Photo: Derek Sparta
The Seattle Kraken are hiring Derek Laxdal as the new coach of their American Hockey League team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Laxdal succeeds Dan Bylsmawho was named the head coach of the Kraken on May 28.
Laxdal, 58, joins the Kraken organization after spending the past two years as the head coach of the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League. He guided the team to a 40-19-9 record and an appearance in the league finals in 2023-24.
Previously, Laxdal spent eight seasons with the Dallas Stars organization, including five-plus years as the head coach of their AHL team, the Texas Stars. He led Texas to the Calder Cup Finals in 2018 and was promoted to assistant coach in Dallas in December 2019, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals with the NHL club that summer.
Laxdal has also been a head coach in the Central Hockey League, ECHL and Western Hockey League, winning league championships with ECHL Idaho (2007) and WHL Edmonton (2012, 2014). He also captured the Memorial Cup title with the Oil Kings in 2014.
As a player, the Stonewall, Man., native played 356 AHL games and won a Calder Trophy with the Springfield Indians in 1990. He also spent parts of six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders, scoring 67 career NHL appearances. competitions.
Source link
