We've already seen two NHL coaches get fired this year. First was Jay Woodcroft getting fired by the Edmonton Oilers and recently Minnesota fired Dean Evason and replaced him with John Hynes.
The favorite to get the next NHL coach to be fired is Ottawa Senators coach D.J. Smith at +150. New York Islanders' Lane Lambert isn't far behind at +200.
Odds to Be Next NHL Coach Fired/Resign
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| D.J. Smith (Ottawa Senators) | +150 |
| Lane Lambert (New York Islanders) | +200 |
| David Quinn (San Jose Sharks) | +800 |
| Sheldon Keefe (Toronto Maple Leafs) | +1000 |
| Craig Berube (St. Louis Blues) | +1200 |
| Pascal Vincent (Columbus Blue Jackets) | +1200 |
Odds as of Nov. 29
Why is D.J. Smith the Favorite To Be The Next NHL Head Coach To Be Fired?
Ottawa sucks. Again! The Sens are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and nine points out of a Wild Card spot (though they have six games in hand). This year was supposed to be different.
Last season, Ottawa made a push for the playoffs but ultimately fell short. Superstar in the making Tim Stützle put up an outstanding 90 points in 78 games. At the deadline, they added defenseman Jakub Chychrin to bolster the talent level of the squad. This year, they were supposed to make the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.
And while they still have 79% of the season to play, this start is not where new owner Michael Andlauer wanted his team. And coaching is a big reason why. Even Smith knows this.
DJ Smith takes the blame for the Sens loss tonight. pic.twitter.com/g58usWjmzT
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 28, 2023
If a coach can't prepare his team for a game, what is he doing exactly? This is why Smith's seat is the hottest in the NHL.
NHL Next Coach Fired: Value Bets
Lane Lambert
Many talking heads around the league will tell you that this is exactly where they saw the Islanders heading. "An old team with a flawed core" is what they'll say. But they're wrong. What's holding the Isles back isn't age or their core, it's coaching.
The Islanders are one of the worst teams in the final period with a -15 goal differential and haven't been able to manage a game out from a winning position.
The #isles have dropped 5 points from games with a 2 goal lead.
— Michel Anderson (@TLOMitch) November 29, 2023
They would be 2nd in the Metro if they could just close out a 2-goal lead.
Playoffs for the Isles are a must. And while the Isle are only three points back of a Wild Card spot with two games in hand, Lane's GM is Lou Lamoriello. A guy who once fired his coach weeks before the playoffs while his team was first in the league. Lou is known to act quickly when a coach is struggling. And boy is Lambert struggling.
If the Isles don't improve by Saturday, I expect Lou Lamoriello to make a coaching change before a six-game homestand on Long Island.
Sheldon Keefe
Toronto is in a Wild Card spot, but you know things aren't right when you see Keefe berating his players on the bench.
Keefe is going off, and rightfully so pic.twitter.com/EPNGYp5dmy
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) November 29, 2023
The Leafs 5on5 CF% is 16th in the NHL and xGF% is 18th. From 20-21 through to 22-23, Toronto's 5on5 Corsi was ranked sixth (52.01%) and their xGF% was fifth (54.44%). The Buds are struggling badly in even-strength play, where the majority of the game is played.
Keefe is coaching under a GM that was hired after him. Any sign of struggle and new GM Brad Treiliving could install his own bench boss. There is no tolerance for anything other than making a run for the Stanley Cup. They can't do that if they don't even make the playoffs.
