They have won the Stanley Cup twice and the Calder Cup twice. Two of them are switching teams, two were out of work, two are being promoted from the minor leagues, and one is arriving from college. They range in age from 40 to 52. One has 1,094 games of NHL experience; one has 602; and three have zero. There will be seven new coaches in the NHL next season after the Detroit Red Wings filled the final vacancy when they hired Jeff Blashill on Tuesday.
Here is a recap of the coaches who have been hired since the end of the regular season, in chronological order:
Dave Hakstol, Philadelphia Flyers - This will be Hakstol's first coaching job in the NHL; he spent the past 15 seasons with the University of North Dakota, the past 11 as coach. Hired by the Flyers on May 18, Hakstol replaces Craig Berube, who was fired one month earlier after Philadelphia finished the regular season 33-31-18.
Todd McLellan, Edmonton Oilers - McLellan arrives after winning more than 300 games over the past seven seasons with the San Jose Sharks, who made the Stanley Cup Playoffs six consecutive seasons before failing to qualify in 2014-15. McLellan and the Sharks agreed to part in April, and he was hired by Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli on May 19. McLellan replaces Todd Nelson, who was hired after Dallas Eakins was fired 31 games into the season.
Mike Babcock, Toronto Maple Leafs - Babcock became the highest-paid coach in NHL history when he signed an eight-year contract reportedly worth $50 million on May 20. He left the Red Wings after making the playoffs in each of the past 10 seasons and winning the Stanley Cup in 2008. Babcock replaces Peter Horachek, who was fired April 29, three months after Randy Carlyle was fired. Toronto finished 30-44-8, 15th in the Eastern Conference.
Dan Bylsma, Buffalo Sabres - After falling short in their bid to lure Babcock to Buffalo, the Sabres hired Bylsma on May 28. Bylsma spent 5 1/2 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins and won the Stanley Cup by defeating Babcock's Red Wings in 2009. Bylsma replaces Ted Nolan, who was fired April 12. The Sabres won a League-low 23 games this season.
Peter DeBoer, San Jose Sharks - A finalist for the coaching job seven years ago that ultimately went to McLellan, DeBoer was hired by the Sharks on May 28. DeBoer coached the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils, and guided the latter to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. He was fired by New Jersey last December following a 12-17-7 start.
John Hynes, New Jersey Devils - This will be Hynes' first NHL coaching job after winning at least 42 games in each of his five seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League. He was hired by Devils general manager Ray Shero on June 2, the same GM who hired him to work in the Penguins organization in 2009.
Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings - It was all but a foregone conclusion Blashill would get the job once Babcock decided to leave for Toronto, and it finally became official Tuesday. Blashill was coach of Detroit's AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, the past three seasons, winning the 2013 Calder Cup, AHL coach of the year in 2014, and reaching the Western Conference Finals this season. There was never another candidate to become Red Wings coach. General manager Ken Holland decided last year that Jeff Blashill would be the choice if Mike Babcock chose to go elsewhere. And Blashill, 41, was introduced as Red Wings coach Tuesday at a press conference at Joe Louis Arena. He is the NHL's second-youngest coach behind John Hynes of the New Jersey Devils, who was hired this month. Blashill's contract is for four years, Holland said. Blashill replaces Babcock, who was hired to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 20 after 10 seasons with Detroit. Blashill was coach of Detroit's American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, the past three seasons, winning the 2013 Calder Cup, AHL coach of the year in 2014, and reaching the Western Conference Finals this season. Blashill was an assistant coach with the Red Wings under Babcock in 2011-12. After the 2013-14 season, Babcock was entering the final year of his contact and five NHL teams wanted to interview Blashill for their coaching vacancy. Holland gave Blashill the choice of interviewing with other teams or signing a contract extension with Detroit that included a significant raise and the assurance that if Babcock left after the 2014-15 season, he would be the next Red Wings coach. Blashill signed the extension and remained in Grand Rapids. Blashill is the first American-born coach in Detroit's history and was coach at Western Michigan University in 2010-11. He was born in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Mich. and grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, which is located on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Ten Red Wings who played in the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs played for Blashill with Grand Rapids. Blashill is unlikely to have the same sometimes abrasive manner with players as Babcock did, but Holland said he won't be an easy touch either. Holland said the Red Wings, who have made the playoffs in 24 straight seasons, are getting younger. Though the core leadership group of forwards Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg and defenseman Niklas Kronwall is aging, nine players on the roster are 26 or younger, and Detroit will likely get even younger in the next couple of years as more players come up from Grand Rapids.
Ken Holland: "I'm going on my instinct. He's a great young coach who is ready to coach in the NHL. You don't have success like that at the American Hockey League level unless you're running a good program. I've had conversations about our players with both Jeff and Mike Babcock, and they have different thoughts on certain players. I don't think he's a soft coach; I think he'll have different relationships. But he will make people accountable. We've always been trying to win the Stanley Cup and get into the playoffs. Now we're also trying to develop our organization. We're trying to get younger and trying to get better. And sometimes when you're dealing with younger players, you have to have patience."
Jeff Blashill: "I can't wait to go to work with this group in the fall and start trying to win the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings job was the job I wanted the most of all. I don't want to talk about what has been the case in the past; I have my own approach and some things will be different. I'll be Jeff Blashill, and I think in that, there will be change."
Bruce Boudreau, Anaheim - One coach moving nowhere is Boudreau. The Sucks announced Tuesday they will retain their coach but assistant coach Brad Lauer will not return next season. It was the only staff change made by Anaheim general manager Bob Murray, who earlier this month was non-committal about the return of Boudreau before he completed his evaluation of players and staff. Lauer was responsible for the Ducks power play, which was ranked 28th in the regular season and 22nd last season. Anaheim was eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final in seven games, the third straight season the Ducks lost Game 7 at home. Lauer was hired with Boudreau on Nov. 30, 2011. Lauer previously was an assistant with the Ottawa Senators. Anaheim’s other assistant coach is Trent Yawney, who completed his first season with the Ducks. Boudreau’s contract runs through the 2016-17 season.
Bob Murray: "We’ve spent the last week evaluating everything from top to bottom, including all player and staff performance. This process is something I believe is essential each and every year, no matter the results of the season. We’ve decided to refocus and change the responsibilities of one of the assistant coach positions. We want to thank Brad Lauer for his hard work and dedication, and we wish him the best of luck in the future."
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