DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche have appointed former Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol as an assistant coach. The move aims to strengthen the team`s power play, which faced difficulties during the recent postseason.
Hakstol becomes part of head coach Jared Bednar`s coaching team, working alongside existing staff members Nolan Pratt, Jussi Parkkila (goaltending coach), and Brett Heimlich (assistant/video coach).
The 56-year-old will focus on leading the power play unit. Despite featuring prominent players like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, the unit struggled notably against Dallas in the first round of the playoffs, converting only 3 of 22 opportunities over a seven-game series.
Colorado`s penalty kill also experienced challenges in the Stars series, allowing seven goals. Following the season, assistant coach Ray Bennett, who previously oversaw the power play, departed the organization.
Hakstol served as the first head coach in Seattle Kraken history from 2021 to 2024. He guided the Kraken to the playoffs in 2023, famously eliminating the Avalanche in a memorable seven-game first-round series. His coaching record with Seattle was 107-112-27.
Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland expressed confidence in the hire, stating in a press release, “Dave brings a wealth of knowledge and experience behind the bench and will be a great fit on Jared’s staff. He has an extensive coaching background with a lot of success and will be a valuable addition to our team.”
Prior to his tenure in Seattle, Hakstol coached the Philadelphia Flyers for nearly four seasons, achieving a record of 134-101-42.
His coaching career also includes 11 seasons as head coach at the University of North Dakota, where he led the team to the Frozen Four seven times.
On the international stage, Hakstol earned two silver medals as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship in 2017 and 2019. The 2017 roster included Nathan MacKinnon, while the 2019 team featured Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood.
Hakstol expressed his enthusiasm for joining the team, stating, “This is a proud organization with a lot of talented players. 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.”
Neville Woodall 
Duncan Priestley