Arizona State is closing in on a new men's hockey coach, with Colorado Avalanche assistant Dave Hakstol in negotiations to take over the Sun Devils. The talks have advanced to the point that other candidates have been told they are out of the running, and a decision could come as soon as Friday.
That is why Hakstol's name is suddenly driving search traffic today. The potential move would take an NHL bench assistant into a job that has been open since Greg Powers was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 30, after Arizona State's program was shaken by the fallout from Matthew Mayich's collapse during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20. Powers was not with the team for opening weekend, leaving the Sun Devils to move forward without their head coach while the search for a replacement accelerated.
Jared Bednar said Monday that Colorado granted Hakstol permission to speak with Arizona State about the position, making clear that the Avalanche will not block the discussions. Hakstol has been on Colorado's bench since last season and brings a long coaching résumé: two NHL head-coaching stops, first with the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015 to 2019 and later with the Seattle Kraken from 2021 to 2024, plus a run at North Dakota from 2004 to 2015 that included six Frozen Four tournaments and one national title.
Arizona State's search is unfolding while the program remains under an independent review led by Scott Bales, the former Arizona State Supreme Court chief justice. The university asked him to look into the incident and wants the review completed by early December, but the process is still tied to a painful set of facts: Mayich suffered from external heat stroke that reduced the flow of oxygen to his brain, and family attorney Rob Carey has said he is unlikely to recover. Seven Arizona State players also pressed for the review and asked that the coaching staff connected to the workout be put on leave until it was finished.
That is the part the coaching search cannot outrun. Greg Powers has said he will co-operate with the independent review and told players they should feel free to be candid while participating in it, but Arizona State is still weighing a hire before the findings are in. If Hakstol finalizes the job, Colorado could turn to former Vancouver Canucks assistant Brett McLean, and Arizona State could have a new head coach as soon as Friday on the road against UMass-Lowell. What is not settled yet is whether the deal is done or only close enough to look done.
