Pierre LeBrun has a good piece on Sportsnet.ca today that includes a chat with Pat Quinn, who is still looking to get back into the NHL coaching game. With an opening in Atlanta, he may suddenly get that shot:

At 64, some wonder whether the game has passed him by and whether he'll get another shot. I disagree that his age is a problem, and obviously so does he.

"No I don't think that's a key thing," Quinn said. "It has nothing to do with my mind or my progressiveness in the game. I've often been ahead of the curve on a lot of things, and still feel the same way. I haven't lost that desire to find ways to help clubs win hockey games and help players get better. As far as age, my health is terrific and I still have that edge. If you look at other sports, clearly in baseball and in football, it doesn't seem to impede some of the guys that are running teams there. ...

"In fact the older, more experienced hand in certain situations might be the best way to go."

Quinn would be the oldest coach in the NHL if he returned to the ranks: The only other over-60 bench boss is Minnesota's Jacques Lemaire, who turned 62 in training camp. Toronto's Paul Maurice is the youngest coach in the league at 40.

There certainly is a range where coaches fall, and it's not exactly a job for a spry youngster. The average age of the 29 current NHL coaches is right around 49, and there are 10 who are 50 or older. (Not that that's old, Dad.)

Forty to 50 seems to be the common range, although only five are under 45:

Coach	Team	Birthdate	Age	Games coached	Games played
Lemaire, Jacques	Min	07-Sep-45	62.11	967	853
Keenan, Mike	Cal	21-Oct-49	57.99	1177	0
Murray, Andy	StL	03-Mar-51	56.63	410+	0
Hitchcock, Ken	Cmb	17-Dec-51	55.84	757	0
Martin, Jacques	Fla	01-Oct-52	55.05	1016	0
Paddock, John	Ott	09-Jun-54	53.36	281	87
Renney, Tom	NYR	01-Mar-55	52.64	266	0
Wilson, Ron	SJ	28-May-55	52.39	870	177
Carlyle, Randy	Ana	19-Apr-56	51.50	164	1055
Hanlon, Glen	Was	20-Feb-57	50.66	218	477
Nolan, Ted	NYI	07-Apr-58	49.53	246	78
Tortorella, John	TB	24-Jun-58	49.32	410	0
MacTavish, Craig	Edm	15-Aug-58	49.18	492	1093
Quenneville, Joel	Col	15-Sep-58	49.09	757	803
Ruff, Lindy	Buf	17-Feb-60	47.67	738	691
Carbonneau, Guy	Mon	18-Mar-60	47.59	82	1318
Julien, Claude	Bos	23-Apr-60	47.49	238	14
Gretzky, Wayne	Phx	26-Jan-61	46.73	164	1487
Savard, Denis	Chi	04-Feb-61	46.70	61	1196
Crawford, Marc	LA	13-Feb-61	46.68	905	176
Vigneault, Alain	Van	14-May-61	46.43	330+	42
Tippett, Dave	Dal	25-Aug-61	46.15	328	721
Sutter, Brent	NJ	10-Jun-62	45.36	0	1111
Trotz, Barry	Nas	15-Jul-62	45.26	656	0
Babcock, Mike	Det	29-Apr-63	44.47	328	0
Therrien, Michel	Pit	04-Nov-63	43.96	323	0
Laviolette, Peter	Car	07-Dec-64	42.86	380	12
Stevens, John	Phi	04-May-66	41.46	74	53
Maurice, Paul	Tor	30-Jan-67	40.72	686	0
* vacant *	Atl			--	--

Some of my NHL games coached numbers are a bit off, as I couldn't find one official source, so if you have the actual totals, feel free to fill me in.