The Golden Knights have poached a key member of the Avalanche organization, hiring Colorado Eagles head coach Mark Letestu after he led the AHL affiliate to the Western Conference Finals in his lone season behind the bench.
The Vegas Golden Knights didn't just end the Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup hopes this spring—they've now taken another piece of the organization.
Less than two months after sweeping Colorado out of the Western Conference Final, Vegas has hired Colorado Eagles head coach Mark Letestu as an assistant coach, adding another respected figure from the Avalanche pipeline to its NHL staff.
The Golden Knights announced Tuesday that Letestu has joined Ryan Craig's coaching staff as an assistant coach for the 2026-27 season, ending his brief but successful tenure as head coach of the Avalanche's American Hockey League affiliate.
Letestu spent just one season behind the bench in Loveland, but it proved to be a productive one. He guided the Eagles to a 41-20-11 record before leading the club to the Western Conference Finals in the Calder Cup Playoffs, marking one of the organization's deepest postseason runs in recent years.
His departure creates another vacancy within Colorado's development system while strengthening the coaching staff of the team that eliminated the Avalanche from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Before taking over the Eagles, Letestu spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Monsters. During his time there, Cleveland reached the Calder Cup Playoffs twice, captured the North Division title in 2023-24, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals that same season.
The 40-year-old transitions to Vegas with plenty of NHL familiarity. Letestu played 11 seasons in the league with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Winnipeg Jets, appearing in 567 regular-season games while recording 93 goals and 117 assists for 210 points.
His connection to the Golden Knights extends beyond his coaching résumé. Letestu and Craig were teammates with the Blue Jackets during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, reuniting them on Vegas' coaching staff.
Letestu originally signed with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent after one season at Western Michigan University and four years with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He also appeared in 255 AHL games during his professional playing career.
For the Avalanche organization, the move represents another offseason change following Colorado's run to the Western Conference Final. While the Golden Knights eliminated the Avalanche on the ice, they've now added one of the coaches who helped develop the club's next wave of talent.
