TEMPE — Arizona State are closing in on Colorado Avalanche assistant Dave Hakstol to take over as head coach of their men's hockey programme amid the fallout from defenceman Matthew Mayich's collapse during an outdoor workout on 20 August, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Monday. Other candidates have been told they are out of the running, with Friedman adding Hakstol could take charge as soon as Friday on the road against UMass-Lowell.
Arizona State head coach Greg Powers was placed on administrative leave on 30 September and was not with the team for its opening weekend, along with assistant Alex Hicks, who was also present for the workout. Seven Arizona State players sent a letter to university president Michael Crow asking for an independent review and for the coaching staff involved to be placed on administrative leave until it was completed, calling out discrepancies from an initial probe by the university. The players sent the letter anonymously through an attorney fearing retribution, while Powers issued a statement saying he would co-operate with the independent review and that players should feel free to be candid.
The 21-year-old Mayich, who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues, collapsed on the first day the NCAA allows official activities. He suffered from external heat stroke that reduced the flow of oxygen to his brain and is unlikely to recover, according to family attorney Rob Carey. Arizona State have asked former Arizona State Supreme Court chief justice Scott Bales to lead an independent review, requesting it be completed by early December. The Mayich family said they were pleased ASU asked Bales to investigate, but not with the scope of his review, saying he should investigate what went wrong during the workout and who was responsible, not just review school policies.
Hakstol, 58, from Drayton Valley, Alta., has had two stints as an NHL head coach with the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015 to 2019 and the Seattle Kraken from 2021 to 2024. He has been on the Avalanche bench since last season and previously served as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He holds extensive NCAA experience as head coach of North Dakota from 2004 to 2015, where he led the Fighting Hawks to six Frozen Four tournaments and one national title.
Colorado could turn to former Vancouver Canucks assistant Brett McLean if Hakstol finalises the move to the Sun Devils, per Friedman. Arizona State are now awaiting the outcome of the Bales review as they prepare to make a change behind the bench.