DENVER, CO – The Colorado Avalanche have made a significant addition to their coaching ranks, bringing former Seattle Kraken bench boss Dave Hakstol aboard as an assistant. The move, confirmed Tuesday, signals a clear intent by the Avalanche front office to address specific tactical challenges faced by the team, particularly their sputtering power play.
Hakstol, 56, joins Jared Bednar’s staff, working alongside returning assistants like Nolan Pratt and goaltending coach Jussi Parkkila. His mandate appears centered on injecting life into an Avalanche power play unit that, despite boasting elite talent such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, struggled significantly during the recent postseason.
Seeking a Spark on the Man Advantage
The numbers from Colorado`s first-round playoff exit against the Dallas Stars paint a stark picture. The Avalanche converted on just 3 of 22 power-play opportunities across the seven-game series. Equally concerning was the team`s performance while short-handed, conceding seven goals to Dallas – a recipe for playoff elimination, as it turned out. This performance prompted the team to part ways with assistant coach Ray Bennett, who had overseen the power play.
Enter Dave Hakstol, a coach with a reputation for structure and detail. While his tenure as the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken concluded after the 2023-24 season with a record of 107-112-27, his time in Seattle wasn`t without success. In 2023, he guided the Kraken to a surprising playoff berth, famously eliminating none other than the Colorado Avalanche in a hard-fought, seven-game opening round series. It seems the Avalanche management preferred to have him join them rather than face him again.
A Wealth of Experience Added
Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland expressed confidence in the hiring. “Dave brings a wealth of knowledge and experience behind the bench and will be a great fit on Jared’s staff,” MacFarland stated. “He has an extensive coaching background with a lot of success and will be a valuable addition to our team.”
Prior to his three seasons leading the Kraken (2021-24), Hakstol spent parts of four seasons as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, where he compiled a record of 134-101-42. His extensive coaching journey also includes a highly successful 11-season stint as the head coach at the University of North Dakota, where he led the collegiate program to an impressive seven appearances in the NCAA Frozen Four tournament.
Beyond the NHL and NCAA, Hakstol has also represented Team Canada on the international stage, earning silver medals as an assistant coach at the IIHF World Championship in both 2017 and 2019. Those teams coincidentally featured current Avalanche players Nathan MacKinnon (2017) and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (2019), offering a degree of familiarity.
From Hakstol`s perspective, the move represents an exciting opportunity. “This is a proud organization with a lot of talented players,” he commented. “I look forward to being a part of this special group and can’t wait to get to work and help the team in any way that I can.”
The addition of Hakstol underscores the Avalanche`s commitment to fine-tuning their special teams and leveraging experienced coaching talent to build upon their championship foundation. Whether his structural approach can unlock the full potential of the Avalanche`s star-studded power play remains to be seen, but the intention behind the hiring is clear: prevent a repeat of last season`s playoff struggles.
