AHL continues to power NHL coaching pipeline this offseason

Ten AHL head coaches had already landed NHL jobs barely a month into the offseason. By the end of the 2025-26 season, 21 of the NHL’s 32 clubs were being led by former AHL head coaches, a list that includes Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper and Washington’s Spencer Carbery, the last two Jack Adams Award winners and former winners of the AHL’s Louis A.R. Pieri Award.

Vancouver promoted Manny Malhotra from Abbotsford on June 1 after he helped steer the Abbotsford Canucks to the first Calder Cup championship in franchise history in 2025. Malhotra had spent the last two seasons running the AHL club, and at least 11 prospects he oversaw in Abbotsford skated for Vancouver last season.

Vegas followed on June 17 by elevating Ryan Craig from Henderson to his first NHL head-coaching job, while Columbus moved Trent Vogelhuber into an NHL assistant role on June 30. Toronto added John Gruden back to the NHL staff, Boston hired Matt McIlvane, and Vancouver added another AHL prize winner on July 10, bringing in Ryan Mougenel as an assistant coach after his run with Providence.

Mougenel won the 2025-26 Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award and spent eight seasons with Providence, including five as head coach. Under him, the Bruins went 54-16-2-0 and finished with 110 points, the fourth-highest points percentage in AHL history at .764. Over five seasons, Providence posted a 217-103-26-14 record under Mougenel, the best mark in the league over that span.

The AHL opened its historic 90th season in October 2025 with all 32 clubs playing a 72-game schedule.