The National Hockey League (NHL), stands as a premier professional ice hockey league in North America, comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The league concludes each season with the presentation of the Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, to the playoff champion.
Recognized as one of the major professional sports leagues in both the United States and Canada, the NHL holds the esteemed position as the foremost professional ice hockey league globally. In the 2023–24 season, the league showcased players from 17 countries. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also regards the Stanley Cup as one of the "most important championships available to the sport."
Each team appoints a head coach responsible for game direction, team practices, player guidance, strategic planning, and lineup decisions. Occasionally, interim coaches step in, and certain teams may employ multiple coaches in a co-coaching arrangement. Beyond team management, coaches also engage with the media.
NHL Coaches with the Most Wins
The National Hockey League (NHL) boasts a rich history, and among its seasoned head coaches, Scotty Bowman holds the record for the most wins. Over his illustrious career, Bowman directed teams such as Buffalo Sabres ,St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Detroit Red Wings. He amassed an impressive 1244 victories out of 2141 games coached, with a noteworthy win percentage of .581.
Following closely is Joel Quenneville, who guided teams like St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, the Chicago Blackhawks, and Florida Panthers, securing 969 wins out of 1768 games, with a solid win percentage of .548. Barry Trotz, known for his coaching stints with Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, and New York Islanders, claims the third spot with 914 wins in 1812 games, maintaining a commendable win percentage of .504.
Lindy Ruff and Paul Maurice round out the top five, contributing significantly to the league's coaching legacy with their respective achievements and win percentages. The list reflects the enduring impact of these coaches on the NHL, showcasing their strategic prowess and leadership over the years.
Here’s a table summarizing the coaching achievements of the top NHL head coaches based on most wins:
| Head Coach | Team | GC | W | L | T |
| Scotty Bowman | STL (St. Louis Blues)MTL (Montreal Canadiens)BUF (Buffalo Sabres)PIT (Pittsburgh Penguins)DET (Detroit Red Wings) | 2141 | 1244 | 573 | 314 |
| Joel Quenneville | STL (St. Louis Blues)COL (Colorado Avalanche)CHI (Chicago Blackhawks)FLA (Florida Panthers) | 1768 | 969 | 572 | 77 |
| Barry Trotz | NSH (Nashville Predators)WSH (Washington Capitals)NYI (New York Islanders) | 1812 | 914 | 670 | 60 |
| Lindy Ruff | BUF (Buffalo Sabres)DAL (Dallas Stars)NJD (New Jersey Devils) | 1766 | 861 | 674 | 78 |
| Paul Maurice | HFD (Hartford Whalers)CAR (Carolina Hurricanes)TOR (Toronto Maple Leafs)WPG (Winnipeg Jets)FLA (Florida Panthers) | 1820 | 852 | 727 | 99 |
| Ken Hitchcock | DAL (Dallas Stars)PHI (Philadelphia Flyers)CBJ (Columbus Blue Jackets)STL (St. Louis Blues)EDM (Edmonton Oilers) | 1598 | 849 | 534 | 88 |
| Peter Laviolette | NYI (New York Islanders)CAR (Carolina Hurricanes)PHI (Philadelphia Flyers)NSH (Nashville Predators)WSH (Washington Capitals)NYR (New York Rangers) | 1484 | 787 | 519 | 25 |
| Al Arbour | STL (St. Louis Blues)NYI (New York Islanders) | 1607 | 782 | 577 | 248 |
| Darryl Sutter | CHI (Chicago Blackhawks)SJS (San Jose Sharks)LAK (Los Angeles Kings)CGY (Calgary Flames) | 1479 | 737 | 530 | 101 |
| John Tortorella | TBL (Tampa Bay Lightning)NYR (New York Rangers)VAN (Vancouver Canucks)CBJ (Columbus Blue Jackets)PHI (Philadelphia Flyers) | 1520 | 733 | 598 | 37 |
| Alain Vigneault | MTL (Montreal Canadiens)VAN (Vancouver Canucks)NYR (New York Rangers)PHI (Philadelphia Flyers) | 1363 | 722 | 489 | 35 |
| Mike Babcock | ANA (Anaheim Ducks)DET (Detroit Red Wings)TOR (Toronto Maple Leafs) | 1301 | 700 | 418 | 19 |
| Mike Babcock | TOR (Toronto Maple Leafs)MTL (Montreal Canadiens)CHI (Chicago Blackhawks) | 1448 | 691 | 527 | 213 |
| Pat Quinn | PHI (Philadelphia Flyers)LAK (Los Angeles Kings)VAN (Vancouver Canucks)TOR (Toronto Maple Leafs)EDM (Edmonton Oilers) | 1400 | 684 | 528 | 154 |
| Mike Keenan | PHI (Philadelphia Flyers)CHI (Chicago Blackhawks)NYR (New York Rangers)STL (St. Louis Blues)VAN (Vancouver Canucks)BOS (Boston Bruins)FLA (Florida Panthers)CGY (Calgary Flames) | 1386 | 672 | 531 | 147 |
NHL Coaches with Most Wins- Single Franchise
Shown below are those coaches who have served a single team for most of their coaching careers. The list is led by the legendary Al Arbour and includes coaches like Lindy Ruff, Toe Blake and Dick Irvin.
Shown below is a table depicting head coaches with most wins in NHL’s history:
| Head Coach | Team | Games Completed | Wins | Loss | Tie |
| Al Arbour | New York Islanders | 1500 | 740 | 537 | 223 |
| Lindy Ruff | Buffalo Sabres | 1165 | 571 | 432 | 78 |
| Barry Trotz | Nashville Predators | 1196 | 557 | 479 | 60 |
| Billy Reay | Chicago Blackhawks | 1012 | 516 | 335 | 161 |
| Jon Cooper | Tampa Bay Lightning | 859 | 512 | 274 | - |
| Toe Blake | Montreal Canadiens | 914 | 500 | 255 | 159 |
| Glen Sather | Edmonton Oilers | 842 | 464 | 268 | 110 |
| Mike Babcock | Detroit Red Wings | 786 | 458 | 223 | - |
| Joel Quenneville | Chicago Blackhawks | 797 | 452 | 249 | - |
| Dick Irvin | Montreal Canadiens | 896 | 431 | 313 | 152 |
FAQ's On NHL Most Coaching Wins
A. The NHL, or Ligue nationale de hockey (LNH) in French, is a premier professional ice hockey league in North America, featuring 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada.
A. The Stanley Cup, recognized as the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the conclusion of each NHL season.
A. As of the 2023–24 season, the NHL showcased players from 17 different countries, highlighting its international diversity.
A. An NHL head coach is responsible for game direction, team practices, player guidance, strategic planning, and lineup decisions. They may also engage with the media.
A. Scotty Bowman holds the record for the most coaching wins in the NHL, with an impressive 1244 victories over his career, directing teams such as the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings.
