Avalanche hire Dave Hakstol as assistant coach

Hakstol joins the coaching staff headed by Jared Bednar, who will be entering his 10th season as the head coach of the Avalanche in 2025-26. Hakstol will be alongside fellow assistant coach Nolan Pratt, goaltending coach Jussi Parkkila and video coach Brett Heimlich.

Avs’ general manager Chris MacFarland recognizes that the team can benefit from someone like Hakstol on the staff.

“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 release. “He has an extensive coaching background with a lot of success and will be a valuable addition to our team.”

Hakstol admits he’s happy to be back in the NHL, joining one of the league’s top organizations.

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Avalanche,” Hakstol said. “This is a proud organization with a lot of talented players and a tremendous coaching staff led by Jared Bednar. 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.”

Hakstol has been out of work since he was fired as head coach of the Seattle Kraken following the 2023-24 season. He was the first bench boss of the franchise when it entered the league in 2021, guiding them to a surprising run to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023, coincidentally eliminating the Avalanche in the opening round. However, a lackluster performance the following year led the team to go in a different direction.

It was the Alberta native’s second head coaching gig in the NHL. He broke into the league with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015. Despite qualifying for the playoffs twice in three seasons, he was let go in the middle of the 2018-19 campaign.

Hakstol then moved north, joining the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching staff as an assistant in 2019, working with the team for two seasons before being hired by Seattle.

As a head coach in the NHL, Hakstol has an overall record of 241-213-69.