minimum winning percentage of .590.

Trent Vogelhuber, Cleveland Monsters

Trent Vogelhuber, the youngest head coach on this list, has had an impressive start to his short coaching career. After missing the playoffs in his first year, he made the AHL post-season in back-to-back seasons to get to this point.

Due to his leadership behind the bench, the Cleveland Monsters have been a promising team for the past two years, and look to continue that reputation for 2025-26. It may be a matter of time before an NHL team recognizes the young prodigy in Cleveland.

Blue Jackets’ Jet Greaves To Challenge For Starting Gig: AHL Goaltenders To Make The ShowThe goaltender is arguably the most important position in hockey. It is believed that without a great goalie between the pipes, a team has little chance of winning silverware, let alone hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Karl Taylor, Milwaukee Admirals

Since becoming the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals in 2018-19, Karl Taylor has been as consistent as any coach in the AHL. Aside from the 2019-20 season, when the AHL playoffs were cancelled due to COVID-19, Taylor’s Admirals have qualified for the playoffs every year. It’s a shame because in that cancelled season, Milwaukee had a 41-14-8 record, dominating the league.

Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz might be keeping one eye on Taylor and his success in the minors, especially considering Andrew Brunette's tenure with the team so far. Furthermore, Taylor has taken the Admirals to the third round of the playoffs for three straight years. It’s only a matter of time before he can make a breakthrough in the post-season.

Ryan Mougenel, Providence Bruins

Ryan Mougenel could be on the cusp of a strong season with the Providence Bruins. Several great players could be suiting up for Providence this year, including Fraser Minten, Alex Steeves, Fabian Lysel, Michael DiPietro, Matej Blumel, Matthew Poitras, and more.

Mougenel should be in line to have one of his best seasons as the Bruins’ bench boss. Up to this point, he has been solid with three straight 40-plus win seasons and three consecutive playoff appearances.

Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.  

The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season is just about here, and on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re almost done with our player-by-player series in which we analyze expectations for each Buffalo player this coming season.

We’ve moved through Buffalo’s goalies, blueliners, and most of the top-four lines of forwards. And in this file, we’re examining the expectations for right forward Tyson Kozak. The 22-year-old only broke into the NHL this past season, so Sabres fans should be cautious in what they expect him to do in ‘25-26. But let’s get to our breakdown of what Kozak can be counted on to deliver this year:

Player Name: Tyson Kozak

Position: Center

Age: 22

2024-25 Key Statistics: 21 games, three goals, five points, 10:29 average time on ice

2025-26 Salary:$775,000

2025-26 Expectations: Kozak was a seventh-round pick (193rd overall) in 2021, so it’s a minor miracle and a major credit to him that he’s risen through the ranks and is likely to start the season on Buffalo’s NHL roster. He’s spent the majority of the past two seasons with the Sabres’ American League affiliate in Rochester, N.Y., averaging 42 games, six goals and 12 points per season. So this is not someone who is suddenly going to experience a points surge at the NHL level.

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While Kozak will probably be in the press box as a healthy scratch, an injury, trade or underperforming player will open up a spot for Kozak to be a night-in, night-out player for Buffalo. And yes, there’s still a possibility he’s sent back to Rochester this year. 

Certainly, Kozak’s modest salary this season – he’s actually taking a pay cut on a three-year contract – makes him easier for Buffalo’s management to keep around at the NHL level. But imagining he’s any more than a fourth-liner is imagining that many things will have to go wrong for the players above Kozak on the Sabres’ depth chart.

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Fourth-Liner Malenstyn May Be Entering Final Season In BuffaloWe’re almost at the start of the NHL’s 2025-26 regular season, and on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re nearing the conclusion of our exclusive player-by-player series in which we break down the expectations for each Sabres player this coming season.

Kozak barely got 10 minutes a night from Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff last season, so it’s difficult to envision that number suddenly surges to even 14 or 15 minutes a night is a serious stretch. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, Kozak isn’t going to be a physical menace or a net-front presence for the Sabres. He’s got Father Time on his side right now, but that doesn’t mean he’lll be a needle-mover in any regard. 

The Sabres have more than their share of fourth-line talents and young prospects, so the competition Kozak is facing is going to challenge him to either step up or step out of the way. He’s likely to get opportunities to prove himself a capable NHLer, but Kozak is on the clock at the same time. He needs to assert himself as being worthy of playing in hockey’s top league, or he’ll be an AHLer for many years to come.

Seattle Kraken center Berkly Catton has two options: make the NHL roster out of camp, or return to the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL.

If it were up to the 19-year-old, he wouldn't play a game in the WHL ever again.

But that's not how it works. Catton must impress the Kraken coaching staff throughout training camp and the pre-season, and then he'll have nine games to prove he deserves to stay in the NHL. So far, Catton is off to a good start. 

"I’ve liked them. And I think Catton has looked good," said coach Lane Lambert when referring to Catton's line, which features Jared McCann and captain Jordan Eberle. 

The adjustment to the NHL game is different, but Catton is staying true to his game and playing with a new level of intensity. 

"I think it's a lot different," said Catton when adjusting to the NHL game. "I'm not going to go into a battle with Larsson and outmuscle him. If anything, I have to be quicker or try to get the puck before him, little things like that."

Catton also attributes his early success in training camp to his linemates. Saying their veteran presence, combined with their skill, has made the transition easier than he expected. 

"Helps when I'm on a line with two really good players. They always make plays and stuff, and even communicate with me about where I need to be. It's been great playing with them, and they've shown me a lot in two days. It's pretty cool playing on a line with Jordan Eberle and McCann, so I'm just cherishing that. I think they are really smart hockey players, and I have an ability to make plays too, and in two days, I think we have good chemistry. It's been fun."

The first step for Catton is to impress in the upcoming pre-season games so he can earn his nine-game call-up. If he can do so in both, he could very well spend the 2025-26 season in the NHL.

Kraken's Berkly Catton Entering Camp Stronger And More ConfidentBerkly Catton is entering his second rookie camp and training with the Seattle Kraken, but this time around, his intentions are greater, hoping to earn a roster spot. 

NHL training camps are off and running, and no podcast could be happier about it than The Hockey Show!

Not only is the new season basically here, but there are also plenty of interesting storylines to follow regarding several of the league’s top players and teams.

While discussing the biggest stories happening around the NHL, The Hockey Show hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period on the show this week.

Among the topics they got into were Kirill Kaprizov’s contract situation in Minnesota, the future of Connor McDavid in Edmonton and where goaltender Carter Hart may end up now that he is allowed to sign with an NHL team.

They also discussed whether Sidney Crosby could be traded by Pittsburgh to a Stanley Cup contender at some point, and L.A. Kings legend Anze Kopitar announcing that this season will be his last in the league.

This week’s wins and fails included a durag appearance in a preseason game, a goalie scoring on himself during a prospect showcase and the Islanders players finally being able to grow out their facial hair.

You can check out the full episode and interview in the videos below:

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Prepare For Launch - Jan. 25 2016 - Vol. 69 Issue 10 - Tim Campbell

THE FIRST GLANCE AT THE 2015-16 salary cap accounting holds something of a double take near its bottom. Is that really the Winnipeg Jets racing the likes the Arizona and Nashville to the salary floor?

The answer is yes, temporarily, and mostly by design.

The Jets are on track to go into the off-season with the most available cap space of 30 teams, all of which may be needed to solve issues that grow more urgent with each passing game.

Winnipeg may not have the most prominent pending free agents come July 1 – hello, Steven Stamkos, Eric Staal, Anze Kopitar and David Backes – but its combined list of those in the final years of contracts is the stickiest of situations.

Captain Andrew Ladd and Dman Dustin Byfuglien head the list. Both are UFAs on July 1 if they can’t find an extension with Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

Shrinking NHL Pre-Season Could Present Opportunity For AHLThe NHL's recent CBA changes could lead to a longer AHL pre-season, following the NHL cutting down on exhibition games. 

And coming out of their entry-level deals are defenseman Jacob Trouba and centers Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry. Goalie Michael Hutchinson is also an RFA.

After their first playoff berth since the 2011 relocation (and their first as a franchise since 2007), the team opted to give roster spots to young players (Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrew Copp, even Alex Burmistrov) instead of bringing in older free agents, allowing Cheveldayoff to orchestrate this enviable amount of cap space. But does he have enough to satisfy everyone?

The answer appears to be no, unless he can realize some extraordinary hometown discounts. That’s not likely to happen or even be proposed.

The Jets reside in the NHL’s smallest market yet are solidly a middle-revenue team and have said repeatedly they will spend at the appropriate time. That time is upon them, but when it comes to the inevitable choices, they won’t be easy.

Fitting the puzzle together almost surely starts with Ladd and Byfuglien, two clear leaders in the room.

Ladd, who just turned 30, is coming out of a five-year, $22-million deal that was good value for the Jets. He was their leading scorer last season and has given the team nothing but 20-plus goal years plus leadership. Ladd is seeking a healthy raise and reportedly six years in likely his last big chance at a major contract score.

Byfuglien, who turns 31 in March, is also coming out of a five-year deal, his worth $26 million and paying him $6 million in this final season. That contract was also good value for the team, given the big man’s in-game impact, especially once he got past conditioning issues in earlier Winnipeg seasons. His ask is reportedly eight years and $55 million.

Exclusive: Dale Hawerchuk’s Heartfelt Reflections on Winnipeg, Shared Before His PassingThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Five-and-a-half months after the negotiation window opened, however, no extensions had been agreed upon. Only a few dribs of information had emerged as Cheveldayoff has held fast to his policy of refraining from comment, whether on proposal, progress or pothole.

Neither veteran appears to be unaffordable, but the matter of longer terms does seem to be of issue, including some serious skepticism that a big commitment to Byfuglien through age 39 would be wise.

If agreements aren’t possible by the Feb. 29 trade deadline, expect Cheveldayoff to simply deal, since the Jets are in no position – given their consensus unattractiveness to free agents – to let either walk.

The Jets' approach seemed to be that a lot of effort can still go into the two months prior to the trade deadline.

Another element to the picture is some history.

As former GM of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, Cheveldayoff was a member of the Atlanta Thrashers family long enough to know how waiting too long resulted in a costly outcome for the franchise when it finally traded Ilya Kovalchuk in early 2010. He will be mindful of making the same error, especially since such mistakes have ramifications that ripple long into the future.

If all of that didn’t inject enough uncertainty into the Jets’ situation, then the Trouba situation will.

The 2012 first-rounder, who turns 22 in February, has reportedly put a big proposal on the table for the max eight years and more than $56 million. It appears to have been a non-starter for Winnipeg, due to the price or Trouba’s shaky start to the season, or both, and so the sides have reportedly decided to adjourn the matter to the off-season.

Former Jets Goaltender Expected To Miss Significant Time Once AgainFormer Winnipeg Jets backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit faces another lengthy absence with new injury.

If no bridge deal is found for Trouba, his raise will be substantial, possibly enough to make either Ladd or Byfuglien impossible to fit.

The math is fuzzy at this stage because none of the deals was yet done and the league’s cap for 2016-17 is not concrete. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said at the December GM meetings that the new number is projected to “be somewhere between where it is now and up $3 million, in that range.”

Could Trouba be moved? The interest would be high, but that scenario seems less likely than Ladd or Byfuglien given Trouba’s age and upside.

Beyond the trio, whose starting-point proposals totaled more than $152 million in commitments, Scheifele and Lowry in particular are poster players for the Jets draft-and-develop scheme. They both have earned raises, in bridge deals or not. Their increases figure to be less jolting in terms of headlines, but given their ages (22), both are integral figures in the culture and blueprint that Cheveldayoff is trying to execute.

The outcomes for Cheveldayoff and his pending free agents are very difficult to predict. The only easy call is that you won’t find the Jets in the race to the salary floor come next fall.

BULL OR BEAR MARKET?

Of the top 10 impending UFAs based on their 2015-16 cap hits, we see three getting pay bumps this summer, while the rest take a shave or get the same

Early Takeaways From Jets Training Camp: Groups, Players To Watch, Position BattlesBreaking down the early takeaways of Winnipeg Jets Training Camp including storylines from each group, position battles to watch and prospects to keep an eye on.