Seattle Kraken Appoint Dan Bylsma as Franchise’s Second Head Coach
The Seattle Kraken’s appointment of Dan Bylsma as the franchise’s second head coach on Tuesday brings two promising aspects.
Firstly, Bylsma is a former Stanley Cup-winning coach with extensive postseason experience, which is beneficial for a recent expansion team that has reached the playoffs only once in its first three seasons.
Secondly, he has been coaching the Kraken’s American Hockey League affiliate, making him familiar with the team’s prospects.
“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,” said Kraken general manager Ron Francis.
Bylsma, 53, is taking on his first NHL head coaching role since 2017. He succeeds Dave Hakstol, who was dismissed on April 29 following a 19-point decline from the team’s sole playoff season in 2022-23, resulting in the Kraken missing the playoffs by 17 points.
Bylsma boasts a 320-190-55 record as an NHL head coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. Additionally, he coached Team USA to a fourth-place finish at the 2014 Olympics.
Promoted from the AHL to replace the fired Michel Therrien in the 2008-09 season, Bylsma went 18-3-4 down the stretch and led the Penguins to their third NHL championship. He subsequently guided Pittsburgh to five more playoff berths before being fired in 2014.
