How many first-time NHL head coaches will we see in 2025-26?

After Mike Sullivan signed with the New York Rangers and Joel Quenneville with the Anaheim Ducks, there are now six NHL head coaching vacancies, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken and Philadelphia Flyers. With the usual suspects like Peter Laviolette and Rick Tocchet available, some are wondering if any first-time NHL head coaches will get a shot?

On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk going into the weekend by playing a round of “Over Under” and bet on whether more than 1.5 first timers will get a chance behind the bench.

Tyler Yaremchuk: We know a couple of vacancies have been filled, but these are the remaining six: Penguins, Blackhawks, Canucks, Bruins, Kraken and Flyers. Between these six, I’m going to set the line at 1.5 first-time head coaches getting these jobs. What do you say to that one?

Frank Seravalli: 1.5 first-time coaches … okay, this is an important question: do you consider Anders Sorensen, who was the interim in Chicago, would he be a first-time coach?

Tyler Yaremchuk: No, I think it has to be a true hire, someone who has never been a head coach before.

Frank Seravalli: I’ll take the under.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I mean, Manny Malholtra in Vancouver, I know you talked about him earlier this week.

Frank Seravalli: So where is the other first timer coming from?

Tyler Yaremchuk: I feel like Seattle might have to go that way?

Frank Seravalli: So you’re betting that one of Chicago or Seattle does a first timer?

Tyler Yaremchuk: Yeah, and Vancouver sticks with Manny.

Frank Seravalli: I’ll take the under, although I hate betting the under because it’s a crappy way to live.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…