Ryan Warsofsky was named coach of the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
The 36-year-old replaces David Quinn and will coach for the first time in the NHL. He was a Sharks assistant the past two seasons, overseeing defensemen and the penalty kill. In Warsofsky's first season, Erik Karlsson won his second Norris Trophy after he had a Sharks-record 101 points by a defenseman. Karlsson was also the sixth NHL player at the position to reach at least 100 points in one season and his 1.23 points per game was the third-best in the past three decades among defensemen who played at least five games in any given season.
"I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement to be named as the head coach of the San Jose Sharks," Warsofsky said. "This a tremendous opportunity to continue to be part of a well-respected organization, and my family and I couldn't be more excited for this next chapter. I want to thank our Owner Hasso Plattner, president Jonathan Becher, general manager Mike Grier and assistant GMs Tom Holy and Joe Will for their trust in me. This is an organization that has a rich history of winning, and I can't wait to get to work on coaching a team that our fans can be proud of."
Warsofsky was an assistant for the United States at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, helping guide it to a fourth-place finish. He joined the Sharks after two seasons coaching Chicago in the American Hockey League, where the Wolves were a league-best 50-16-5-5 en route to winning the 2022 Calder Cup. He's 105-47-11-7 as an AHL coach with Chicago and Charlotte.
The Sharks (19-54-9) fired Quinn on April 24 after finishing last in the NHL and failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. They started 0-10-1, second worst in NHL history after the 1943-44 New York Rangers (0-14, one tie), and allowed at least seven goals 10 times and 10 goals twice.
Quinn was named as assistant to Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan on Wednesday.
San Jose owns the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft after winning the NHL Draft Lottery on May 7. Will Smith, the No. 4 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, signed a three-year, entry-level contract May 28.
"We're very excited to announce Ryan as the 11th head coach of the San Jose Sharks," Grier said. "His track record of success at nearly every level of hockey as a head and assistant coach speaks for itself. Ryan knows our existing group well, has the respect of the players who he will be working with, and will be a great teacher for the young players who will be joining our organization."
Warsofsky played collegiate hockey as a defenseman at Sacred Heart University and Curry College, overseas for White Caps in Turnhout, Belgium, Rio Grande in the Central Hockey League and Cape Cod in the Federal Hockey League. He was also an assistant at Curry and guided South Carolina of the ECHL from 2016-18 prior to becoming an AHL assistant in Charlotte.
Since the regular season ended, the Buffalo Sabres hired Lindy Ruff on April 22, Travis Green joined the Ottawa Senators on May 7, the Toronto Maple Leafs named Craig Berube to the position May 17, Sheldon Keefe was hired by the New Jersey Devils on May 23, Scott Arniel became coach of the Winnipeg Jets the next day and Dan Bylsma returned to the NHL as Seattle Kraken coach May 28.
