The Minnesota Wild's coaching staff went through a major upgrade this summer and now ranks as one of the most experienced and accomplished in the league. Significant coaching changes for teams such as the Wild, Ducks, Flames and Avalanche could doubtlessly have a significant impact on the standings, but can they be measured?
Using a methodology introduced for the 2009-10 season and explained in more detail last season, it is possible to objectively measure the experience and past success of each team's coaching staff at a high level.
How do things shape up for the 2016-17 season in the Western Conference? We'll examine those 14 teams here and place each staff into a specific tier:
Tier 1: Best of the best
Tier 2: Proven success
Tier 3: Balanced
Tier 4: Inexperienced or underachieving