Now that the 2025-26 season is well underway, we are updating our lists of the top 10 players for each position, as well as coaches. It goes without saying that it is a very tough list to do, given how subjective it is, but nevertheless, we are here to do it once again.
Coaches don’t have stats outside of the team record, at least not the same way players do. There are a ton of different ways to measure a coach’s success, outside of how well the team is doing. Here is a list of the top 10 coaches in the NHL.
10. Marco Sturm
Not very many people expected the Boston Bruins to be sitting in a top-10 spot in the league at the Olympic break, but Marco Sturm and the players have earned some well-deserved respect. While the roster isn’t loaded with talent like some contenders, there are cornerstone pieces like David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman in place, but the rest of the roster looks so strong in part due to Sturm’s great coaching.
9. Todd McLellan
After being hired by the Detroit Red Wings, Todd McLellan was given the task of getting a middling team over the hump. There is no denying the talent of the players like Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and others, but they didn’t have the push to get toward a playoff spot.
The club made a strong push last season, but fell short as the season started to wind down. So far in 2025-26, the Red Wings have been challenging for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, and sit seventh in the league at the Olympic break.
8. Kris Knoblauch
After making it to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, there is only one more coach in the league with more success lately. Kris Knoblauch took over for Jay Woodcroft and has one of the best winning percentages in league history since then.
There has been some animosity surrounding Knoblauch at times, and while the pressure is always sky-high in Edmonton, it isn’t going to go away until they win. If they feel Knoblauch can’t get them there, they may pivot, but he has proven to be a very good coach in his time in the league.
7. Bruce Cassidey
When he was fired by the Boston Bruins after the 2021-22 season, most figured Bruce Cassidy wouldn’t remain without a job for very long. That was the case, as he was scooped up by the Vegas Golden Knights almost immediately afterward, and has continued to have tremendous success.
Other THW Positional Rankings:
In his first season with the Golden Knights, he led them to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship. He has then led them to a first and second-round exit, but the Golden Knights currently lead the Pacific Division, and look as strong as ever.
6. Martin St. Louis
The Montreal Canadiens brought in Martin St. Louis, and some were skeptical at the time, but in his four full seasons with the club, they have taken bigger and bigger steps each season. In 2024-25, he was able to get the team to the playoffs, and so far this season, they have been one of the top teams in the league.
5. Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery has elevated the Washington Capitals’ game significantly. With 91 wins over his first two seasons with the team, he has found success in a roster that looked to be aging and declining rapidly. After one season with the team and just squeaking into the playoffs, the Capitals took the league by storm, finishing second in the league in points.
Players who started to look like they were slowing down, such as Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson, and young players who are thriving with the team, like Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMicahel, all look great. Carbery has brought the group together and created a true contender.
4. Jared Bednar
Jared Bednar has been blessed with an excellent roster, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is a phenomenal head coach. The 53-year-old has missed the playoffs just once in his eight seasons behind the bench of the Colorado Avalanche and is certainly going to have a ticket booked again this season.
Related: Avalanche’s Jared Bednar Paves Own Path to NHL Success
The Avalanche certainly have their superstars, but they have also dealt with a significant amount of injuries and adversity. Bednar does an excellent job of keeping the players focused and playing winning hockey. It isn’t very often that a team deals with as many injuries as the Avalanche did early last season, but he and the team have recovered and stayed afloat, and made the playoffs. This season, they have had relatively good health, and are dominating the league.
3. Rod Brind’Amour
The 55-year-old Rod Brind’Amour has done a phenomenal job of turning the Carolina Hurricanes into Stanley Cup contenders since being named as their head coach ahead of the 2018-19 season. Defensive accountability has been one of the biggest factors in the Hurricanes’ success, and though they can be hot and cold with their scoring touch, Brind’Amour finds a way to get the most out of the club.
The Hurricanes are always one of the top teams, and as of now, sit in first in the Eastern Conference. Brind’Amour and his culture are a huge reason for that, and the players work hard as a team every single night.
2. Paul Maurice
Three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances, including two championships, and the Florida Panthers remain on top of the NHL. While there have certainly been some speed bumps along the way, Paul Maurice has kept the team playing incredible hockey, and they have developed an identity of being a pain to play against.
Every player on the ice will play as physical, defensively-minded, or dominant offensively, depending on which way Maurice wags his finger. He has a great relationship with his team, and is still one of the best coaches in the game, even after coaching over 1900 games.
1. Jon Cooper
Back-to-back Stanley Cups and a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final cemented Jon Cooper as one of the best coaches in the NHL. He has had plenty of success in the NHL, as well as internationally. Cooper has taken an aging group, and still managed to get the most out of them, and have shown how they can take control of the league any given night.
Sure, having Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, and Andrei Vasilevskiy helps, but there is a reason he was named the coach and won gold with Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He is a brilliant coach and is always able to drive his team to victory.
