D.J. Smith, Tortorella Spearhead Unemployed Coaches in Playoffs

D.J. Smith and John Tortorella top the list of sidelined NHL coaches crashing the 2026 playoff party with their former teams. These battle-tested bench bosses know the playoffs inside out from years of grinding through series, and their presence adds extra spice to matchups. Front offices watch closely as these squads chase deep runs without their old leaders.