On October 27th, Vancouver Canucks’ head coach BruceBoudreau joined the 21 other NHL head coaches to win at least 600 games in their career. He started the season with 599 wins and while it took longer than expected – his team lost the first seven games on the schedule – he finally achieved it.
Compared to the other NHL head coaches with 600+ wins, Boudreau was the second-fastest to do so – it took him 1,049 games to achieve it. ScottyBowman is the only coach to win 600 games faster than Boudreau, doing it in an impressive 1,002 games. The next closest is JoelQuenneville at 1,113 games.
As of right now, there are five other active NHL head coaches with at least 600 wins and several others that are coming close – including two active NHL head coaches within 80 wins. He is just 14 wins away from cracking the top-20 all-time and 103 wins away from cracking the top-10 – he’ll get there eventually.
Bruce Boudreau has had an incredible career as head coach in the NHL. After six years of playing in the league, he spent most of the 1990s and early 2000s coaching in the AHL and ECHL – the minor leagues. His success at the lower levels earned him a role as head coach of the Washington Capitals in 2007.
In five seasons with the Capitals, Boudreau went 201-88-40. He later coached the Anaheim Ducks between 2011 and 2016, leading them to a 208-104-40 record before joining the Minnesota Twins – where he went 158-110-35 between 2016 and 2020. He has been with the Canucks since 2021.
Since earning his 600th win, the Canucks have gone 4-4-1 as they look to make up for a poor start to the season. He will continue to climb the ranks as one of the greatest coaches of all-time. In the meantime, let’s take a look at the 21 other NHL head coaches – including the five active – with at least 600 wins.
JacquesMartin had four different stints as head coach in the NHL. His first gig was with the St. Louis Blues, where he spent two seasons and accumulated a 66-71-23 record. He then embarked on a nine-year stint with the Ottawa Senators, leading the team to an impressive 341-235-96 record.
Between 2005 and 2008, Martin was head coach of the Florida Panthers – they went 110-100 under his leadership. He most recently coached the Montreal Canadiens between 2009 and 2012, going 96-75 in three seasons with the team. He won the Jack Adams Award with Ottawa during the 1998-99 season.
20. Jacques Lemaire – 617 wins
The #Leafs have hired Jacques Lemaire as Special Assignment Coach. #TMLtalk
Jacques Lemaire started his coaching career with the Montreal Canadiens during the 1983-84 season. He spent two seasons with the team, leading them to a 48-37-12 record. His next head coaching gig didn’t come until 1993-94, when he joined the New Jersey Devils – it was the perfect team for him.
He won the Jack Adams Award after leading the team to a 47-25-12 record in his first season, then won the Stanley Cup in his second season with the Devils. He spent 7 years with the team (2 stints) and won 276 games, but also had an eight-year stint with the Minnesota Wild – winning another 293 games and a second Jack Adams Award.
BryanMurray was an NHL head coach for 17 seasons between 1981 and 2008, having coached the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and the Florida Panthers. He never won a Stanley Cup, but he led the Senators to an Eastern Conference Championship.
When Murray retired, he had 343 wins with the Capitals, 124 with the Red Wings, 107 with the Senators, 29 with the Mighty Ducks, and 17 with the Panthers. He led the Capitals and Senators to 50-win seasons and even won the Jack Adams Award with Ottawa in 1983-84 – it was just his third year as head coach.
DaveTippett was an NHL head coach for 17 seasons between 2002 and 2022 – he retired earlier this year. He coached the Dallas Stars, Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, and Edmonton Oilers. He never won a Stanley Cup, but he had a winning record with each team he coached and got the best out of his players.
At the time of his retirement, Tippett had 271 wins with the Stars, 282 wins with the Coyotes, and 95 wins with the Oilers. He had three 50-win seasons in his career – back-to-back with the Stars and once with the Coyotes. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2009-10 after leading the Coyotes to a 50-25-7 record.
RonWilson was an NHL head coach for 18 years between 1993 and 2012, having coached the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He never won the Stanley Cup, but he led the Capitals to an Eastern Conference Championship during the 1997-98 season.
When he retired, Wilson had 206 wins with the Sharks, 192 wins with the Capitals, 120 wins with the Mighty Ducks, and 130 wins with the Maple Leafs. While he never took home a Jack Adams Award, he led the Sharks to a 51-26-5 record in 2006-07 – he followed that up with 49 wins in the 2007-08 season.
ClaudeJulien was an NHL head coach for 19 years between 2002 and 2021, having coached the Boston Bruins for 10 years, Montreal Canadiens for eight years, and New Jersey Devils for one year. He was fired by the Canadiens after just 18 games last season. He hasn’t shown any signs of retiring yet.
At the time of his retirement, Julien had 419 wins with the Bruins, 201 wins with the Canadiens, and 47 wins with the Devils. He won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins after the 2010-11 season and won the Eastern Conference Championship two years later. He also won the Jack Adams Award in 2008-09.
15. Mike Keenan – 672 wins
Mike Keenan became the first coach in NHL history to win 40 games in each of his first three seasons on this day in 1987! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/193iFMDMr1
MikeKeenan was an NHL head coach for 20 years between 1984 and 2009, having coached the Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and Florida Panthers. He won a Stanley Cup and four Conference Championships.
When he retired in 2009, Keenan had 190 wins with the Flyers, 153 with the Blackhawks, 88 with the Flames, 75 with the Blues, 52 with the Rangers, 45 with the Panthers, 36 with the Canucks, and 33 with the Bruins. He won the Jack Adams Award in 1984-85 – his first ever season as an NHL head coach.
JohnTortorella is currently coaching in his 21st season as an NHL head coach and first season as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. He has also coached the Tampa Bay Lightning, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. He won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2003-04.
Between 1999 and 2021, Tortorella had 239 wins with the Lightning, 227 wins with the Blue Jackets, 171 wins with the Rangers, and 36 wins with the Canucks. He won the Jack Adams Award twice – once with the Lightning and once with the Blue Jackets. He’s currently 7-6-3 in his first season with the Flyers.
13. Pat Quinn – 680 wins
Sad news: Former NHL player and head coach Pat Quinn has passed away at the age of 71. pic.twitter.com/tWYIfz4Tnk
PatQuinn was an NHL head coach for 20 seasons between 1978 and 2010, having coached the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers. He never won a Stanley Cup, but led the Canucks to a Western Conference Championship in 1993-94.
When he retired in 2010, Quinn had 300 wins with the Maple Leafs, 141 wins with the Canucks, 141 wins with the Flyers, 75 wins with the Kings, and 27 wins with the Oilers. He was a two-time Jack Adams Award winner – with Flyers in 1979-80 and with the Canucks in 1991-92. He had 11 40-win seasons.
DickIrvin was an NHL head coach for 27 years between 1928 and 1956, having coached the Montreal Canadiens for 15 years, Toronto Maple Leafs for nine years, and Chicago Black Hawks for three years. He won four Stanley Cups as head coach – three with the Canadiens and one with the Maple Leafs.
At the time of his retirement, Irvin had 431 wins with the Canadiens, 216 wins with the Maple Leafs, and 45 wins with the Black Hawks. While he struggled to turn Chicago into a powerhouse, he consistently had the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in playoff contention. He had a 100-88-2 career record in the playoffs.
MikeBabcock was an NHL head coach for just 17 seasons between 2002 and 2020, having coached the Detroit Red Wings for 10 years, Toronto Maple Leafs for five years, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for two years. He was a three-time Western Conference Champion and one-time Stanley Cup Champion.
When Babcock announced his retirement in 2022, he had 458 wins with the Red Wings, 173 wins with the Maple Leafs, and 69 wins with the Mighty Ducks. He led the Red Wings to four consecutive seasons of 50+ wins between 2005 and 2009. He never won a Jack Adams Award, but has been a finalist before.
10. Darryl Sutter – 706 wins (and counting)
Love this answer from Darryl Sutter.
This is what a real NHL Head Coach sounds like. He knows what it takes to be successful in this league. pic.twitter.com/Q12gy1pARz
DarrylSutter is in his 21st season as an NHL head coach and sixth with the Calgary Flames. He also coached the Los Angeles Kings for six years, San Jose Sharks for six years, and Chicago Blackhawks for three years. He’s a three-time Western Conference Champion and one-time Stanley Cup winner.
At the start of the 2022-23 season, Sutter had 225 wins with the Kings, 192 wins with the Sharks, 172 wins with the Flames, and 110 wins with the Blackhawks. He took the Flames from 15 wins in 2020-21 to 50 wins in 2021-22 – it’s his second stint with the team. They’re off to a 7-6-2 start to the new season.
AlainVigneault was an NHL head coach for 19 years between 1997 and 2022, having coached the Vancouver Canucks for 7 years, New York Rangers for 5 years, Montreal Canadiens for 4 years, and Philadelphia Flyers for 3 years. He’s a two-time Conference Champion, but never won a Stanley Cup.
Vigneault was fired by the Flyers midway through last season – the team was 8-10-4 after taking a step back the previous season. At the time of his firing, he had 313 wins with the Canucks, 226 with the Rangers, 109 with the Canadiens, and 74 with the Flyers. He might return to coaching at some point.
8. Peter Laviolette – 724 wins (and counting)
Peter Laviolette has been named head coach of the 2020 U.S. Men’s National Team. 🇺🇸
PeterLaviolette is currently in his 21st season as an NHL head coach and third with the Washington Capitals. He has also coached the Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders. He’s a three-time Conference Champion and one-time Stanley Cup winner.
At the start of the 2022-23 season, Laviolette had 248 wins with the Predators, 167 with the Hurricanes, 145 with the Flyers, 80 with the Capitals, and 77 with the Islanders. His team is off to a mediocre start to the new season, winning just seven of their first 18 games. His team will likely turn it around very soon.
7. Al Arbour – 782 wins
Former Islanders head coach Al Arbour has died at 82. Arbour led New York to 4 straight Stanley Cups from 1980-1983. pic.twitter.com/YGlWUydWni
AlArbour was an NHL head coach for 23 years between 1970 and 2008, having coached the New York Islanders for 20 years and St. Louis Blues for three years. He miraculously led the Islanders to five consecutive Eastern Conference Championships and four consecutive Stanley Cup Championships.
At the time of his retirement, Arbour had 740 wins with the Islanders and 42 wins with the Blues. He led the Islanders to at least 40 wins on 10 different occasions and finished in first place five times. The most wins he had in a single season was 54 in 1981-82 – that year, the Islanders won their third straight title.
PaulMaurice is currently in his 25th season as an NHL head coach and first season as head coach of the Florida Panthers. He has also coached the Carolina Hurricanes for 11 years, the Winnipeg Jets for nine years, the Hartford Whalers for two years, and the Toronto Maple Leafs for two years over his career.
At the start of the 2022-23 season, Maurice had 323 wins with the Hurricanes, 315 wins with the Jets, 61 wins with the Whalers, and 76 wins with the Maple Leafs. He led the Hurricanes to an Eastern Conference Championship in 2001-02. Now with the Panthers, his team is off to a decent start at 9-6-1.
LindyRuff is currently in his 22nd season as an NHL head coach and third season as head coach of the New Jersey Devils. He previously coached the Buffalo Sabres for 15 years and Dallas Stars for four years. He won the Eastern Conference Championship with Buffalo in his second season as head coach.
At the start of the 2022-23 season, Ruff had 571 wins with the Sabres, 165 wins with the Stars, and 46 wins with the Flyers. Despite just 19 wins in 2020-21 (shortened season) and 27 wins in 2021-22, Ruff has his Flyers playing near-perfect hockey to start the new season – they’re 13-3-0 through 16 games.
KenHitchcock was an NHL head coach for 23 years between 1995 and 2019, having coached the Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, and Edmonton Oilers. He won back-to-back Western Conference Championships with the Stars, winning the Stanley Cup in 1998-99.
At the time of his retirement, Hitchcock had 319 wins with the Stars, 248 with the Blues, 131 with the Flyers, 125 with the Blue Jackets, and 26 with the Oilers. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2011-12 after leading the Blues to a 43-15-11 record. He had 50+ wins three times, including back-to-back with the Blues.
BarryTrotz was an NHL head coach for 23 years between 1998 and 2022, having coached the Nashville Predators for 15 years, New York Islanders for four years, and Washington Capitals for four years. He won a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2017-18, but it was his last year with the team due to poor contract negotiations.
Trotz was fired by the Islanders at the conclusion of last season. As of right now, he has 557 wins with the Predators, 205 with the Capitals, and 152 with the Islanders. During the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, Trotz led the Capitals to a 111-37-16 record. The legendary coach is also a two-time Jack Awards winner.
JoelQuenneville was an NHL head coach for 25 seasons between 1996 and 2022, having coached the Chicago Blackhawks for 11 years, St. Louis Blues for eight years, Colorado Avalanche for three years, and Florida Panthers for three years. He resigned in 2021 following a sexual assault investigation.
At the time of his resignation, Quenneville had 452 wins with the Blackhawks, 307 wins with the Blues, 131 wins with the Avalanche, and 79 wins with the Panthers. He won three Stanley Cup titles with the Blackhawks during an impressive six-year stretch. He also won the Jack Adams Award in 1999-00.
1. Scotty Bowman – 1,244 wins
Sept. 18/1933 – Former NHL coach Scotty Bowman is born. 9x Stanley Cups as Head Coach, 14 Stanley Cup as a player, coach or executive with 14, 2x Jack Adam Awards & 1,244 most all-time regular season wins. pic.twitter.com/t5mQfQwtXk
ScottyBowman was an NHL head coach for 30 years between 1967 and 2002, having coached the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s the greatest head coach of all-time with more wins and Stanley Cup titles than any other head coach.
At the time of his retirement, Bowman had 410 wins with the Red Wings, 419 with the Canadiens, 210 with the Sabres, 110 with the Blues, and 95 with the Penguins. He won nine Stanley Cup titles during his time as head coach – winning five (four straight) with Montreal, one with Pittsburgh, and three with Detroit.
Which NHL Head Coaches Will Soon Join This List?
Bruce Boudreau has etched his name among some of the greatest NHL head coaches of all-time – despite being one of the nine head coaches on this list without a Stanley Cup. Him, along with Lindy Ruff and Paul Maurice, are the three active coaches with at least 600 wins, but no Stanley Cup to show for it.
With that said, there are several active NHL head coaches currently on their way to 600 wins – so long as they can stay in the league long enough. Two of the closest are Los Angeles Kings’ head coach ToddMcLellan (538 wins) and Dallas Stars’ head coach PeterDeBoer (522 wins). Give them two more years.
We should also highlight Vegas Golden Knights’ head coach Bruce Cassidy (305 wins), New York Rangers’ head coach Gerard Gallant (330 wins), Pittsburgh Penguins’ head coach Mike Sullivan (373 wins) and Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper (443 wins) – all of whom are still active.
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