2. Paul Maurice, Florida Panthers
Total points: 221
"Maurice reached the pinnacle of the profession last season when he took the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup title. He has coached two seasons in Florida and twice it's reached the Stanley Cup Final, losing in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Maurice was No. 2 on my list because, well, Cooper has fared better than he has, but there's a likely spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame for Maurice, who defines longevity and success in the NHL. He is fourth in wins (869) and as soon as he coaches a game this season, he will be tied for second in seasons coached (27) with Dick Irvin, three behind Scotty Bowman. He is also second in games coached (1,848). It hasn't always been easy, but 29 years ago he started in the NHL as a young coach, and he has clearly aged well. The 57-year-old's best seasons have been his past two." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
3. Bruce Cassidy, Vegas Golden Knights
Total points: 180
"Cassidy, No. 3 on my list, won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights after taking the Boston Bruins to Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. He is one of nine active NHL coaches to have won the Cup. Among those with more than 82 regular-season games (one full season), he ranks eighth in winning percentage (.635). Among those in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he ranks fifth in winning percentage (.528). It's telling he will assist Cooper at the 4 Nations Face-Off with Peter DeBoer and Rick Tocchet." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
4. Peter DeBoer, Dallas Stars
Total points: 174
"About the only thing missing from DeBoer's resume is the Stanley Cup, but because of his coaching acumen, his teams almost always seem to be in the running for a championship. He's been to the Final twice, taking the New Jersey Devils there in 2012 and the San Jose Sharks in 2016, and reached the conference final six times, including two straight Western Conference Finals with the Stars. He's excelled with top-flight, likely Hall of Famers from Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise in New Jersey to Joe Thornton and Brent Burns in San Jose to now younger, emerging stars like Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen and Jake Oettinger in Dallas. He's No. 5 on my list but adding at least one NHL championship (or more; he's only 56), and he could move up quickly." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor
5. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins
Total points: 171
"Sullivan, No. 5 on my list, is a proven winner and his resume shows it. His 375 wins with the Penguins are the most by any coach in franchise history and he is tied for fourth in regular-season victories in the NHL since taking over in Pittsburgh on Dec. 12, 2015, when he quickly led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. He is one of just three United States-born coaches to have 400 NHL wins (Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella). He'll be representing his country for the fifth time when he coaches at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and then again at the 2026 Olympics. Well-deserved honors, for sure." -- Brian Compton, managing editor
6. Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
Total points: 160
"Consistently strong. That's the way I look at Brind'Amour's Hurricanes season after season. Yes, they're still chasing the Stanley Cup that's eluded them since 2006, when Brind'Amour hoisted the trophy as team captain, but look at how often the Hurricanes have made personnel changes these past few seasons and yet they're still in the playoffs year after year. Much of that credit goes to Brind'Amour, who enters this season 278-130-44 in 452 games, all with Carolina. I can't imagine it taking many words for Brind'Amour to get players to buy into what he's selling. Heck, considering he's still in phenomenal shape and could probably play if needed, how do you not play hard for a guy like that? He's No. 7 on my list." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
7. Peter Laviolette, New York Rangers
Total points: 149
"Laviolette has coached 22 seasons in the NHL and his 22nd may have been one of his finest. Yes, the Rangers have a ton of talent, but he found a structure and plan that not only led the Rangers to the Presidents' Trophy, but to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final. Alexis Lafreniere, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, blossomed in Laviolette's system as did rookie Will Cuylle. And he lets his stars play like stars including Artemi Panarin, who set NHL career highs in goals (49) and points (120). The Rangers had the third-best power play (26.4 percent) and penalty kill (84.5 percent) in the NHL and were seventh in goals allowed per game (2.76), which is why I had him fourth on my list. With a similar roster from last season and even higher expectations, the pressure will be on Laviolette again. He has the skill, demeanor and experience to handle it." -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief
8. Jared Bednar, Colorado Avalanche
Total points: 148
"All Bednar does is win, which is why he was No. 4 on my list. He won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche three seasons ago, ending a two-year run by the Lightning. He has won championships in the American Hockey League and the ECHL, where he also won the championship twice as a player and is the only coach to pull off the North American pro league championship trifecta. Yes, the Avalanche have crashed out in the playoffs each of the past two seasons, but Bednar has led them to at least 50 wins in each of the past three and he won 50 games last season without captain Gabriel Landeskog. Bednar is among the true elites at his profession." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
9. Jim Montgomery, Boston Bruins
Total points: 138
"I've been impressed with what I've seen from Montgomery in the two years he's been coach of the Bruins, the way he has elevated players into career years and the attitude he's developed around the team. There are also questions, including his deployment of his goalies in the playoffs, which is why he's No. 9 on my list. Breaking through in the postseason into the Eastern Conference Second Round, avoiding a potential second straight series loss after a 3-1 series lead, was massive, and demonstrated that Montgomery can get his players to rise to the occasion. I think the 2023 Jack Adams Award winner has the potential to continue to rise entering his fifth season as an NHL coach with the Bruins and Dallas Stars (172-75-30, .673 winning percentage), especially if he can improve his 16-17 record (.485) in the postseason." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
10. Rick Tocchet, Vancouver Canucks
Total points: 107
"Tocchet's impact in less than two seasons with the Canucks was symbolized when he won the Jack Adams Award last season. Since he took over the Canucks on Jan. 22, 2023, they have gone 70-35-13 in the regular season, including 50-23-9 last season. He guided them to a six-game win against the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference First Round and rode third-string goalie Arturs Silovs to force the high-powered Edmonton Oilers to seven games. Tocchet, No. 6 for me, shoots from the lip and coaches the way he played: straightforward and communicative, no nonsense allowed." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
11. John Tortorella, Philadelphia Flyers
Total points: 82
"Tortorella, set to begin his third season with the Flyers, seems to always work his best magic when the odds are against the team he's coaching. He knows what buttons to push to get the most of veterans and rookies and has that knack of building teams via hard work, grit and determination, a big reason why I have him No. 10 on my personal Super 16. Tortorella has been named a Jack Adams finalist four times (2002-03, 2003-04, 2011-12, 2016-17), winning it twice (Lightning, 2004; Columbus Blue Jackets, 2017). He faced plenty of adversity last season, his 22nd in the NHL, but the Flyers maintained a competitiveness and battle level that fans appreciated. Tortorella enters this season as the ninth-winningest coach in NHL history (742 wins) and second among those born in the United States (Laviolette, 807). He ranks third among active NHL coaches in games (1,547) and fourth in wins. In 2016-17, he guided Columbus to the best season in its 17-year history (50-24-8; 108 points), a 32-point turnaround from 2015-16 (34-40-8). In 2004, he led the Lightning to the Southeast Division title and the Stanley Cup. He'll be an assistant for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February." -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer
12. Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs
Total points: 77
"It was only a matter of time before Berube was back in the NHL after he was fired by the St. Louis Blues 28 games into last season. He could be a good fit with the Maple Leafs, who were looking for a different approach after letting Sheldon Keefe go following last season. I had Berube 11th on my list because he seems to know how to push the right buttons with players, particularly at the start of his tenure. His firm voice brought instant results with the Blues in 2018-19, when he coached them to their first Stanley Cup championship after repeated disappointments in the playoffs. The Maple Leafs are hoping he can do the same with them." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
