Kraken hire Dan Bylsma as head coach

The Seattle Kraken hired Dan Bylsma as the second head coach in franchise history, the team announced Tuesday.

Bylsma, 53, coached the Kraken's AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley for two seasons. He won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.

"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," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. "He has had success at every level."

The Coachella Valley Firebirds went 94-32-18 under Bylsma, finishing second in the AHL in both campaigns. The Firebirds lost in the Calder Cup Finals in 2023 and are currently in the conference finals again.

"I have a familiarity with a lot of the players and staff here and think we have a chance to build something special together," Bylsma said.

Bylsma coached the Penguins to the Stanley Cup in 2009 as a midseason replacement. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2011 and remained Pittsburgh's bench boss until he was fired in 2014.

The Penguins made the playoffs every season under Bylsma. Pittsburgh reached at least the conference finals twice during his tenure and lost in the first round in back-to-back years in 2011 and 2012.

Bylsma later served as the Buffalo Sabres' bench boss from 2015-17 and last coached in the NHL as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings from 2018-21. The Sabres finished 23rd in 2015-16 and 26th the following campaign.

Internationally, Bylsma coached the United States at the 2014 Olympics. He was also an assistant at the 2015, 2018, and 2019 World Championship.

The Kraken fired Dave Hakstol in April after missing the playoffs. Hakstol went 107-112-27 in three seasons, leading Seattle to the second round in 2023.