The Sheet Blog: Slew of first-timers could rock NHL head coach carousel for 2025-26

Plenty of names are popping up for the Philadelphia Flyers coaching position. And while Rick Tocchet’s name may be the one on everybody’s lips, there are plenty more who should get some consideration. Internally, Ian Laperriere, head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, will certainly get a conversation, and I would hope interim head coach Brad Shaw will be given a chance to keep the job. But let’s go over a couple more.

Pat Ferschweiler at Western Michigan is ready for the next step in his career. He worked as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings and has helped develop Alex Bump, who some consider the best prospect in Philly’s system.

Jay Woodcroft was at the Flyers’ training camp as a guest earlier this season and since his departure from the Edmonton Oilers has been travelling the world to observe and learn different ways to approach working behind the bench. Numerous trips to Europe and a thumb on the pulse for everything happening in the NHL has Woodcroft ready when the next opportunity calls.

At some point Todd Nelson will get back to the NHL. The resume is too good, including his most recent pair of Calder Cup wins. In some ways his success has worked against him as his teams are still playing when most coaching interviews and decisions are taking place in the deep into the spring.

There is also one more who bears some consideration for not only the Philadelphia job but any other coaching position out there – Mitch Love, who’s currently an assistant on one of the best benches in the NHL with the Washington Capitals. Spencer Carbery, who we’re all learning has one of the sharpest minds in the game, brought Love with him when he took the Caps job, probably recognizing that an NHL team would come knocking eventually. I wonder if that time is now. Love was brilliant coaching the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL, took the Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers on runs in the AHL playoffs is a part of a group of progressive thinkers in D.C., and considering this Flyers team is going to have plenty of kids around the next few seasons, it’s probably in their best interest to at least have a conversation. Love has interviewed for head coach positions with the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks.

Another name to watch this offseason, not necessarily with Philly but perhaps the Boston Bruins, is Marco Sturm, currently head coach of the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. Sturm went down the road with San Jose during their hiring process.

Sticking with coaches, with the NCAA’s Frozen Four set, there are plenty of whispers about three coaches we’ll see vying for the national title. I already mentioned Ferschweiler with the Philadelphia job, but how about Boston University’s Jay Pandolfo? The NHL conversation has been around Pandolfo the last few seasons. Could this be the year he leaves for the big show? Could the Bruins make sense here? And then there’s David Carle, the winning machine. I’m told it would take a lot to get him to leave a great setup with Denver, but is there a team out there ready to make his accountant happy and bring in one of the best coaches in college hockey? Maybe a team loaded with young prospects. Could the Chicago Blackhawks make sense here?

Putting the Michigan in The Michigan

Last week I wondered on The Sheet if Abby Roque of the PWHL’s New York Sirens was the first pro player from Michigan to pull off the Michigan in a game. 

The answer? No.

That distinction goes to Brandon Hawkins of Macomb, Michigan who nailed it (pardon the pun) playing for the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers in 2019.

Hawkins’ goalie victim here? Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, now of the Buffalo Sabres.

Reached by text and asked if he had any clue that he was the first Michigander to hit the iconic move in a pro game he replied, “I had no idea. But definitely something cool to have in my back pocket!”

Hawkins tells me he leaned the move playing roller hockey. He is currently the leading scorer of the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.

OHL Cup showcases famous hockey bloodlines

Congrats to the u16AAA Jr Canadiens of the GTHL, winners of this years’ edition of the OHL Cup, beating the powerhouse Don Mills Flyers 3-2 with JRC’s Camryn Warren picking up tournament MVP.

If you’ve never been to the tourney, you really should if you have a chance. The hockey is just fantastic, and it’s scouts’ last viewing of these players before the OHL draft (April 11). I’m always interested in ex-NHLers’ kids playing here, and this year was no different with Gary Roberts’ son Sam suiting for the champion Jr Canadiens, Krys Barch’s son Kane with the Huron-Perth Lakers and Aleks Kulemin, son of Nicolay all projecting as first round picks.

A couple of other players who stood out to me include….

• Don Mills winger Charlie Murata, who should be a top-three pick and whose father Taro hosts a cool fishing channel on YouTube.

• Titans forward Max Delisle, whose father Miguel played for the Ottawa 67’s and was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round in 2000. Max’s brother Tristan is currently with the Owen Sound Attack and eligible for this year’s NHL draft.

• Keaton Ardagh of the Jr. Canadiens may have the best hands in this years OHL draft class. A solid golfer with a -9 handicap, Ardagh wears #8 because his favorite player is you-know-who and loves scoring goals.

Rutger Remembers

Great of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rutger McGroarty to remember to mention skating trainer Jeff Murray in this clip. The 29-year-old Murray is a great example of how you can stay in the game and still have an impact after your playing days are over, working as the Pens skating instructor after a couple of seasons playing in the ECHL and Germany.

Nittany Lions: king of the recruiting jungle?

Rink Fries – Watch Penn State in the bidding battle for high-end CHL players. I’m told they have a war chest and are eager to send elite players to the NHL. Making it to the Frozen Four will help.

Odds and ends

When was the last time the two scariest teams to face in the first round sat in third and the Wild Card? Well, here we are in the Western Conference with the Colorado Avalanche and St Louis Blues …Sabres prospect Noah Östlund was the AHL’s player of the week withs six points in three games. If you listen to The Sheet, you know why I’m throwing that out there…any new GM walking into a better situation than Alex Steen when he takes over in St. Louis?…did Nazem Kadri just score the quietest 30 goals in the league this season?..If suspensions in the playoffs are half what they would be in the regular season based on impact of the punishment in a best-of-seven series, should we look at doing the same with minor penalties in the postseason?

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