Current and Former Minnesota Wild Head Coaches Battling for NHL Coach of the Year

Last season, the Minnesota Wild made a change after a rough 5-10-4 start, parting ways with head coach Dean Evason. Evason had been with the team for three full seasons, leading them to the playoffs in each of those years. Following his departure, the Wild wasted no time in hiring veteran coach John Hynes, who is now at the helm.
This past offseason, the Columbus Blue Jackets brought in former Wild coach Dean Evason, and it’s turning out to be a win-win for both. The Blue Jackets and the Wild are having strong seasons, showing that the move has worked out well for Evason and John Hynes.
Minnesota Wild HC John Hynes and Columbus Blue Jackets HC Dean Evason battling for COTY
The Minnesota Wild have an impressive 27-14-4 record, ranking among the league’s best. On the other hand, the Columbus Blue Jackets are 22-17-6, already outperforming the low expectations many had for them at the start of the season.
As the NHL season crosses the halfway mark, oddsmakers now have both John Hynes and Dean Evason ranked among the top three favorites for Coach of the Year.
Jack Adams Odds (Coach of The Year)
- Spencer Carbury -450
- John Hynes +800
- Dean Evason +800
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The clear frontrunner for the award right now is Spencer Carbery. He’s leading the Washington Capitals, who are absolutely dominating with 65 points, the most in the entire league. Their record of 30-10-5 is seriously impressive.
The two names following him are pretty intriguing, John Hynes, now leading the Wild, and former Wild head coach Dean Evason, who coached the team from 2019 to 2023 and is currently at the helm of the Blue Jackets. So far, it’s shaping up to be a both sides win situation for both the Wild and Evason.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have won 6 straight and are sitting in a playoff spot. What an incredible story they've been this season. Team shows up to work.
— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) January 17, 2025
1st in goals scored off turnovers (within 10s) – 68.
T-1st in goals off turnovers (within 5s) – 27. pic.twitter.com/SPkGmH44do
Before the season even started, sportsbooks set the Blue Jackets’ over/under for points at 67.5. Fast forward 45 games, and they’ve already hit 50 points, well ahead of schedule. The Wild, on the other hand, had their point total set at 93.5, and with 58 points through 45 games, they’re also ahead of pace.
It’s going to be fascinating to watch how the rest of the season unfolds. There’s still a lot of hockey left to play, but imagine how incredible it would be if it all came down to Evason and Hynes. Only time will tell.
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