With the hiring of Jim Montgomery by the Dallas Stars on May 4 and David Quinn by the New York Rangers on May 22, it's clear NHL interest in NCAA coaches is on the rise. Add in Dave Hakstol, who was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers on May 18, 2015, and the 2018-19 season will kick off with three head coaches who came directly from the U.S. college ranks -- the greatest total ever. What can we expect from Montgomery and Quinn, and who might ride this wave next?
To answer that question, I applied trusted NHL coaching metrics to all NCAA Division I coaches in history, leaned on my experience with other leagues and determined that Quinn's impact could be similar to what Hakstol's has been, and that Montgomery has an additional upside that could make him one of the league's best.