| Position | Right wing |
|---|---|
| Shoots | Left |
| Height | 6 ft |
| Height in | 2 |
| Weight lb | 215 |
| Played for | Los Angeles Kings Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
| Birth date | September 19, 1970 (age 56) |
| Birth place | Grand Haven, Michigan, U.S. |
| Draft (1989) | 109th overall |
| Draft team | Winnipeg Jets |
| Career start | 1992 |
| Career end | 2004 |
| League coach | NHL |
| Career start coach | 2004 |
Daniel Brian Bylsma[1] (/ˈbaɪlzmə/; born September 19, 1970) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was previously head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Seattle Kraken in the NHL, as well as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings, and head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL). He also was the former head coach of the United States men's national ice hockey team. Bylsma won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009, just four months after being promoted to Pittsburgh's head coaching position.
Prior to coaching, he played as a forward in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He was drafted in the sixth round (109th overall) of the 1989 NHL entry draft, by the Winnipeg Jets.
Early life
During his high school days, Bylsma was a standout in many sports, including golf, baseball, and ice hockey. Bylsma graduated from Western Michigan Christian High School where he won the Class D golf individual championship as a freshman. He also played baseball and was the starting left fielder as a freshman on Christian's 1985 State championship team. In his senior year, he was a member of the all-state all-class "Dream Team" (the best player at each position in the state – all classes), and won many regional baseball honors.
Bylsma played amateur hockey in Muskegon Junior Hockey, Norton Shores Recreational Leagues, and Grand Rapids GRAHA before playing Junior "B" hockey in Canada for the St. Marys Lincolns and the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Hockey Association. Bylsma went on to play college hockey at Bowling Green State University from 1988–1992 and was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in his freshman year. He was twice selected to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association All Academic Team and once earned Honorable Mention. He was a Bowling Green Scholar Athlete all four years and won the Jack Gregory Award for the highest grade point average on the team in his Sophomore season and the Howard Brown Coaches' Award for excellence in his senior year. Bylsma is one of the few players in the CCHA to have scored a shorthanded goal while his team was two men short.
Professional playing career
Despite being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets, Bylsma never played a game for them, and was signed by the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 1994. During the 1994–95 labor stoppage, Bylsma earned the nickname "Disco Dan". The nickname was adopted by teammates while playing for a minor league team in Phoenix. Veteran goaltender Byron Dafoe already went by Bylsma's former moniker of "Bysie" so the name "Disco Dan" was given due to Bylsma's penchant for dancing in the locker room.[2]
He played parts of five seasons for the Kings, acting as a defensive forward. In his first season, when he played only four games for the Kings, he was captain of their International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, the Phoenix Roadrunners. He also played for the Long Beach Ice Dogs, who were the Kings' IHL affiliate after the Roadrunners folded in 1997. Bylsma played 95 American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, the Lowell Lock Monsters, the Springfield Falcons, the Albany River Rats, the Moncton Hawks and the Rochester Americans, and reached the Calder Cup Finals in 1994.
Signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the summer of 2000, Bylsma was a steadying influence on a rebuilding Anaheim team, and was made an alternate captain.[3] In his second season, he set a career high in points (17).
Bylsma struggled his entire career to stay in the NHL, mostly due to a lack of natural offensive ability (his primary role in the NHL had always been penalty killing). Injuries took a toll in later years, and before being put on waivers in January 2004, Bylsma missed 31 games due to knee surgery. He retired from playing following the 2003–04 season.[4]
Coaching career
Bylsma served as an assistant coach with the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (2004–05) and the NHL's New York Islanders (2005–06). During the 2008–09 season, Bylsma coached the Penguins' AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
On February 15, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Penguins struggling to make the playoffs, the Penguins organization announced that it had relieved head coach Michel Therrien of his duties and had promoted Bylsma to serve as interim head coach of the team.[5] At 38, he was the youngest head coach in the NHL at the time. Through his first 25 games as Penguins' coach, his 18–3–4 record amounted to 40 points—the second most of any coach in NHL history through their first 25 games.[6] On April 28, Penguins General Manager Ray Shero announced that Bylsma had been named permanent head coach of the team.[7] On June 12, 2009, Bylsma led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup championship, becoming the 14th coach and the second mid-season replacement to win the Stanley Cup in their first season. While the win made him just the fifth ever American-born coach to win the cup, he also became the third American in the last five seasons to do so. Bylsma was awarded the Jack Adams Award as the league's most outstanding coach for the 2010–11 season due to the Penguins still being a contender for the Stanley Cup without his two star players Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
On April 22, 2013, Bylsma became the fastest NHL coach ever[8] to reach 200 wins with a 3–1 win over the Ottawa Senators. On June 30 of the same year, Bylsma was appointed head coach of the United States Olympic for the 2014 Winter Olympics. On January 7, 2014, a month before coaching at the Winter Olympics, Bylsma became the winningest coach in Penguins history (233 wins) with a 5–4 shootout victory over the Vancouver Canucks. On April 4, 2014, Bylsma became the fastest NHL coach to reach 250 wins, leading his team to a 4–2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. He accomplished the feat in 395 games.[9] On June 6, 2014, Bylsma was fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins, shortly after Jim Rutherford was announced as the team's new general manager.[10]
Bylsma remained on the Penguins' payroll, with no job in the organization, through the 2014–15 season. Following that season, the Penguins granted him permission to seek employment elsewhere. On May 28, 2015, Bylsma was named head coach of the Buffalo Sabres, signing a five-year contract.[11] Bylsma was the Sabres second choice for coach after Mike Babcock, who they heavily pursued before Babcock signed with the divisional rival Toronto Maple Leafs.[12][13]
On April 20, 2017, Bylsma was fired by the Sabres after two seasons.[14] The transaction came after rumors leaked that Bylsma was at odds with many of the Sabres players, including star Jack Eichel, who allegedly stated he would not sign a contract extension with the team had Bylsma remained head coach.[15][16][17] On June 22, 2018, Bylsma was hired as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings.[18] On May 18, 2021, it was announced that he would not be returning to the Detroit Red Wings.[19]
On August 10, 2021, Bylsma returned to the AHL, after he was hired by the Seattle Kraken to become an assistant coach with the Charlotte Checkers.[20] On June 21, 2022, Bylsma was named as head coach of the Kraken's new AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.[21] After a 46–15–6 season in 2023–24 with the Firebirds,[22] Bylsma was promoted to head coach of the Kraken on May 28, 2024, replacing Dave Hakstol.[23]
On April 21, 2025, Bylsma was fired as head coach of the Kraken after just one season. In a press release, Kraken general manager Ron Francis indicated that "After a thorough review of the season and our expectations for next year and beyond, we’ve made the difficult decision to move in a different direction behind the bench."[24][25]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1986–87 | Oakville Blades | CJHL | 10 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | St. Marys Lincolns | WOHL | 27 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | St. Marys Lincolns | WOHL | 40 | 30 | 39 | 69 | 33 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 26 | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Bowling Green University | CCHA | 39 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Bowling Green University | CCHA | 44 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Bowling Green University | CCHA | 40 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Bowling Green University | CCHA | 34 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Greensboro Monarchs | ECHL | 60 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 66 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1992–93 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Greensboro Monarchs | ECHL | 25 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 50 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 31 | ||
| 1994–95 | Phoenix Roadrunners | IHL | 81 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 41 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 1995–96 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Phoenix Roadrunners | IHL | 78 | 22 | 20 | 42 | 48 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1996–97 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 79 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 65 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 8 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 58 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 53 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 1999–00 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 64 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 55 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1999–00 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 82 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 77 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 39 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2003–04 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 36 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 53 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| IHL totals | 231 | 53 | 57 | 110 | 144 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 | ||||
| NHL totals | 429 | 19 | 43 | 62 | 184 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
Awards and records
- Stanley Cup champion – 2009
- Jack Adams Award – 2011
Head coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | OTL | Pts | Finish | W | L | Win% | Result | ||
| PIT | 2008–09 | 25 | 18 | 3 | 4 | (40)[a] | 2nd in Atlantic | 16 | 8 | Won Stanley Cup (DET) | |
| PIT | 2009–10 | 82 | 47 | 28 | 7 | 101 | 2nd in Atlantic | 7 | 6 | Lost in conference semifinals (MTL) | |
| PIT | 2010–11 | 82 | 49 | 25 | 8 | 106 | 2nd in Atlantic | 3 | 4 | Lost in conference quarterfinals (TBL) | |
| PIT | 2011–12 | 82 | 51 | 25 | 6 | 108 | 2nd in Atlantic | 2 | 4 | Lost in conference quarterfinals (PHI) | |
| PIT | 2012–13 | 48[b] | 36 | 12 | 0 | 72 | 1st in Atlantic | 8 | 7 | Lost in conference finals (BOS) | |
| PIT | 2013–14 | 82 | 51 | 24 | 7 | 109 | 1st in Metropolitan | 7 | 6 | Lost in second round (NYR) | |
| PIT total | 401 | 252 | 117 | 32 | 43 | 35 | 6 playoff appearances 1 Stanley Cup title | ||||
| BUF | 2015–16 | 82 | 35 | 36 | 11 | 81 | 7th in Atlantic | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| BUF | 2016–17 | 82 | 33 | 37 | 12 | 78 | 8th in Atlantic | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| BUF total | 164 | 68 | 73 | 23 | — | — | — | ||||
| SEA | 2024–25 | 82 | 35 | 41 | 6 | 76 | 7th in Pacific | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| SEA total | 82 | 35 | 41 | 6 | — | — | — | ||||
| Total | 647 | 355 | 231 | 61 | 771 | 43 | 35 | 6 playoff appearances 1 Stanley Cup title | |||
Notes
- ^ When Bylsma joined the Penguins after the 57th game of the season the team had earned 59 points. The team earned 40 points with Bylsma as head coach.
- ^ Only 48 regular season games played due to lockout.
References
- ^ "Dan Bylsma's Career (HockeyDan)". Archived from the original on April 6, 2013. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
- ^ Anderson, Shelly (2009-04-14). "NHL Playoffs: Bylsma's success reads like fish story". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
- ^ "Mighty Ducks sign Bylsma - UPI Archives". UPI. July 13, 2000. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "Bylsma joins AHL Ducks as assistant". TheAHL.com. September 28, 2004. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
- ^ "Dan Bylsma Named Interim Head Coach of Pittsburgh Penguins". Pittsburgh Penguins. 2009-02-15. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
- ^ Starkey, Joe (April 12, 2009). "The book on Penguins coach Bylsma". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009.
- ^ Molinari, Dave (April 28, 2009). "Bylsma named Penguins head coach; he's no longer 'interim'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- ^ [1], Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators Game Recap 4/22/13
- ^ "Pittsburgh Penguins - Winnipeg Jets - April 3rd, 2014"
- ^ Muir, Allen (2014-06-06). "Coach Dan Bylsma fired by new Penguins GM in disgraceful move". SI. Retrieved 2025-05-03.
- ^ Yerdon, Joe (May 29, 2015). "Dan Bylsma hired as coach of Buffalo Sabres". NHL.com. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ^ "Reports: 'Livid' Sabres thought they had Babcock". Sportsnet. Rogers Communications. May 20, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ "Dan Bylsma to Sabres: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction". Bleacher Report. Turner Broadcasting. May 28, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ "Tim Murray, Dan Bylsma fired by Sabres". NHL.com. NHL Enterprise, L.P. April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ "Mike Harrington: Bylsma looking ahead but how much time does he have left?". The Buffalo News. Berkshire Hathaway. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ "Report: Eichel won't sign extension if Bylsma remains coach". The Buffalo News. Berkshire Hathaway. April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ "Sabres release GM Tim Murray, coach Dan Bylsma". ESPN. April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ Kujawa, Kyle (June 22, 2018). "Red Wings hire Dan Bylsma as assistant coach". Detroit Red Wings. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ "Red Wings extend Blashill amid prolonged rebuild". ESPN.com. 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ "Former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma hired by Seattle Kraken as AHL assistant". triblive.com. 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
- ^ "A different Dan Bylsma becomes a head coach again with Kraken's AHL Coachella Valley". The Athletic. June 24, 2022.
- ^ "2023–24 AHL Standings". American Hockey League. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ "Bylsma hired as coach of Kraken, replaces Hakstol". NHL.com. May 28, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ "Seattle Kraken Announce Coaching Change". NHL.com. April 21, 2025. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
- ^ Clark, Ryan S. (April 21, 2025). "Kraken fire coach Dan Bylsma after 1 season". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 21, 2025.