BREAKING NEWS: Colorado Avalanche Add Experienced NHL Strategist Dave Hakstol to Coaching Staff, Bringing Former Head Coach On Board to Support Jared Bednar in Pursuit of Another…

Colorado Avalanche Add Experienced NHL Strategist Dave Hakstol to Coaching Staff, Bringing Former Head Coach On Board to Support Jared Bednar in Pursuit of Another…

The Colorado Avalanche have made a significant addition to their bench this offseason, announcing Tuesday the hiring of Dave Hakstol as an assistant coach under Jared Bednar. The move adds a seasoned hockey mind to an already accomplished staff as the Avalanche aim to return to Stanley Cup glory in the 2025–26 NHL season.

Hakstol, 56, brings with him a wealth of NHL experience, including head coaching stints with both the Philadelphia Flyers and, most recently, the Seattle Kraken. Known for his structured systems and emphasis on defensive discipline, Hakstol is expected to play a key role in helping the Avalanche tighten up areas that proved costly in last season’s playoff run.

“We’re thrilled to bring Dave into the organization,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. “He’s a respected coach across the league, and his experience at both the collegiate and professional levels makes him an invaluable addition to our staff. We believe his presence will complement Jared and our coaching group extremely well.”

Hakstol spent the past three seasons as the head coach of the Seattle Kraken, where he helped guide the expansion franchise to a playoff berth in just its second year of existence. Prior to that, he led the Flyers from 2015 to 2018, reaching the postseason twice. He also served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, further bolstering his reputation as a defensive specialist and tactician.

His arrival in Colorado comes as the Avalanche look to rebound from a second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets earlier this spring. While Colorado remains one of the league’s most talented teams, boasting stars like Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen, injuries and defensive lapses hampered their consistency throughout the 2024–25 campaign.

The addition of Hakstol is viewed as a strategic move to support Bednar—currently the longest-tenured coach in Avalanche history and the man who led the franchise to the Stanley Cup in 2022. Bednar has maintained strong player relationships and a winning culture in Denver, but adding another voice with head coaching experience could help push the team over the top once again.

“Dave is someone I’ve respected for a long time,” Bednar said on Tuesday. “His attention to detail and ability to get the most out of his players speaks for itself. I’m looking forward to working with him and integrating his ideas as we continue to build toward another championship.”

In Colorado, Hakstol is expected to oversee the team’s defensive schemes and penalty kill—two areas that saw uneven results last season. The Avalanche ranked 15th in goals against per game and 19th on the penalty kill, a significant drop from their Stanley Cup-winning form just a few years prior.

Hakstol’s coaching roots run deep. Before his NHL career, he spent 11 seasons as the head coach at the University of North Dakota, one of college hockey’s powerhouse programs. There, he developed numerous future NHLers and became known for his no-nonsense approach and emphasis on accountability.

For the Avalanche, this move is about more than just X’s and O’s. It’s a signal that the organization is not content with simply being a perennial playoff team—they want to win now. With their championship core still intact and a solid blend of youth and veteran leadership, Colorado is clearly loading up behind the bench as much as they are on the ice.

“He’s a guy who understands winning environments,” said Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon. “It’s exciting to have someone with his experience joining us. We’re hungry to get back to the top, and we know coaching plays a huge role in that.”

With the offseason continuing to unfold, Colorado’s front office remains active in shaping both the roster and the coaching staff. But Tuesday’s announcement may prove to be one of the more pivotal moves in setting the tone for the season ahead.

Hakstol, for his part, is ready to embrace his new role.

“I’m honored to join an organization with the history and expectations of the Avalanche,” he said. “This is a team built to contend, and I’m excited to contribute in any way I can to help this group achieve its goals.”