There's no shortage of bench bosses who will begin 2019-20 feeling the heat.
Whether they guide a team on the rise that hasn't gone deep enough, a franchise that's stuck in the mud, or a historically great regular-season club that hasn't achieved Stanley Cup glory, these leaders will need to meet expectations in the upcoming campaign to stave off a potential pink slip.
Paul Maurice, Jets
Hired: January 12, 2014
Expectations were high for the Winnipeg Jets after they reached the Western Conference Final in 2018, but last season was unquestionably a disappointment, as the Jets were bounced from the first round of the playoffs by the eventual NHL champion St. Louis Blues.
Maurice's club faltered down the stretch, dropping six of its final nine regular-season contests before the six-game loss to St. Louis. And while the coach remains well-respected across the league, rumors of discord in the Winnipeg dressing room dogged his team in the latter half of the campaign.
Given the amount of skill on the Jets' roster, Maurice's job will continue to be heavily scrutinized, and he's not alone, as general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff could also be on the hot seat - particularly if the Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor negotiations drag into the season.
Mike Babcock, Maple Leafs
Hired: May 20, 2015
Speaking of scrutiny, there aren't many markets with more of it than Toronto.
Babcock tempered expectations when he joined the Maple Leafs by saying "there's pain coming," and he was right at the time, as the team was still rebuilding. However, the pressure to make progress after three consecutive first-round exits is now mounting on the veteran head coach and his charges, particularly after Mitch Marner's new six-year deal was agreed upon last week.
The Leafs' core forwards are now locked up long term, but goaltender Frederik Andersen is under contract for just two more seasons, so the club's window to take a significant step forward may not be as large as it seems - and Babcock surely knows it.
While Toronto GM Kyle Dubas publicly committed to Babcock in May, the bench boss has come under fire for his deployment decisions - particularly regarding Auston Matthews' ice time - and while those two talked over the summer, all three will need to be on the same page this season or Babcock could find himself in the figurative crosshairs.
Claude Julien, Canadiens
Hired: February 14, 2017
Montreal is another high-pressure market, and while Julien is entering only his third full season in his second stint behind the Canadiens' bench, a third straight campaign without a playoff berth could put his job in jeopardy once again.
The 59-year-old guided the club into the postseason in 2016-17 after being hired to replace Michel Therrien for a second time, but the team has been unable to return to the playoffs since then, missing out by two points last spring.
General manager Marc Bergevin would also be on the hot seat if the Canadiens fail to qualify, but Julien is more vulnerable because Bergevin and Montreal's ownership control his destiny and have shown they're willing to make a coaching change during the season.
Expectations for this club aren't sky-high, but they're always a little higher in Montreal than they might be in some of the NHL's other cities. Having been fired by the Canadiens once before, Julien is certainly aware of that fact.
Bruce Boudreau, Wild
Hired: May 7, 2016
Boudreau has two major factors working against him as 2019-20 draws near.
First, like Babcock, Boudreau has failed to guide his club beyond the first round. Under his guidance, the Minnesota Wild missed the playoffs last season following two consecutive defeats in the opening round (they also lost in Round 1 the year before Boudreau came aboard).
Second, the Wild have a new GM in Bill Guerin, who replaced Paul Fenton after only one season at the helm.
General managers often prefer to bring in their own head coach, but even if Guerin sticks with Boudreau, the 64-year-old bench boss will presumably be on a short leash given the club's mediocrity in recent years. It doesn't help that Fenton's questionable roster moves have put Boudreau at even more of a disadvantage.
Jon Cooper, Lightning
Hired: March 25, 2013
Cooper isn't under as much pressure as the other coaches on this list, but he could be feeling the heat if the Tampa Bay Lightning suffer another early postseason exit.
The 52-year-old Cooper was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2018-19, and rightfully so following the Lightning's historically dominant regular season. However, Tampa Bay's stunning first-round exit by way of a sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets cut their remarkable campaign short and left many on the losing side searching for answers.
Tampa Bay has reached a Stanley Cup Final and made two trips to the Eastern Conference Final under Cooper, but another premature conclusion to a campaign will put his job at risk regardless of how well his squad performs over the 82-game schedule.
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