The Arizona State University men's hockey team is closing in on a new leader.
Colorado Avalanche assistant Dave Hakstol is in negotiations with the school to take over as coach of the Sun Devils team currently embroiled by the fallout from defenceman Matthew Mayich's collapse during an Aug. 20 workout, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Monday.
Other coaching candidates have been told they're out of the running, per Friedman, who added that Hakstol could take over as soon as Friday on the road against UMass-Lowell.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Monday that Colorado granted Hakstol permission to speak with Arizona State about the position.
Arizona State head coach Greg Powers was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 30 and was not with the team for its opening weekend, along with an assistant, Alex Hicks, who was also present for the workout.
Hakstol, 58, has had two stints as an NHL head coach with the Philadelphia Flyers (2015-2019) and Seattle Kraken (2021-2024). He has been on the Avalanche bench since last season, and also previously served as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Drayton Valley, Alta. native holds 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 indeed finalizes the Sun Devils job, per Friedman.
The 21-year-old Mayich, who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues, collapsed during an outdoor workout 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 asked former Arizona State Supreme Court chief justice Scott Bales to lead an independent review of the incident, requesting it be completed by early December.
Seven Arizona State players sent a letter to university president Michael Crow asking for an independent review and the coaching staff involved with the outdoor workout be placed on administrative leave until it was completed. The letter also called out discrepancies from an initial probe by the university.
The players sent the letter anonymously through an attorney fearing retribution from the coaching staff, but Powers issued a statement saying he would co-operate with the independent review and that the players should feel free to be candid while participating in the review.
The Mayich family was 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.
--with files from The Associated Press
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