Predicting which coach gets fired first this year.

[Feenom]

Torts should be the odds on favorite to screw up. The guy is a volcano.

[Pit Bulls]

Torts, Desjardins then Capuano.

CBJ players have already tuned out Torts - my guess is he is gone before Nov 15th.
Van's team is really bad - and Desjardins will pay the price even though it should be the GM
NYI's management team is a loose canon that is unpredictable at best and if they get off to a slow start, changes will come quickly.

[ericdaoust]

I don't think Torts goes mid-season. They already pulled that stunt last year.

[Rodgort]

West:
Willie D (because Benning needs a scapegoat)
And I think everyone else is safe in that division. Well if Oilers Oil then McLellan could be gone.

East:
Blashill Det - To save Holland from the weak off season moves
Capuano - He has to go if they flame out early, his roster choices are often baffling
Julien - Because Boston brass makes no sense

Notes:
- Therrien will be safe because Price is amazing who will make the team (and Weber) look great
- AV is a maybe because I think the new GM (who was the last assistant gm) realizes that d-core is absolutely brutal, so unless the forwards quit on him I think he is safe.
- I don't see torts going mid season as they spent a 2nd round pick to get him and don't want to look like idiots. Plus Bob's recent play will likely make him look competent

[hockeyrobot]

Torts and Therrien. Bye bye

[PenguinHunter]

Therrien probably. If Dallas gets out to a slow start I wonder if Ruff gets shown the door.
You also wonder how patient Edmonton can afford to be.

I think they will be really patient with McClellan... Team North America picked him to coach I am guessing because he is McDavids coach. and by giving McDavid the C for North America, I fully assume that the relationship with McDavid and McLellan is healthy and one that the upper management wants to keep. Wasn;t the upper management of team NA similar to Edmontons (Chiarelli)?

As for my guess for early firings...

Torts - no comment needed
Hitch - if St.Louis sucks out the gate he is gone.

[Sherpa]

I think they will be really patient with McClellan... Team North America picked him to coach I am guessing because he is McDavids coach. and by giving McDavid the C for North America, I fully assume that the relationship with McDavid and McLellan is healthy and one that the upper management wants to keep. Wasn;t the upper management of team NA similar to Edmontons (Chiarelli)?

As for my guess for early firings...

Torts - no comment needed
Hitch - if St.Louis sucks out the gate he is gone.

Hitch is already ceding the reins at the end of the year. Can't see the players getting a new lease on life when they know who's coming in already and know the systems he brings are the same as Hitch's.

[Sulla]

Therrien, Desjardins and I think Julien could be in trouble if the B's start slow

[lucafen4]

Thanks. My reasoning behind these rankings is:
-Though I don't think desjardins is a bad coach I think vancouvers gonna struggle and he'll be the scapegoat for managements inability ice a good enough team to contend or decide to rebuild.
-Tortorella's 2nd on my list because I don't think his coaching style suits todays nhl and his players have a tendency of tuning him out quickly.
-Therien's 3rd because all though he's under fire for mtl's struggles last season and what he may or may not have said about pacioretty I think price being back setting a calming mood on the ice they should rack up the W's... And bergevin seems to have his back

I don't know if Van will fire Willie... there appears to be a head office ineptitude that prevents them from making swift moves. Against Calgary in the playoffs two years ago - he got out coached. He looked lost in that series. He wasn't able to grab the room last year and pull the kids into line - even with the Sedins publicly shaming them in the media. They should be the 1st team to fire their coach so they can go and get Kruger who's showing - he can coach. He also showed he could coach when he ripped the Oilers to the best 30 game start they've had in 20 years.

Torts is awful and just needs to go. Crapping the bed in the world cup only makes him easier to let go. 1st on my list.

The talk last year was that Bergy chose Therrien over PK... not sure Bergy is willing to let him go this year, even with a cold start.

[newfcollins]

I think Therrien is safe. I can't see the team choosing the coach over a superstar by trading said superstar and then firing that coach early in the season.

My very dark horse pick would be Paul Maurice if the Jets struggle out of the gate.

I also always wonder how bad would Arizona have to be to fire Dave Tippett.

[Sherpa]

Tippett's safe considering he got an increased role in the front office too.

My dark horse is Carlyle. I can see him playing the hell out of the wrong players (Bieksa over some younger options comes to mind) and he has a young goalie in Gibson to eff up. I can see his "system" throwing the team off the rails early and that kind of performance got Boudreau canned just a season ago.

[PenguinHunter]

I think Therrien is safe. I can't see the team choosing the coach over a superstar by trading said superstar and then firing that coach early in the season.

My very dark horse pick would be Paul Maurice if the Jets struggle out of the gate.

I also always wonder how bad would Arizona have to be to fire Dave Tippett.

There are only two ways that I see Tippet getting fired.

1) the team finished 0-82
2) Dave Tippet becomes General Manager and Coach and then fires himself as the coach to just focus on GM duties.

[Loch]

My dark horse is Carlyle. I can see him playing the hell out of the wrong players (Bieksa over some younger options comes to mind) and he has a young goalie in Gibson to eff up. I can see his "system" throwing the team off the rails early and that kind of performance got Boudreau canned just a season ago.

I can't see Carlyle getting fired because I have yet to come to terms with the fact he got hired. Otherwise this makes sense...

[Rodgort]

I think Therrien is safe. I can't see the team choosing the coach over a superstar by trading said superstar and then firing that coach early in the season.

My very dark horse pick would be Paul Maurice if the Jets struggle out of the gate.

I also always wonder how bad would Arizona have to be to fire Dave Tippett.

New 5 year contract and a promotion likely makes that impossible. http://www.thescore.com/news/1021535

[Doug Glatt]

There are only two ways that I see Tippet getting fired.

1) the team finished 0-82
2) Dave Tippet becomes General Manager and Coach and then fires himself as the coach to just focus on GM duties.

Yeah the only way Tippett leaves the Coyotes HQ is in a body bag. He is a lifer.