Five NHL Teams Open 2026-27 With New Head Coaches

Five NHL teams will open the 2026-27 season with new head coaches, led by Mike Babcock's return to the league with the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton hired Babcock, 63, after Kris Knoblauch's tenure ended following a first-round playoff exit. Babcock last coached an NHL game with Toronto in November 2019. Columbus hired him in 2023, but he resigned before training camp after players raised concerns about his requests to view personal photos on their phones.

Babcock has 700 regular-season wins and 90 playoff victories. He coached Detroit to the Stanley Cup in 2008 and Canada to Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014.

The Los Angeles Kings hired Peter Laviolette, making them the seventh NHL organization he has coached. Laviolette is one of four coaches in league history to take three different teams to the Stanley Cup Final. Los Angeles has reached the playoffs in five straight seasons but exited in the first round each time.

The Vegas Golden Knights promoted Ryan Craig from AHL Henderson. Craig previously served as a Vegas assistant from the franchise's inaugural season through its 2023 Stanley Cup championship.

Toronto hired Jim Hiller after replacing Craig Berube. Hiller was a Maple Leafs assistant under Babcock from 2015 to 2019 and later coached the Kings.

Vancouver promoted Manny Malhotra from AHL Abbotsford after moving on from Adam Foote following one season.