PREVIEW: New AHL Coaches Aim To Make Their Mark in 2024-25
While there is always plenty of roster turnover at the AHL level on the ice, there are several teams with new coaches at the helm entering 2024-25 - including several first-year AHL head coaches as well as experienced AHL and NHL coaches.
Abbotsford Canucks - Manny Malhotra
The Vancouver Canucks hired a familiar face in Manny Malhotra to be their AHL affiliate's head coach beginning in 2024-25.
Malhotra was previously part of the Canucks development staff in 2016 and an assistant coach from 2017-20 before heading to Toronto where he was an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs the past four years.
This will be Malhotra's first go of things as a head coach, as the 44-year-old will be the third bench boss in Abbotsford Canucks' franchise history.
Chicago Wolves - Cam Abbott
With the Carolina Hurricanes re-entering an affiliation agreement with the Chicago Wolves following a year of broken relations, Carolina now assumes full control of hockey operations in Chicago and with that comes a brand new coaching staff featuring head coach Cam Abbott.
Abbott joins the Wolves as a first-time head coach in the AHL following six years as the head coach of Rogle BK in the highest tier of pro hockey in Sweden.
Without the benefit of any preseason games, Abbott's first game behind the Wolves bench will be in Chicago's regular season opener Saturday night against Milwaukee.
Coachella Valley Firebirds - Derek Laxdal
Following the promotion of Dan Bylsma (head coach) and Jessica Campbell (assistant coach) to the Seattle Kraken, the Firebirds brought in Derek Laxdal to be the AHL affiliate's next head coach entering the franchise's third season in the AHL and coming off back to back Western Conference Championships and Calder Cup Finals appearances in their first two years in the league.
Laxdal has previous AHL head coaching experience with the Texas Stars (2014-20) while also being an NHL assistant coach in Dallas. Most recently, Laxdal was the head coach of the OHL's Oshawa Generals.
Hartford Wolf Pack - Grant Potulny
The Hartford Wolf Pack named Grant Potulny as the 8th head coach in the franchise's history over the summer, and the former longtime head coach of Northern Michigan looks to instill excitement into the New York Rangers affiliate in a challenging Atlantic Division.
Potulny has extensive NCAA coaching experience both as a head coach at Northern Michigan University (seven years) and as an assistant coach at  Minnesota (eight years) working hand-in-hand with young athletes at the collegiate level.
Laval Rocket - Pascal Vincent
The Laval Rocket hired Pascal Vincent to be the team's head coach entering the 2024-25 season.
The Laval, QC native has extensive coaching experience in both the NHL and AHL levels most recently as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets last season.
Vincent is well aware of the AHL landscape and everything being a coach in the AHL entails as he was also previously the head coach of the Manitoba Moose from 2016-21.
Rochester Americans - Michael Leone
With the promotion of former Amerks head coach Seth Appert to Buffalo as an NHL assistant coach, the Sabres hired Michael Leone to be Rochester's new head coach this fall.
Another coach from the U.S. National Development Team Program, the 36-year-old Leone was also previously the head coach of the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers the past two years.
Leone will be the youngest head coach in the AHL this season.
Springfield Thunderbirds - Steve Konowalchuk
The St Louis Blues made a significant commitment to the Springfield Thunderbirds organization this past week, extending their affiliation agreement seven years through the 2030-31 season.
The Thunderbirds also have a new head coach at the helm entering 2024-25 as the organization hired 51-year-old Steve Konowalchuk to be the fourth head coach in the Thunderbirds franchise's history.
Konowalchuk was the associate head coach of the AHL's Colorado Eagles last season and the head man of the WHL's Red Deer Rebels for two years previous, but will be the head bench boss for the first time in the AHL in Springfield this fall.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins - Kirk MacDonald
The Penguins organization, under NHL GM Kyle Dubas's second full year at the helm, made the change to bring in Kirk MacDonald to be the head coach of their AHL operation in addition to the promotion of Jason Spezza (WBS GM) and Amanda Kessel (WBS assistant GM) - making a serious commitment and allocating additional resources to how the AHL Penguins are managed and run entering the 2024-25 season.
Another first time AHL head coach, the 40-year-old MacDonald has a decade of coaching experience - including stops at the NCAA, ECHL and USHL levels.
