“I have the utmost confidence…of our hockey operations team as they begin their search for the next head coach,” said the Chicago Blackhawks’ CEO, Danny Wirtz, last December after former head coach Luke Richardson was fired. While Anders Sorensen, the Hawks’ AHL affiliate Rockford’s head coach, stepped up as the interim coach, rumors started flying in April that Chicago was eyeing one David Carle as the person to fill Richardson’s shoes.

The Blackhawks managed to reach the postseason only once in the last eight seasons. Shambolic, to say the least, especially for a team that boasts a remarkable 6 Stanley Cup wins under its belt. This season, Chicago finished the regular season at the bottom of the Pacific Division, adding another miserable year to its resume. However, rumors of David Carle’s possible arrival gave hope to many. But that isn’t likely to happen. But who is this hockey coach who got on the NHL‘s radar?

David Carle: A name that could go down in hockey history (It already has)

The Athletic’s Chris Johnston took to X on May 5 to break several Chicago Blackhawks hearts. “After fielding interest from multiple NHL teams about vacant head coaching positions, David Carle has signed an extension with the University of Denver,” Johnston wrote in his social media post, as he shared the OG post of the official Denver Hockey account.

Carle has been heading the Pioneers’ hockey program for the last seven seasons. With a 179-74-17 overall record, David boasts a .694 winning percentage, the highest in the program’s history. Thanks to his two national championships with the Pioneers and back-to-back gold-medal victories at the past two World Junior Championships with the US national team, Carle was catapulted into stardom. It was unprecedented, to say the least. As the head coach of the national team, the coach has a record of 13 wins in 14 games.

Before the 2024-25 season, David Carle had a winning percentage of .690, higher than that of even Jim Montgomery, the former coach of the Boston Bruins. FloHockey even hailed the NCAA coach as a “generational head coach prospect“. For obvious reasons, with many head coach positions opening up in the NHL in recent months, such a name kept surfacing across the hockey community.

But it looks like NHL teams won’t be using David’s expertise anytime soon. “I am honored to have the University’s support for our hockey program over the last seven years and into the future…Denver is home for me and my family,” David Carle said in a statement after signing the new multi-year contract with the university. And it’s not only the coach who’s thrilled by the contract extension.

“We are thrilled to have David continue to lead the exceptional legacy that is Denver hockey. His dedication and passion are second to none, and we look forward to furthering our partnership and building upon our NCAA-record 10 national championships as the most accomplished college hockey program all-time,” said Josh Berlo, Denver’s Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations.

But while David Carle builds his NCAA legacy, what is even going on in the NHL for names being thrown in every direction?

The whirlpool that has been the NHL’s situation

The 2024-25 NHL season has been more like a rollercoaster ride than regular hockey. Heavyweight teams like the Blackhawks, the New York Islanders, the New York Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Boston Bruins all missed the playoffs. Naturally, the coaches of each of these teams had to answer a lot of questions. However, very few gained the attention of the community as Jim Montgomery’s sacking by the Bruins. Just 20 games into the season, the seasoned coach was fired by Boston after a shambolic 8-9-3 stretch.

“The obvious reaction from me is disappointment in the decision I had to make yesterday,” the Bruins’ GM Don Sweeney said later about the tough decision. Just days after the coach was sent packing, long-time captain Brad Marchand was also traded to the Florida Panthers, and the Bruins fans could hardly keep their calm anymore. The grievance only grew after Montgomery was swiftly picked up by the St Louis Blues, who, after a slow start to their season, blitzed into the playoffs with a massive 35-18-7 record since November 2024.

Moreover, the Rangers also parted ways with their former coach and recently announced Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan as the new boss. While fans weren’t all on board with the appointment, looking at Sullivan’s resume, one would be hard-pressed to believe that the Rangers’ luck from this season won’t be repeated next year.

But with so many head coaches being sacked or hired, do you think David Carle actually has the potential to go toe-to-toe with the NHL vets? Tell us your assessment of the Pioneers’ coach below!