Dave Hakstol

Lore & Background

Hakstol is a native of Warburg, Alberta; he played for the UND Fighting Sioux from 1989 to 1992 and in the International Hockey League (IHL) for five years. He played minor league hockey for five years, including stints with the Indianapolis Ice and Minnesota Moose. After retiring as a player, he moved to the coaching ranks with the Sioux City Musketeers. He replaced a fired head coach in the middle of the 1996–97 season and remained in the role for four years. He was succeeded by Dave Siciliano. Hakstol became an assistant coach with his alma mater North Dakota in 2000 under head coach Dean Blais. When Blais left for the NHL in 2004, Hakstol was promoted to head coach and led UND to the NCAA Frozen Four seven times in eleven seasons. He was honored with conference coach of the year awards in 2009 and 2015, and was an eight-time finalist for national coach of the year. On May 18, 2015, it was announced that Hakstol would become the Philadelphia Flyers' 19th head coach. Hakstol is the first head coach to go directly from the NCAA to the NHL since 1982 (Bob Johnson from the University of Wisconsin to the Calgary Flames). Hakstol picked up his first NHL victory in the Flyers' third game of the season, a 1–0 win over the Florida Panthers. On April 11, 2017, it was announced that Hakstol would join Jon Cooper, Gerard Gallant, and Dave King as coaches of Canada's men's national ice hockey team for the 2017 IIHF World Championship tournament. On December 17, 2018, the Flyers relieved Hakstol as the head coach of the team after a 12–15–4 start to the 2018–19 season. On June 29, 2019, he was hired as assistant head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and stayed for two seasons. Hakstol was hired as head coach of the expansion Seattle Kraken on June 24, 2021. In their second season, he was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year, after the Kraken qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history and improved by 19 wins and 40 points in the standings. In July 2023, the Kraken extended Hakstol's contract through the 2025–26 season. After missing the playoffs the subsequent season, Hakstol was fired by Seattle on April 29, 2024. Hakstol was hired as an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche on July 8, 2025.

Reader's Guide

Dave Hakstol served as the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken from 2021 to 2024. He was hired on June 24, 2021. In the Kraken's second season, he was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award after the team qualified for the playoffs for the first time and improved by 19 wins and 40 points. His contract was extended in July 2023 through the 2025–26 season, but he was fired on April 29, 2024 after missing the playoffs the subsequent season.

Inaugural Leadership and Team Building

Dave Hakstol was appointed as the Seattle Kraken's first head coach in June 2021, tasked with assembling a roster from scratch for the franchise's debut. Working alongside General Manager Ron Francis, who prioritized speed, character, and competitiveness, Hakstol oversaw the selection of key personnel during the expansion draft and free agency period. The coaching staff helped integrate high-profile signings like Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak while guiding young talent such as first-round pick Matty Beniers. Under his guidance, the team navigated the unique challenges of being a new entity, playing their inaugural game against the Vegas Golden Knights just days after finalizing their roster. Hakstol's early tenure focused on establishing an identity for a team that had never existed before, setting the stage for their competitive journey in the Pacific Division.

The Historic Playoff Breakthrough

During his second season, Hakstol led the Kraken to a remarkable turnaround, transforming them from last place into a playoff contender with 100 points. The true highlight of this campaign occurred during the postseason when the expansion team faced the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche. In a stunning upset that captured national attention, Seattle defeated the Avalanche in seven games, marking the first time an expansion franchise won its initial playoff series against the reigning champion. This victory validated Hakstol's coaching strategies and the organization's rapid development. Although the run ended in the second round against the Dallas Stars, the achievement cemented a legacy moment for the franchise, proving that Seattle could compete at the highest level almost immediately after joining the league.

Decline and Dismissal

Following their historic playoff appearance, the Kraken experienced a significant regression under Hakstol's leadership during the 2023–24 season. The team struggled offensively, managing only 217 goals, and finished with just 81 points, which was insufficient to secure a postseason berth. This performance marked a sharp decline from their previous year's success and raised concerns about the team's direction. Consequently, the organization made the decision to part ways with Hakstol, ending his tenure as head coach. He was replaced by Dan Bylsma in an attempt to revitalize the squad. The subsequent seasons saw continued struggles, with the team missing the playoffs again in 2024–25 and 2025–26, leading to further coaching changes that highlighted the volatility of the franchise's early years.

Context of the Expansion Era

Hakstol's career as a head coach is intrinsically linked to the broader narrative of Seattle's return to professional hockey. The city had long been considered a prime market for expansion, with historical roots dating back to the 1917 Stanley Cup-winning Metropolitans and decades of minor league play. After years of speculation regarding arena deals and potential relocations from other cities, the NHL officially approved the Kraken in 2018. Hakstol stepped into this high-pressure environment as the face of a new era, tasked with delivering immediate results to a passionate fan base that had waited over a century for an NHL team. His tenure represented the critical first chapter of the franchise's history, bridging the gap between the ambitious planning phase and the reality of competing in the modern league.

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