Seattle Kraken expects to name Dan Bylsma as coach, AP source says

SEATTLE (AP) The Seattle Kraken are expected to name Dan Bylsma as their coach, according to a person with knowledge of the selection, putting Pittsburgh’s 2009 Stanley Cup winner back in charge of an NHL team for the first time since 2017.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the hire. The Kraken scheduled a “special announcement” press conference for Tuesday after Sportsnet first reported the decision.

Bylsma spent the last two seasons as coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League, the Kraken’s top affiliate, and got them back to the Calder Cup semifinals. He has worked extensively with several of Seattle’s top prospects, who the franchise hopes will make it. to Seattle in the coming seasons.

Bylsma replaces Dave Hakstol, who was let go after his third season in charge of the Kraken, but after Seattle took a significant step back and struggled mightily on the offensive end of the ice. Seattle made the playoffs in his second year and earned Hakstol a two-year contract extension, but he was released before the extension took effect.

Prior to his time at Coachella Valley, Bylsma spent parts of eight seasons as a head coach at the NHL level in Pittsburgh and Buffalo. He took over midway through the 2008-09 season in Pittsburgh and helped guide the Penguins to the Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh made the playoffs in all five seasons under Bylsma after winning the title, but advanced to the conference final just once in those five trips.

After being fired by Pittsburgh, Bylsma spent two seasons as head coach in Buffalo before being fired after the 2016-17 season. The Sabers finished seventh and eighth in the Atlantic Division in his two seasons.

Seattle finished last season 34-35-13 and tied for fifth in the Pacific Division with 81 points. While they were solid defensively and had strong goaltending for most of the season with the combination of Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer, the Kraken struggled mightily on the offensive end. Seattle ranked 29th in the league in goals scored, 29th in field goal percentage and 18th on power play.

Increasing the score will be one of Bylsma’s main tasks in Seattle. The two teams he led in the Coachella Valley had no problem scoring goals on the way to significant success. The Firebirds reached the Calder Cup final in their first season before losing to Hershey in Game 7.

This season, Coachella Valley won the AHL’s Pacific Division and was one of two teams in the league to reach 100 points. The Firebirds have advanced to the Western Conference finals, which are scheduled to begin Wednesday.

In both seasons, the Firebirds finished in the top three in the AHL in regular season goals scored. He has also worked with the likes of Daccord, Shane Wright, Ryker Evans and Tye Kartye, all of whom appear to be key pieces of the Kraken’s future.

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