Kraken Hire Former Pens Coach Dan Bylsma

The Seattle Kraken hired former Penguins bench boss and 2009 Stanley Cup winner Dan Bylsma to fill their vacant head coaching slot, ending weeks of speculation about his return to the NHL. The Kraken fired their original coach, Dave Hakstol, a month ago following three seasons on the job and one playoff appearance.

I wrote a rather extensive article about Bylsma’s potential return a while back, so I won’t reinvent the literary wheel. But needless to say, I’m thrilled for the ex-black-and-gold skipper, who’s paid his dues since being fired by then-GM Jim Rutherford back in June 2014.

Although the fates haven’t always been kind to the 53-year-old Grand Haven, Michigan, native, I’ve always been impressed by his willingness to accept his fate without complaint and move on to the next chapter. Even if it meant venturing back to the AHL to regain his passion and reestablish his coaching chops.

A lot of coaches wouldn’t do that. (Current Pens coach Mike Sullivan followed a similar path to restart his career with the Baby Pens in 2015.)

Again, I wish Dan absolutely nothing but the best.

Another former Pens exec found new digs as well. Don Waddell, who resigned from his post as president and general manager of the Hurricanes on May 24, assumed the role of president of hockey operations, general manager and alternate governor with the Blue Jackets yesterday.

The 65-year-old Detroit native served as a professional scout for the Pens under Ray Shero from January 2012 until July 2014. Prior to that Waddell was the general manager of the Atlanta Thrashers (now Winnipeg Jets) from 1998 through 2010.

He won a Stanley Cup as an assistant GM with the Red Wings in 1998.