In the realm of professional coaching, job stability is practically nonexistent, and the current NHL turnover rate is insane. With 124 teams in each of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States, Major League Baseball, the NBA, the NFL, and the NHL, there are 124 head coaching positions. Of that current total, only 45 percent have remained in their current positions for more than two whole seasons.
About 60% of NFL coaches are in their third year or beyond, and the corresponding percentage for MLB managers and NBA coaches is 53%.
The revolving door swings quicker in the NHL than it does anywhere else. Following Toronto’s termination of Sheldon Keefe last week, only five out of 32 NHL coaches—or roughly 16% of the total—have been in their current position for longer than two years. Less than a year after joining Washington, Spencer Carbery now has the record for the 13th longest tenure in NHL history.
Regarding the NHL coaching longevity—or lack thereof—Dallas coach Peter DeBoer stated, “I do have thoughts about that.” “That is insane.”
The five with longer tenure are Jon Cooper of Tampa Bay, Mike Sullivan of Pittsburgh, Jared Bednar of Colorado, Rod Brind’Amour of Carolina, and Martin St. Louis of Montreal. When you include in all the midseason changes, this season’s 39 head coaches in the NHL tied the record set two years ago.
“We are coaches in a time when everyone is talking about the modern athlete and how we need to build relationships with them to help them,” DeBoer stated. “How can one accomplish that with such a high turnover rate? Like getting married and divorcing before the appetizers arrive after going on a date. It’s beyond me. But that’s just the world we live in, you know.
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