The Seattle Kraken are the newest expansion team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They began playing in the 2021-2022 season out of Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. As a new team, the Kraken went through the expansion draft process in 2021 to build their initial roster from players made available from other NHL teams. Heading into their inaugural season, the Kraken named Dave Hakstol as the first head coach in franchise history. Hakstol was previously the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015-2019.
Dave Hakstol’s Coaching Background
Prior to being named the first coach of the Seattle Kraken, Dave Hakstol, age 53, had spent the previous 11 seasons as the head coach of the University of North Dakota men’s ice hockey team from 2004 to 2015. During that time, he tallied a record of 289-143-43, making him the second winningest coach in program history. He led North Dakota to seven NCAA tournament appearances, four Frozen Four berths, and six conference tournament championships.
Hakstol played collegiate hockey as a defenseman at the University of North Dakota from 1989 to 1992, serving as team captain during his senior season. After graduating, he played minor league hockey in the IHL and ECHL through 1996 before retiring and joining North Dakota as an assistant coach in 2000.
In 2015, Hakstol became the first head coach in NHL history to make the direct jump from the NCAA ranks to the NHL when he was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers. He spent four seasons as head coach of the Flyers, compiling a record of 134-101-42 and qualifying for the playoffs in two seasons. After being relieved of his duties in Philadelphia in 2018, Hakstol joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach in 2019 and remained there for two seasons before being named head coach of the expansion Seattle Kraken.
The Hiring Process
The Kraken hired Hakstol on June 24, 2021, making him the first head coach in franchise history. As an expansion team, the Kraken underwent an extensive hiring process to find the right coach to lead the new team. Over the course of several months, Kraken general manager Ron Francis interviewed numerous candidates with NHL or other professional hockey coaching experience.
Some of the other coaches interviewed and considered for the job included Gerard Gallant, Lane Lambert, Rick Tocchet, and John Tortorella. However, Francis and the Kraken ultimately decided on Hakstol due to his experience building up a college program as well as his time coaching in the NHL. The Kraken felt Hakstol’s blend of collegiate and professional coaching over more than two decades made him the right fit to establish a strong culture and identity as an expansion franchise starting from scratch.
In the team’s press release announcing the hiring, general manager Ron Francis said “Dave has a great track record of success as an NHL coach but also as a coach at the college, minor league and international levels. We were extremely impressed by not only his extensive body of work but also his clear communication and leadership philosophies. There are certain environments where people and personalities just mesh together and we feel strongly Dave is the right person to lead this group.”
Coaching Staff
In addition to hiring Dave Hakstol as the first head coach, the Kraken also hired several assistants to round out the inaugural coaching staff. The assistants brought experience coaching in the NHL as well as familiarity working with Hakstol.
The assistant coaches for the first season were:
– Jay Leach – Former NHL defenseman who joined from the Providence Bruins where he was head coach in the AHL. He previously worked under Hakstol as an assistant coach at North Dakota.
– Paul McFarland – Former head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs who was most recently an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
– Jeremy Colliton – Former NHL player who was previously the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks for three seasons.
The goalie coach hired was Andrew Allen, who spent the previous five seasons as goalie coach of the Buffalo Sabres.
Finally, the video coaches were Nigel Kirwan and Cammi Granato. Kirwan was hired from the Winnipeg Jets while Granato, a Hockey Hall of Famer, was hired from her previous role as a scout with the Seattle Kraken.
Inaugural Season
For their inaugural season in 2021-2022, expectations for the Kraken were measured as they took to the ice with a roster of players taken in the expansion draft from other NHL teams. The team got off to a slow start, winning just one of their first seven games amid some early injuries and players getting accustomed to new teammates.
By the mid-point of the season, Seattle occupied the bottom spot in the Pacific division with a record of 10-20-4 through 34 games. However, the Kraken showed steady improvement as the season went on. Young players emerged as contributors and the team began to develop more chemistry and cohesion on the ice.
In the second half of the season, Seattle played at a much more competitive level, going 19-15-2 over their final 36 games. They remained in contention for a playoff spot until late in the season before ultimately finishing in 30th place out of 32 teams with a 27-49-6 record.
While it was a losing season, there were many promising signs from individuals. Rookie Matty Beniers emerged as a potential future franchise cornerstone, defenseman Vince Dunn had a breakout year leading the team in scoring, and goalie Philipp Grubauer rebounded after a slow start. Under Hakstol’s leadership, the expansion Kraken laid a foundation to build upon in coming seasons.
Coaching Style
As a head coach, Dave Hakstol brings a calm, steadying presence behind the bench. His demeanor is not overly animated or fiery, but his players describe him as an excellent communicator who instills structure, responsibility and work ethic. Hakstol takes a cerebral, analytical approach to coaching hockey, studying tactics and seeking to build teams that are greater than the sum of their parts.
Fundamentally, he believes in playing an uptempo, attack-oriented system. Hakstol likes his teams to push the pace, move the puck decisively up ice, maintain pressure in the offensive zone and create scoring chances through speed and puck movement. He encourages involvement from his players and assistants in developing systems and game plans. On special teams, Hakstol places an emphasis on directing pucks on net and winning battles to generate scoring chances.
While Hakstol is not necessarily regarded as a flashy “players’ coach”, he is well-respected for his calm demeanor, consistent communication, and systems-focused approach. He spent over a decade developing and leading programs at the college level before transitioning to the NHL. The Kraken hope Hakstol’s ability to build foundations will help the expansion franchise establish a winning culture and identity.
Personal Life
Dave Hakstol was born on July 30, 1968 in Drayton Valley, Alberta in Canada. Prior to his coaching career, he had a successful four year playing career at the University of North Dakota from 1989 to 1992. He served as team captain as a senior and was a two-time All-WCHA selection.
After graduating, Hakstol was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft but never reached the NHL as a player, spending several years playing minor league hockey. By 1996 he retired from playing and went into coaching.
Hakstol and his wife Christine have two children, a son named Benjamin and a daughter named Anna. They resided in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area during his long tenure coaching at the University of North Dakota. With the move to Seattle, the Hakstol family relocated to the Pacific Northwest as he became the first head coach of the expansion franchise.
Outside of hockey, Hakstol has said he enjoys golfing and spending time with his family at their lake cabin in Minnesota. He has been involved in coaching for over two decades since retiring as a player in the mid-1990s. Hakstol’s calm, focused approach behind the bench reflects his off-ice personality as a thoughtful, cerebral student of the game.
Conclusion
Dave Hakstol arrived in Seattle after coaching at the college, minor league and NHL levels over his 25+ year career in hockey. As the first head coach of the expansion Kraken, Hakstol faced the challenge of bringing together a roster of new players and instilling an identity and culture befitting an NHL team.
In their inaugural season, the Kraken struggled at times and finished with one of the league’s worst records. However, under Hakstol’s steady leadership, the team improved as the season went on and young talent emerged. Hakstol aims to build a competitive, entertaining team through uptempo offensive play and relentless work habits.
Off the ice, Hakstol has a calm, focused demeanor and cerebral approach to the game. He relies on structure, communication and tactics rather than animation to get his message across. With a year under their belt, Hakstol and the Kraken will look to take a step forward in year two as he puts his stamp on the NHL’s newest franchise. Though losses piled up early on, Hakstol’s track record points to better days ahead in Seattle.