When the Future Knocks, Coach It

Woods has done way more than hang on. He has worked 11 seasons with three NHL teams, first in Washingon with Boudreau, then Anaheim with Boudreau, then with Minnesota with Boudreau and keeping his role when fellow Wild assistant coach Dean Evason was named interim coach and later when Evason’s interim tag was removed. As it happens in hockey circles, Evason played five seasons for the Hartford Whalers from 1987 to 1991 (now the Carolina Hurricanes) as a teammate alongside Kraken GM Ron Francis, who was traded in early 1991 to join Pittsburgh and promptly helpled the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups.

“Dan and I have had numerous conversations [about the two assistant coach openings, one of which opened up during the search when former Seattle assistant Jay Leach accepted a similar role for Boston],” said Francis Wednesday. “Dan talked about Bob and his relationship with Bob, and part of my job is doing research. I’ve known Dean Evason for a long time and talked to him about Bob and other people Bob has worked with. He gets rave reviews. I am excited to bring him to work with our defenseman, young and more experienced. He’s got that pedigree to branch both sides.”

The relationship with Bylsma and Woods started as unavoidable adversaries when both were coaching in the AHL. Bylsma was an assistant and then head coach for Wilkes-Barre from 2006 to 2009, Pittsburgh’s affiliate. Woods was rising in similar fashion those years with in-state Pennsylvania rival Hershey (all too familiar these days to Kraken/Firebirds fans). For the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons, they faced each other as head coaches.

Bylsma was queried Wednesday about what it was like to face Woods-coached teams: “[Long pause] Well, not very good. It seems over the course of maybe five years that, we butted heads quite a bit, and I didn't like the way his team played. It was challenging to play against the staff that Bob was part of. That’s really why I wanted a chance to work with him in Buffalo[for the 2016-17 NHL season after Woods took a hockey sabbatical of sorts from 2014-16 to be GM and head coach of WHL Saskatoon with a desire to work with developing young prospects}. You wanted him on your side.”

Naturally, Woods was provided the opportunity for a retort during his time at the podium with Seattle media: play? “Trust me, it was a mutual feeling. [Parent clubs] Pittsburgh and Washington had their good battles, too. We got excited when those matches came up. And Dan has had success. He's got something I don't have. I might have the other one, but he's got the [Stanley Cup].”

As it turned out, 2009 was quite the windfall year for both coaches. Bylsma famously was promoted to the Penguins head coaching job mid-season to lead the franchise to its first Stanley Cup championship since the Ron Francis-Mario Lemieux-Jaromir Jagr era. For his part, Woods led Hershey to the Calder Cup championship, pairing that coveted trophy with one that the ECHL Kelly Cup title in 1999 when he led all ECHL defensemen in goals (24) during the 1998-99 regular season. Woods also was part of the Calder Cup-winning team in 2005-06, his first season as a Hershey assistant.

While Bylsma and Francis have that Penguins bond, Woods has his own personal connection to the Kraken general manager. Francis, then director of hockey operations for Carolina, was part of drafting Woods’ son, Brandon, in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft. The younger Woods, a two-way center who played for NCAA Wisconsin, appeared in seven games for Carolina and played 311 games in the AHL from 2013 to 2020.

In his multiple interviews with Bylsma, a key one conducted during Coachella Valley’s victorious Western Conference final and following the departure of Jay Leach from behind the bench, Woods was clear he envied Bylsma’s Stanley Cup feat.

“That’s my biggest thing and why I am here,” said Woods in our chat after the press conference.

Another big reason why Woods is wearing Kraken blue starting Wednesday is to run the power play with new assistant Jessica Campbell adding her insights and know-how. Woods was asked during the media meet-up about the personnel he sees on the Kraken power play units and whether star scorers are a necessary part of success during man-advantage situations.

“It definitely helps [to have star scorers], creates a little bit more threat,” said Woods, who said later in our 1-on-1 that “I played on the power play my entire career. But I think if you have five guys out there on the same page with a mission and a plan, you can create a lot of good opportunities.”

Similar to many fans across Kraken Nation (hello, John Forslund), Woods is excited that Seattle signed D-man Brandon Montour (a whopping four goals and 46 assists for 50 points on the power play his last two seasons with Florida) and center Chandler Stephenson (who logged 200-plus minutes in 2023-24, mostly in the bumper position for a potent Vegas power play).

“Both power play guys, both champions, it's such a valuable thing to bring these guys in that have been there and done it,” said Woods, still smiling some 60 minutes after he walked into the media conference mid-day Wednesday. “It’s such a big plus for this organization. I’m excited to have them, and they are just a great complement to the group we already have.”

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