The Seattle Kraken aren't waiting for the official offseason before naming a new boss behind the bench. Sportsnet insider Elliott Friedman says the announcement is expected tomorrow.
According to Friedman, a deal has been struck with former NHL player and head coach Dan Bylsma.
Bylsma's first NHL head coaching positions was with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2008 to 2014. He won a Stanley Cup in his first season, but was fired after losing to the New York Rangers in the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That move was made by General Manager Jim Rutherford, who had just been hired a few days earlier.
Bylsma returned as an NHL head coach in 2015, this time with the Buffalo Sabres. He missed the playoffs two seasons in a row, and was fired from there in 2017.
Bylsma's NHL coaching record for the regular season is an impressive 320-190-55 in 565 games. Since 2021, he served as an assistant, and then head coach with the Kraken's AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Thunderbirds.
Bylsma will be the second head coach in the history of the Seattle Kraken franchise. Hakstol was the first, after spending several seasons as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.
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POLL | ||
MAI 27 | 105 ANSWERS Seattle Kraken name replacement for Dave Hakstol Is Dan Bylsma the right choice to replace Dave Hakstol as head coach of the Seattle Kraken? | ||
Yes | 42 | 40 % |
No | 26 | 24.8 % |
Not sure | 37 | 35.2 % |
LIST OF POLLS |
G | A | PTS | ||
Adam Fantilli | 3 | - | 3 | |
Tomas Hertl | 3 | - | 3 | |
Sam Colangelo | 2 | - | 2 | |
Sidney Crosby | 2 | - | 2 | |
Mark Jankowski | 2 | - | 2 | |
Mathieu Olivier | 2 | - | 2 | |
Brandt Clarke | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Dante Fabbro | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Warren Foegele | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Erik Haula | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Adrian Kempe | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Anze Kopitar | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Connor McMichael | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Mason McTavish | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
John Carlson | - | 2 | 2 | |
Cody Ceci | - | 2 | 2 | |
Phillip Danault | - | 2 | 2 | |
Matt Duchene | - | 2 | 2 | |
Joel Edmundson | - | 2 | 2 | |
Jack Eichel | - | 2 | 2 | |
Complete stats |
STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 64 | 44 | 16 | 4 | 92 | |
Capitals | 63 | 41 | 14 | 8 | 90 | |
Stars | 63 | 41 | 20 | 2 | 84 | |
Panthers | 64 | 40 | 21 | 3 | 83 | |
Golden Knights | 62 | 38 | 18 | 6 | 82 | |
Maple Leafs | 63 | 38 | 22 | 3 | 79 | |
Hurricanes | 63 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 78 | |
Oilers | 63 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 78 | |
Lightning | 63 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 78 | |
Avalanche | 64 | 38 | 24 | 2 | 78 | |
Conference | Cumulative |