Dave Hakstol was fired from the head coaching position in April after three seasons with the team
The Seattle Kraken are expected to hire Dan Bylsma as their next head coach, Elliotte Friedman reported Monday.
Bylsma, who has had an extensive coaching career, is currently the head coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The Firebirds are about to start their Western Conference Finals series against the Milwaukee Admirals.
Bylsma got his coaching start as an assistant coach in the AHL with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks in 2004-05. After one season with the team, he moved on to his first NHL coaching gig as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders.
Only spending a season with the Islanders, Bylsma joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as an assistant coach in 2006-07. He would serve in this role for two seasons before being promoted to head coach before the 2008-09 season.
Bylsma didn't even serve a full season in his new role before being named head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins mid-season, where he would eventually lead the team to the Stanley Cup.
Bylsma would serve as the head coach of the Penguins for the next five seasons, with the 2013-14 season being his last with the organization.
Over close to the next decade, Bylsma would hold a number of roles including head coach of the Buffalo Sabres (2015-17), assistant coach with both the Detroit Red Wings (2018-2021) and Charlotte Checkers (2021-22) before joining the Firebirds in his current role.
The Kraken revealed they are making a special announcement tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. PT with it believed to be the official hiring of Bylsma.
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