Arizona State Hires Dave Hakstol
Arizona State University named Dave Hakstol its new head coach on Thursday morning. Hakstol, 58, takes over a team currently navigating a coaching staff overhaul following an August workout that left defenseman Matthew Mayich on life support.
The program also added Matt Greene to the coaching staff, the Grand Forks Herald reported. Arizona State plays at UMass Lowell this weekend, and both Hakstol and Greene will be behind the bench for the series.
Coaching Staff Restructuring Underway
The coaching change follows a lengthy administrative leave for former head coach Greg Powers and associate head coach Alex Hicks. The university and Powers mutually agreed to part ways, according to Katie Strang of The Athletic. Assistant coach Mike Corbett served as acting head coach for series against Lindenwood and Holy Cross, though Hakstol is not expected to retain him.
The university retained assistant coach Jimmy Mullin, who joined the staff over the summer. Hakstol is traveling to Lowell and will officially meet the team Thursday, where ASU did not give him an interim tag.
JUST IN: Arizona State University is looking to hire former NHL head coach Dave Hakstol as its interim hockey coach amid an investigation into an athlete's collapse, according to multiple reports. pic.twitter.com/vfTM2vR2oR
Matt Greene Returns to Hakstol’s Side
Hakstol’s first major staff addition brings a familiar face from his tenure at the University of North Dakota. Matt Greene, who played for UND from 2002 to 2005 and served as team captain during Hakstol’s first year as head coach, is joining the Sun Devils.
Greene spent last season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings after working in player development and scout with the organization following his 2017 retirement. During a 12-season NHL career spanning 615 regular-season games with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, Greene won two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014.
Transfer Portal Window Details
The coaching change opens a 15-day transfer portal window for ASU players beginning Oct. 20, under NCAA rules applying to coaching changes made through Jan. 2. However, NCAA rules bar players from competing for two different teams in the same season, making anyone who has already dressed for ASU ineligible to play elsewhere for the 2026-27 season.
Players with remaining junior eligibility could enter the portal to return to junior hockey, though observers note that players desiring that path typically departed in August or September.
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