Arizona State University on Thursday officially named Dave Hakstol head coach of its men’s ice hockey program, hiring the veteran with extensive success at both the collegiate and NHL levels to guide the Sun Devils.
Hakstol, 58, arrives in Tempe after serving as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche. He replaces Greg Powers, who mutually agreed to part ways with the program amid an ongoing independent investigation into the collapse of defenseman Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout in August. Powers had been placed on paid administrative leave in late September. The hiring comes on a reported five-year deal, pending Arizona Board of Regents approval.
Athletics Director Graham Rossini praised the hire in a statement. “We welcome Dave Hakstol and his family to Arizona State University. His success building championship-caliber programs, developing players for the highest level of the sport, and leading organizations in the NHL speaks to his knowledge of the game and his ability to develop talent,” Rossini said. “We appreciate Dave’s belief in ASU and look forward to supporting him as we continue to build Sun Devil Hockey into one of the nation’s premier programs.”
Hakstol expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity. “This is a special opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited to return to college hockey and bring a winning culture to Arizona State Sun Devil Hockey. Our goal is to grow a championship-caliber program, and we will,” he said.
Hakstol brings more than three decades of coaching experience. He spent 11 seasons as head coach at his alma mater, the University of North Dakota (2004-15), compiling a 289-143-43 record. Under his leadership, the Fighting Hawks reached the NCAA Tournament every season, advanced to seven Frozen Fours, and captured multiple conference titles. He earned WCHA Coach of the Year honors in 2008-09 and NCHC Herb Brooks Coach of the Year recognition in 2014-15, while also developing numerous NHL prospects, including players such as Jonathan Toews, T.J. Oshie, and Matt Greene.
In the NHL, Hakstol served as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015 to 2018, posting a 134-101-42 record and guiding the team to the playoffs twice. He later became the first head coach in Seattle Kraken history (2021-24), leading the expansion franchise to a 100-point season and its first playoff berth in 2022-23, when the Kraken upset the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche in the first round. He was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year that season. Overall, he compiled a 241-213-69 regular-season record across seven NHL head-coaching seasons. He also worked as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining Colorado.
Hakstol’s staff at ASU will include former NHL defenseman and Stanley Cup champion Matt Greene as an assistant coach, along with holdover assistant Jimmy Mullin. He is expected to meet the team immediately and make his debut behind the bench this weekend in a series at UMass Lowell. The Sun Devils enter the weekend at 2-2 under interim leadership.
The hire returns Hakstol to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, where he previously coached North Dakota. ASU is in its third season in the league. The move aims to stabilize the program and build on its growth as a competitive Division I program while the investigation into the Mayich incident continues. Mayich, a sophomore defenseman and St. Louis Blues prospect, remains hospitalized in critical condition following the August workout.
With a track record of sustained success in college hockey and experience at the highest professional level, Hakstol is positioned to lead Arizona State toward its goal of becoming a consistent national contender.
