The Colorado Avalanche have added some additional experience to their coaching staff. According to a team announcement, the Avalanche have hired Dave Hakstol as an assistant coach for the 2025-26 NHL season.
It’s been almost two years since Hakstol has coached on an NHL bench. He was the first head coach in Seattle Kraken franchise history, leading them to their first postseason in his second year, where they defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche in the first round.
Unfortunately, the team failed to live up to renewed expectations the following season, leading the Kraken and Hakstol to go in separate directions. He finished his tenure in Seattle with a 107-112-27 record in 246 games.
Before being hired by the Kraken, Hakstol had a two-year stint as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before joining the Original Six franchise, Hakstol had been the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.
His time in Philadelphia was mostly a mixed bag. He finished with a winning record through the regular season and coached the Flyers to the playoffs in two seasons, but they failed to move beyond the opening round. Ultimately, Hakstol finished with a 134-101-42 record in Philadelphia over 277 games, but was fired partway through the 2018-19 season after a disappointing start to the season.
The former long-time head coach of the University of North Dakota now joins his fourth NHL franchise of his career and his second job as an assistant coach.