DENVER, CO — The Colorado Avalanche have officially announced a significant reinforcement for head coach Jared Bednar`s staff, welcoming veteran NHL bench boss Dave Hakstol as an assistant coach. This strategic hiring, confirmed Tuesday, brings a coach with recent head coaching experience to the Avalanche organization, with a clear mandate to address specific areas of team performance, particularly the power play.
Targeting Special Teams Improvement
Hakstol`s arrival is primarily aimed at injecting new life into the Avalanche`s power play unit. This area proved to be a notable weakness during the team`s recent first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars. Despite possessing elite offensive talents such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, the Avalanche struggled to capitalize on man advantages, converting on a mere 3 of 22 opportunities across the seven-game series. Adding to the special teams concerns, the team also conceded seven short-handed goals during the same critical stretch.
The need for improvement in this facet of the game was underscored by the team`s decision to part ways with assistant coach Ray Bennett following the season, who had previously overseen the power play.
A Familiar Face, Now on the Other Side
Bringing Hakstol into the Avalanche fold carries a layer of compelling narrative, given his recent history. As the inaugural head coach of the Seattle Kraken, he guided the expansion team for three seasons (2021-2024). His tenure included leading the Kraken to a playoff berth in 2023. In a twist of fate that now sees him joining the team he once faced off against, it was Hakstol`s Kraken squad that famously upset the favored Avalanche in a dramatic seven-game series in the first round of those very playoffs.
Hakstol`s coaching resume extends beyond Seattle, where he finished with a record of 107-112-27. He also served as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers for parts of four seasons (2015-2019), compiling a record of 134-101-42. Furthermore, he boasts an impressive track record at the collegiate level, having coached the University of North Dakota program for 11 seasons and reaching the prestigious Frozen Four seven times.
Organizational Perspective
Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland expressed confidence in the value Hakstol brings to the organization.
“Dave brings a wealth of knowledge and experience behind the bench and will be a great fit on Jared’s staff,” MacFarland said in a statement. “He has an extensive coaching background with a lot of success and will be a valuable addition to our team.”
Hakstol shared his enthusiasm about joining the Avalanche.
“This is a proud organization with a lot of talented players,” Hakstol commented. “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.”
Previous Collaboration and Future Focus
Adding to the potential for a smooth transition, Hakstol has previous experience working with current Avalanche players on the international stage. He served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship, winning silver medals in 2017 and 2019. Notably, he coached Nathan MacKinnon on the 2017 roster and Mackenzie Blackwood (the article mentions Blackwood, who is indeed an Avalanche goaltender, on the 2019 team), providing a degree of prior familiarity with some of the core players he will now be coaching full-time.
With a coach of Hakstol`s head coaching pedigree and specific experience now focused on refining their special teams, the Avalanche are making a clear move to address a critical area for improvement. His mandate to revitalize the power play, and potentially contribute to the penalty kill, could be a significant factor in the team`s quest for deeper playoff runs in the future.
Tristan Blackwood