Updated Odds on Next NHL Head Coach to Be Fired After Canadiens Ax Claude Julien

Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green stands behind his bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

• In the wake of the firing of Claude Julien, Vancouver Canucks bench boss Travis Green has emerged as the clear favorite to be the next coach fired
• Recent strong performances have lengthened the odds of previous favorites DJ Smith and Jeff Blashill, while John Hynes and David Quinn remain perched on the hot seat
• We’ve got you covered with all the odds on which NHL coach will be the next to lose his job

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The NHL coaching carousel began its long-awaited spin this week, with Claude Julien getting shown the door by the Montreal Canadiens. It took just three weeks for Julien to fall from grace after emerging as a +8000 longshot to lose his job in the wake of the Habs’ torrid 7-1-2 start. Who will be the next NHL head coach fired?

With fortunes changing on a dime during this unusual compressed NHL season, here’s a fresh look at the top candidates and best bets for the next NHL head coach to be fired.

Odds to be the Next NHL Head Coach Fired

Odds as of February 26, 2021

Travis Green an Obvious Favorite

Vancouver Canucks bench boss Travis Green has emerged as a clear +250 favorite to be the next head coach fired, and with good reason. After falling just short of a berth in the Western Conference Final in last summer’s playoffs, the Canucks opened the current campaign amid high expectations, sporting attractive but respectable +3000 odds to win the Stanley Cup and +700 odds to win the North Division.

Reflecting on some defiant, firey commentary from #Canucks head coach Travis Green after practice today: the thing that jumps out most is the Vancouver head coach is having absolutely none of any narratives that place blame at the feet of his 6-7 legitimately good players.

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) February 24, 2021

Hobbled by injuries, the Canucks stumbled out of the gate, posting just two wins in their first seven contests. And a steady return to health has failed to lift the club’s fortunes. Now mired in a dismal 2-9-2 slide, Vancouver has shown no signs of a turnaround. That was painfully evident in the team’s latest meltdown on Monday night. Leading 3-0 early against the surging Edmonton Oilers, the Canucks simply fell apart after surrendering a late first-period goal on their way to a 4-3 loss.

The #Oilers came back to beat the #Canucks 4-3 win Tuesday night. As we touch on these two 🇨🇦 clubs, @irfgaffar, @DennisTFP and I dissect their seasons to date ahead of tonight’s rematch. pic.twitter.com/NwyfMwnScy

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) February 25, 2021

With the Nashville Predators appearing poised to shift into rebuild mode, John Hynes has climbed to a short +500 second favorite, well ahead of the +1700 odds he sported in early February. The New York Rangers’ disappointing start has also lifted coach David Quinn slightly to a +600 bet after being listed at +700 at the beginning of the month.

Smith, Blashill, Colliton Enjoying Improved Job Security

While Green has vaulted to the top of the odds after lagging at +600, the early-season favorites have seen their odds lengthen. Listed as +450 co-favorites in early February, DJ Smith and Jeff Blashill have both seen their odds lengthen with the improved play of both the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings. Fresh off the Sens’ third straight win on Thursday, Smith now sits as a +700 bet, while Detroit’s respectable 4-5-1 run has contributed to Blashill’s dip to +800.

The Chicago Blackhawks have won 5 of their last 6 games.

The Chicago Bulls have won 5 of their last 6 games.

— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) February 26, 2021

Listed as a +2000 bet earlier this month, Jeremy Colliton has pulled his name off the watch list. The Chicago bench boss has led the surprising Blackhawks on a sensational 8-2-0 run, and to a vastly improved +5500 bet in the Stanley Cup odds. Accordingly, he has dropped to a distant +6600 bet to be the next coach fired.

Strong February Preserves Tocchet’s Job

Pegged as a leading candidate when we took our first look at the odds to be the next coach fired earlier this month, Arizona’s Rick Tocchet has bought himself some time by leading the Coyotes to wins in six of their past 10 contests. Now listed as a +1000 bet, Tocchet is far from out of the woods.

NHL | On Thursday the Arizona #Coyotes announced the #termination of #AssistantGM and #ExecutiveVP or hockey operations, Steve Sullivan’s contract. pic.twitter.com/2stFLH7hSz

— TheBuzz (@WTBdotcom) February 11, 2021

With a new regime running the show, the winds of change have already started to blow in the desert. Assistant GM Steve Sullivan was fired just two weeks ago. And with two marathon road trips coming up in mid-March and early April, any indication of a step back is likely to thrust Tocchet back to the top of the odds.

John Tortorella Losing the Room?

The most attractive bet on the odds to be the next NHL head coach fired is John Tortorella, who sits at +2000. Considered by many to be one of the best coaches in hockey, Tortorella’s taskmaster style regularly puts him at real risk of losing the room. That has been painfully evident in recent years, with superstars like Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky electing to leave the club as free agents.

John Tortorella addresses benching Patrik Laine against the ‘Canes. pic.twitter.com/5PgfsIpg4q

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 9, 2021

Friction between Tortorella and Pierre-Luc Dubois ended with the talented center getting shipped to Winnipeg in a deal for sniper Patrick Laine. But it only took a matter of days for Laine to find his way into Tortorella’s doghouse. With the Blue Jackets struggling to earn just one win in their past six outings, Tortorella clearly finds himself on the hot seat and offers the best value on the odds to be the next coach to get the ax.

The Pick: John Tortorella (+2000)

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