Dan Bylsma, Come On Down! You're The Next Coach Of The Seattle Kraken

Dan Bylsma will be named the next coach of the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, according to multiple media reports.

The Kraken have called a 10:30 am press conference Tuesday to make the official announcement.

Bylsma currently coaches the Kraken's AHL farm club in Coachella Valley. The Firebirds, in their second season, are set to begin the Calder Cup Western Conference Finals against Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Bylsma led the Firebirds to a 48-17-7 record in their expansion season, and within a Game 7 overtime goal by the Hershey Bears of an AHL title. In 2023-24, Coachella Valley finished atop the Pacific Division with a 46-15-11 mark. In this year's playoffs, the Firebirds so far have won six of seven games.

When the man nicknamed "Disco Dan" was hired, Kraken general manager Ron Francis cited his, "Critical role in developing future Kraken players." Coachella Valley's success in nurturing prospects like Shane Wright and Ryker Evans likely made Bylsma an attractive choice, given his familiarity with the young players expected to be promoted to Seattle in the next couple of seasons.

Besides, the last time Dan Bylsma was promoted from the AHL to the NHL worked out pretty well. He was coaching Pittsburgh's farm team in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2009, when the parent Penguins decided to make a change with 25 games left in the regular season.

Byslma guided Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, et al. out of their slumber, finishing the regular season on an 18-3-4 tear. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Over six full seasons in Pittsburgh, Bylsma guided the Penguins to a pair of division titles, a 252-117-32 record, and one more appearance in a conference final. He won the Jack Adams award in 2011.

A year after he was fired in Pittsburgh, the 53-year-old native of Grand Haven, Michigan signed a five year contract to lead the Buffalo Sabres in 2015. However, reported infighting with Sabres players led to his dismissal just two seasons later, having failed to reach the playoffs either year.