Dan Bylsma, former Penguins coach, named head coach of Seattle Kraken
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma was named head coach of the Seattle Kraken.
Bylsma, a Stanley Cup-winning coach with the Penguins, was named coach of the Kraken on Tuesday. The news was first reported Monday by ESPN, citing sources. Bylsma is the second coach in team history, replacing the fired Dave Hakstol. He was let go after three seasons behind the bench.
"Dan is a winner with a proven track record of developing both young and veteran talent, and his leadership will help our team as we move forward ... He knows our franchise and has worked with several of our NHL players. We are excited to have him behind the bench and guiding our team next season," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said in a news release.
Bylsma was most recently the head coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the American Hockey League affiliate for the Kraken. This season, the 53-year-old has led the Firebirds to the Western Conference Final of the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs.
Bylsma came to Pittsburgh midway through the 2008-09 season after serving as the head coach for its AHL affiliate and beat the Detroit Red Wings to win a Stanley Cup. He spent five more seasons in Pittsburgh, making the playoffs each season, including a loss in the conference finals in 2013. Bylsma won the Jack Adams Award in 2011.
He was fired in 2014 and became head coach of the Buffalo Sabres for the 2015-16 season. He was fired again after two seasons in Buffalo, the last time he was a head coach in the NHL.
Seattle finished last season 34-35-13. The Kraken have the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.