Arizona State has hired Colorado Avalanche assistant Dave Hakstol as its new hockey coach after Greg Powers left the program amid an investigation into a player’s collapse during an offseason workout, the school announced Thursday, according to ESPN. Hakstol joined the Sun Devils in time for games Friday and Saturday at UMass Lowell.
The Main Development
Powers, who had led Arizona State since 2010, was placed on paid administrative leave in late September. The move followed the Aug. 20 collapse of defenseman Matthew Mayich, 21, during an early morning outdoor workout, according to ESPN.
Seven players submitted an anonymous letter to the school on Sept. 28 asking for the coaching staff to be removed while an independent investigation took place. The players wrote in their letter, “From what we could tell, at no point did Coach Powers seem to appreciate the severity of the situation.”
Players said they feared retaliation because coaches who were present when Mayich collapsed continued to control playing time, roster spots and scholarships. Powers told them they were “working closer to making the Frozen Four because of the workout and Matthew having pushed himself to the maximum,” the letter stated. He told them the next day that Mayich would recover.
In a statement, Powers said he had “mutually agreed to leave” his position.
What It Means For Arizona State Hockey
The coaching change extends beyond Powers. Assistants Alex Hicks and Mike Corbett are on administrative leave and no longer with the team, the school said. Athletic trainer Amanda Doyle was reassigned to a different team within the athletic department.
Context On Both Men
Powers went 165-183-25 across his tenure and led the Sun Devils to the NCAA tournament during the 2018-19 season. He had signed a five-year extension the previous year, a deal that coincided with the university endowing the men’s hockey head coach position in his name.
Hakstol spent 11 seasons as head coach at the University of North Dakota before leading both the Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken to the NHL playoffs. He was most recently an assistant with the Colorado Avalanche.
What’s Next
A former state supreme court justice is leading an ongoing school-commissioned review of Mayich’s collapse. The Arizona State Police Department is also investigating the incident and will submit a report to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for independent review when completed. Hakstol’s first games are Friday and Saturday at UMass Lowell.
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