The Arizona State Sun Devils have found their next head coach, hiring Dave Hakstol to lead their men's hockey program, athletics director Graham Rossini announced Thursday morning.
The announcement did not mention Greg Powers, who was placed on paid administrative leave Sept. 30 amid investigations into an August workout during which defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed.
Mayich remains hospitalized and on life support, according to People's Oct. 12 report.
A former NHL and collegiate head coach, Hakstol led the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015-18 and the Seattle Kraken from 2021-24.
“This is a special opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited to return to college hockey and bring a winning culture to Arizona State Sun Devil Hockey. Our goal is to grow a championship-caliber program, and we will,” Hakstol said in the official release.
He most recently served as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche, joining the organization in July 2025.
“We welcome Dave Hakstol and his family to Arizona State University. His success building championship-caliber programs, developing players for the highest level of the sport, and leading organizations in the NHL speaks to his knowledge of the game and his ability to develop talent,” Rossini said in the release.
“We appreciate Dave’s belief in ASU and look forward to supporting him as we continue to build Sun Devil Hockey into one of the nation’s premier programs.”
Hakstol has coached at the collegiate, professional and junior levels for more than three decades. Notably, he spent 11 seasons as the head coach at the University of North Dakota, guiding the program to seven NCAA Frozen Four appearances before joining the Flyers.
Assistant coach Mike Corbett had been leading Arizona State in Powers' absence.
Article Continues BelowMayich collapsed during an outdoor team workout Aug. 20 and was subsequently hospitalized. The St. Louis Blues prospect was participating in a military-style training session led by former Green Beret Timothy Ziesel in temperatures approaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to the university's initial review, the hockey staff had requested permission for Ziesel to speak to the team but had not submitted a training plan for review by ASU's strength and conditioning coaches.
Seven players later challenged the university's account in a letter calling for the coaching staff to be placed on leave. They alleged that safety procedures were not followed during the workout.
The initial review did not establish final responsibility for what happened, and the circumstances surrounding Mayich's collapse remained under investigation as the program moved forward with a new head coach.

