When John Tortorella said he was "Not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season where we’re at right now," it felt as if it was a matter of when, not if, the Philadelphia Flyers would choose to move on. They wound up doing so before Tortorella could coach another game for the team.
Tortorella is known as a stern head coach who might make head-scratching decisions, but gets the most out of his players. Well, based on how the team has played this season and particularly lately, Tortorella was not doing his job well enough, and the Flyers wound up showing him the door as a result.
While Tortorella might be the biggest-name head coach to lose his job this season, he won't be the last one to get fired. At least three other NHL head coaches are on the hot seat and could very well get fired once the regular season officially wraps up.
3) Joe Sacco hasn't been the upgrade that the Bruins hoped he'd be
The Boston Bruins hoped that firing Jim Montgomery and replacing him with Joe Sacco would help the team recover from its slow start to the 2024-25 season. It's safe to say that didn't end up happening.
The Bruins enter Saturday's action with a 30-34-9 record, good for seventh place in the Atlantic Division. They currently sit six points back of a playoff spot with only nine games to play, so the chances of them getting to the postseason are extremely slim.
It isn't Sacco's fault that the team that was poorly built never caught fire, especially once the Bruins decided to trade away several key players, but his 22-25-6 record since taking over speaks for itself. The Bruins have not removed his interim tag, and based on how the team has performed under Sacco, it's unlikely they'll go into next season with him behind the bench.
2) A fresh start is needed in Pittsburgh without Mike Sullivan
Mike Sullivan has had a ton of success during his decade-long run with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He led his team to Stanley Cup wins in each of his first two years at the helm, and they wound up making the playoffs in each of his first seven seasons with the organization. The Penguins have missed the playoffs in each of their last two seasons, however, and barring a miracle, will miss it again in 2025.
At 29-34-11, the Penguins have just 69 points, good for seventh-most in the Metropolitan Division. Things haven't gone how the Penguins had envisioned in the twilight of Sidney Crosby's career.
It isn't all Sullivan's fault that things have gone south in Pittsburgh, especially now with the Penguins making moves with an eye toward the future, but it's fair to wonder how much longer of a leash he has. He's been in Pittsburgh for a decade, and things have gone south in recent years. At some point, it'll be time for a fresh start and for the Penguins to have a new voice lead their locker room.
Considering the talent on Pittsburgh's team outside of Crosby, Sullivan might be better off looking elsewhere anyway.
1) Andrew Brunette will take the blame for a disastrous season in Nashville
Andrew Brunette's first season with the Nashville Predators could not have gone much better. He led what many viewed as an undermanned team to the playoffs, and was a Jack Adams Award finalist because of that. Brunette's second season, however, could not have gone much worse, and he might get fired as a result.
In an attempt to build off of their spectacular season, the Predators had a monster offseason, signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei to large contracts while also coming to terms on an extension with goaltender Juuse Saros. It probably was a stretch to assume this team would be competing for a Stanley Cup with their additions, but there was reason to believe that the Predators would, at the very least, be among the best teams in the Western Conference. That has not been the case.
At 27-37-8, the Predators are not only the second-worst team in the Central Division, but they have the third-lowest point total (62) in the league. They went all-out in an effort to win now, but have gone in the opposite direction. Given that simple fact, Brunette's tenure in Nashville might end up being shorter than anyone had envisioned, especially after his outstanding first year.