The NHL’s newest expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, made a big splash today by announcing Dan Bylsma as their first-ever head coach. The move ended months of speculation about who would take the reins for the Kraken’s inaugural 2021-22 season.
Bylsma brings over a decade of NHL head coaching experience to Seattle’s bench. He is best known for leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup championship in 2009. But what made him the prime candidate to guide the Kraken through their formative years?
Proven Winner and Motivator
For Seattle’s front office, hiring a coach with prior success and a winning pedigree was crucial from the start. In that regard, Bylsma’s track record spoke volumes.
Beyond the 2009 Stanley Cup title, he also helped pilot the Penguins to the Cup Finals in 2008 before the championship run the following year. Those deep playoff journeys highlighted Bylsma’s ability to prepare his teams for the intensified grind of postseason hockey.
“Dan knows what it takes to build a contender and elevate players to rise up in the biggest moments,” said Kraken GM Ron Francis after the hire. “That’s exactly the mix of accountability and inspiration we want instilled in our first core group here.”
Bylsma had similar success at the international level too, leading Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2015 IIHF World Championships. Keeping elite players focused and motivated has never seemed an issue for the demanding but respected coach.
System Specialization
Of course, winning ultimately comes down to implementing effective strategies on the ice. And that’s another area where Bylsma’s specialized systems should serve Seattle’s new franchise well.
The core of Bylsma’s coaching philosophy revolves around an aggressive forechecking system that pressures opponents relentlessly and creates consistent offensive chances. When executed properly, it’s a style that can overwhelm teams and activate scoring chances from all positions.
Seattle’s GM believes that system meshes perfectly for the type of hard-working identity the Kraken want to establish.
“Dan’s teams always make life miserable on opponents with their pressure and intensity,” said Francis. “That’s the brand we want to reflect for this tough-minded hockey city right from the start.”
Adaptability and Growth Mindset
At the same time, the Kraken had to account for Bylsma’s limited recent NHL experience. His last coaching stint ended after being fired partway through the 2018-19 season while guiding an underperforming Los Angeles Kings team.
Skeptics may question if Bylsma’s approach has become a bit dated. But team decision-makers insisted Bylsma demonstrated a forward-thinking mindset and eagerness to embrace modern analysis and gameplans during the vetting process.
“This game’s evolving every year,” Bylsma remarked. “My systems will certainly integrate cutting-edge data and trends to maximize our potential. But the foundation stays the same: play an aggressive, up-tempo style that takes it to teams every night.”
The 51-year-old coach also noted plans to build an open, communicative staff environment where assistants and analysts all have an equal voice. Collaboration and flexibility seem key tenets of Bylsma’s leadership that appealed to the trailblazing Kraken franchise.
Development Focus
In any expansion setting, developing a steady talent pipeline of prospects and youth is critical for sustained success. It’s an aspect the Kraken explicitly wanted to emphasize through their coaching hire as well.
Bylsma boasts extensive experience in nurturing and getting the most out of younger players. Case in point: he coached star centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin during their formative years in Pittsburgh and helped mold them into leaders.
“You have to be able to project players’ potential and lay a development road map,” said Bylsma. “That’s such a vital part of building a contender from the ground up. I can’t wait to start shaping Seattle’s core group for the long haul.”
His deft prospect stewardship gives the Kraken confidence their newly-drafted talent will be in trusted hands too.
Trust and Relationships
Above all, team executives continually stressed the high personal character and integrity that made Bylsma such an attractive option.
“In our discussions, Dan demonstrated sincerity, accountability, and amazing personal warmth that really resonated,” noted Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke. “Those intangible qualities will help unite a first-year locker room.”
Bylsma cultivated many strong bonds during his lengthy Pittsburgh tenure that clearly haven’t gone unnoticed. Several former players like Crosby and Kris Letang advocated heavily for Seattle hiring him.
“The way Dan forges connections and relationships resonated in all our background conversations,” said Leiweke. “For a brand new franchise, having a rock like that providing stability and guidance will be invaluable as we grow.”
Fresh Challenge in Seattle
After time away from an NHL bench, Bylsma expressed unwavering enthusiasm to dive into this new pioneering project. Being handpicked as the Kraken’s inaugural leader clearly holds profound meaning for the accomplished coach.
“This is such an incredible opportunity I’m absolutely humbled by,” said Bylsma. “To help establish Seattle’s identity, culture and standards from a completely clean slate is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime undertaking.”
“My motivation’s never been higher to impart a lasting, proud legacy right from day one with this franchise. I can’t wait to attack the challenge of getting Seattle’s first-ever squad built, playing the right way and ready to embrace those championship expectations.”
Only time will tell if Bylsma proves to be the right architect for the brand new Kraken. But his blend of credentials, strategic strengths, developmental acumen and respected leadership made him a quintessential selection to plot Seattle’s course into uncharted territory.
