TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) — In the wake of a player’s collapse, Arizona State men’s hockey has removed its longtime head coach and is turning to new leadership.
Sun Devil Hockey and Sun Devil Athletics Director Graham Rossini announced Thursday that Colorado Avalanche assistant Dave Hakstol will join the team as its new head coach.
“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 in a statement.
“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.”
Lawyer: ‘More like a negotiated agreement than accountability’
Longtime ASU hockey head coach Greg Powers was placed on paid administrative leave after defenseman Matthew Mayich’s collapsed during a workout on Aug. 20.
Rob Carey, attorney for the Mayich family, said in a statement that the move “seems more like a negotiated agreement than accountability,” but wished the coach and his staff “a safe, successful season.”
He added that the family’s focus remains on ensuring that what happened to Mayich “never happens to another player.”
Carey’s full statement is below:
“Our focus remains where it has been since August 20, on Matthew, and making sure what happened to him is fully understood and never happens to another player. It seems more like a negotiated agreement than accountability, and so we believe Justice Bales’s investigation must continue with its full scope, gathering all digital evidence and covering everyone involved in that morning’s workout and in approving it, and its findings must be made public. Coach Powers’s departure should not limit his cooperation or anyone else’s, and the players who have spoken up must be protected. We wish Coach Hakstol, his staff, and the players a safe and successful season.”
Mayich remains hospitalized and is unlikely to fully recover, according to Carey. The family and seven anonymous players have asked for all ASU coaches to be removed as the investigation continues.
ASU launched an independent investigation, hiring former Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Scott Bales to conduct an independent review of the circumstances surrounding Mayich’s collapse.
The Sun Devils travel to UMass-Lowell on Friday.
Decades of coaching experience
Hakstol has an extensive résumé in both college and professional hockey. Earlier this week, the Avalanche granted Hakstol permission to speak with ASU and begin negotiations.
“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,” Hakstol added.
During his 11-season tenure with the University of North Dakota, his alma mater, he led the team to seven Frozen Four appearances. The Fighting Sioux were NCAA runner-ups in Hakstol’s first season, but did not win a national championship.
He went on to transition from NCAA to the NHL in 2015 after being named the Philadelphia Flyers head coach. The Flyers made the playoffs twice under Hakstol before he was relieved of his coaching duties in 2018.
Hakstol was once again named head coach in 2021, joining the expansion Seattle Kraken franchise. In Hakstol’s second season, the Kraken qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but lost in the second round to the Dallas Stars. After the Kraken failed to make the playoffs the next season, Hakstol was removed.
Over seven seasons as an NHL head coach, he finished with a 241-213 record and three Stanley Cup Playoffs appearances.
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