Remember Dave Hakstol, the guy who coached our Seattle Kraken for the first three seasons? Well, get ready for a wild twist: he’s back in the college game, taking over as the head coach for Arizona State’s hockey program, effective immediately. This move comes after he spent the summer as an assistant for the Colorado Avalanche. Talk about a career arc!
The Journey From Emerald City Bench Boss to College Campus
Hakstol, at 58 years old, is no stranger to the college hockey scene. Before hitting the NHL, he was an assistant coach at North Dakota from 2000 to 2004. He then stepped up to lead the program as head coach for 11 seasons, guiding them to an impressive seven Frozen Fours. That’s serious college pedigree right there.
His first NHL head coaching gig was with the Philadelphia Flyers, starting in 2015, but he was fired midway through the 2018-19 season. After that, he put in two seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Then came his historic appointment in 2021: the first head coach ever for our very own Seattle Kraken. He was with us for three seasons before his departure, and then moved on to join the Avalanche staff in July. Now, he’s circled back to the NCAA, proving that the coaching carousel never truly stops spinning.
The Tumultuous Scene Hakstol Is Stepping Into
Hakstol isn’t just walking into an easy situation, though. He’s replacing Greg Powers, who reportedly reached a mutual agreement with Arizona State to part ways. Powers was placed on administrative leave back on September 30th, following a tragic outdoor workout incident in August where sophomore Matthew Mayich was left on life support and in a coma. Mayich, a 2023 sixth-round draft pick by the St. Louis Blues who transferred from Clarkson University this past summer, reportedly has “zero chance of recovery,” according to his lawyer.
Powers had been the Sun Devils’ head coach since 2010 and even led the team’s transition from a club program to an NCAA Division I powerhouse in 2015. He’d even signed a five-year extension just last November, making the timing of his dismissal even more abrupt. Notably, the school’s release announcing Hakstol’s hiring didn’t even mention Powers’ departure. Mike Corbett, an assistant on Powers’ staff who coached the first four games this season, won’t be retained by Hakstol, but current assistant Jimmy Mullin is staying on, and former NHL defenseman Matt Greene is joining the staff. Arizona State’s athletic director, Graham Rossini, sounded hyped, stating, “We welcome Dave Hakstol and his family to Arizona State University. His success building championship-caliber programs, developing players for the highest level of the sport, and leading organizations in the NHL speaks to his knowledge of the game and his ability to develop talent. We appreciate Dave’s belief in ASU and look forward to supporting him as we continue to build Sun Devil Hockey into one of the nation’s premier programs.”
It’s a wild twist in a coaching career, especially for a guy who was just in the NHL. For us in the Emerald City, it’s a reminder of where our team started, and how quickly the coaching carousel spins. Hakstol’s got his work cut out for him in Arizona, taking over a program reeling from tragedy and needing a steady hand. He’s got the college chops, that’s for sure, but can he rebuild? We’ll be watching to see how this chapter unfolds for the Kraken’s first bench boss.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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