Hot seat: Coaches who might be at risk

Dave Cameron, Ottawa: The Ottawa Senators missed the playoffs, even though the team was pretty much the same as last year’s playoff group, only with a few more injuries and without the miracle goaltending. Owner Eugene Melnyk went public with a “no one is safe” and criticized his coach’s use of goaltenders.

Claude Julien, Boston: Julien’s job with Boston is deemed never to be safe. Expectations are high in Boston and, if the Bruins miss the playoffs two years in a row, fingers will be pointed squarely at him. Not fair, some will say, because Boston is supposedly in a rebuilding mode. But the team was in first place in early March and late-season collapses are becoming commonplace.

Michel Therrien, Montreal: GM Marc Bergevin declared he wasn’t going to talk about coaches returning after a report in the French media suggested it would not be a surprise to have Therrien back next season. Therrien, after all, can’t be blamed for the injury to Carey Price that exposed Montreal’s flaws. But his battles with young players, notably P.K. Subban, may have created a “Therrien or them” scenario.

Ken Hitchcock, St. Louis: Hitchcock could well be a goner if the Blues fail to go deep in the playoffs. They’ve had three first-round exits in a row. Goaltending (Brian Elliott, Ryan Miller, Jake Allen consecutively in those three exits) can only be blamed for so much. The Blues are well puttogether but their window for winning it all is closing.

Bruce Boudreau, Anaheim: GM Bob Murray stuck with Boudreau early in the season when the easy move would have been to fire the coach of the under-performing team. It might have been because the candidate he wanted was still gainfully employed. If the Ducks fail to go deep in the playoffs — they went to the conference final last year — Murray will have the excuse he needs.

á Willie Desjardins, Vancouver: Daniel Sedin called out his younger teammates, questioning their work ethic, during a recent losing skid. Desjardins has been at the helm for two seasons. The Canucks had a first-round playoff appearance last year. Nothing this year. The players’ poor work ethic is on him.

á Bob Hartley, Calgary: Hartley wasn’t hired by GM Brad Treliving, but he did get a contract extension from him in 2014. The Flames made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2009. But they took a step back this season. Kevin McGran