Reports: Kraken to name Dan Bylsma next coach

Field Level Media|published: Mon 27th May, 20:32 2024

Coachella Valley head coach Dan Bylsma speaks during a media conference after Game 4 of the Pacific Division semifinals at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024.

The Seattle Kraken are expected to name Dan Bylsma their new head coach, according to multiple reports Monday.

The Kraken are planning a news conference for Tuesday morning, when they're reportedly planning to introduce Bylsma as the second coach in franchise history.

Bylsma is in his second season coaching the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Seattle's AHL affiliate. The Firebirds are still playing in the AHL playoffs.

Bylsma, 53, won the 2009 Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in his first season as an NHL head coach. He was named their interim head coach the previous February after the dismissal of Michel Therrien, then given the job full-time during the playoffs.

Bylsma had a 252-117-32 record in parts of six seasons leading Pittsburgh. He was fired after the 2013-14 season and later spent two seasons coaching the Buffalo Sabres. He is 320-190-55 in 565 games as an NHL head coach.

The Michigan native also coached the U.S. Olympic hockey team in 2014, the last Olympics where NHL players participated. The Americans finished in fourth place.

The Kraken fired Dave Hakstol in late April after the team missed the playoffs. Hakstol was the team's inaugural coach and guided Seattle to one playoff berth in its first three seasons in the league.

--Field Level Media

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