Wild signs Evason, coaching staff to multi-year extensions

ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed Head Coach
Dean Evason
and the entire coaching staff including Assistant Coaches Darby Hendrickson, Brett McLean and Bob Woods, Goaltending Coach Frederic Chabot and Video Coaches T.J. Jindra and Jonas Plumb to multi-year contract extensions.

Evason, 57, was named full-time Head Coach of the Minnesota Wild on July 13, 2020 after being named interim Head Coach on Feb. 14, 2020. He has led the Wild to a 62-29-7 record (.668) in 98 games as Head Coach. Minnesota ranks fourth in the NHL goals scored (332), T-4th in wins, sixth in point percentage (.668) and T-7th in points (131) since Feb. 14, 2020. During that time, Minnesota has registered four winning streaks of five games or more.
Evason led the Wild to a 35-16-5 record in 56 games in his first full season as the head coach in 2020-21 as the team recorded the highest point percentage (.670) and the second-most wins and team points through 56 games in franchise history. He was named a finalist for the 2021 Jack Adams Award, presented annually to the coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success.
Evason joined the Wild as an Assistant Coach on June 6, 2018. Prior to joining the Wild, he spent six seasons (2012-18) as Head Coach of the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL), leading the team to a record of 242-161-53 (.588). Prior to serving as the Admirals Head Coach, Evason spent seven seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Washington Capitals (2005-12). During his tenure with Washington, the Capitals went 294-206-74 (.576) and claimed four straight Southeast Division titles, advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his last five seasons (2008-12) and won the 2010 Presidents' Trophy. Prior to joining the Capitals, the Flin Flon, Manitoba, native spent six seasons as a Head Coach in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Evason served as co-coach of the Calgary Hitmen in 2004-05, head coach of the Vancouver Giants for two seasons (2002-04) and Head Coach of the Kamloops Blazers for three seasons (1999-02).
He totaled 372 points (139-233=372) and 1,002 penalty minutes (PIM) in 803 career NHL games during 13 seasons (1983-96) as a center with the Capitals, Hartford Whalers, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames. Evason added 29 points (9-20=29) and 132 PIM in 55 Stanley Cup Playoff contests. He served as a player/coach for Team Canada during the 1996-97 season, captaining the team to a gold medal at the 1997 World Championship. Evason retired as a player following two seasons as a player/coach with Landshut in the German League (1997-99). He was selected by Washington in the fifth round (89th overall) of the 1982 NHL Draft.
Evason has three children, Bryce, Brianne and Brooke, and is married to Geneviève.
Hendrickson is in his 12th season as an Assistant Coach with the Minnesota Wild. Hendrickson was an original member of the Wild and one of the most popular players in team history, playing four seasons (2000-04) and scoring the team's first goal at Xcel Energy Center on Oct. 11, 2000 vs. Philadelphia. The Richfield, Minn., native posted 60 points (29-31=60) in 182 regular season games with the Wild. Hendrickson also skated with Toronto, the New York Islanders, Vancouver and Colorado, posting 129 points (65-64=129) and 370 PIM in 518 games in parts of 10 NHL seasons (1994-2004).
McLean is in his second season as an Assistant Coach for the Minnesota Wild after being named to the position on August 26, 2020. He spent three seasons (2017-20) as an Assistant Coach for the Iowa Wild prior to joining the Wild. McLean played 18 years of professional hockey including 385 games in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers. The former center played in seven different leagues from 1999-2017, compiling a total of 1,111 games in the NHL, AHL, IHL, ECHL, SEL, Swiss-A and Austrian League.
Woods is in his fifth season as an Assistant Coach with the Minnesota Wild after being named to the position on June 24, 2017. Prior to joining the Wild, he served as an Assistant Coach for the Buffalo Sabres during the 2016- 17 season and spent two seasons (2014-16) as General Manager and Head Coach of the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Woods also served as an Assistant Coach with the Anaheim Ducks (2012-14) and Washington Capitals (2009-12) in the NHL, and with the Hershey Bears (AHL) from 2005-07. He became the Head Coach of the Bears 15 games into the 2007-08 season and helped Hershey win the AHL's Calder Cup championship in 2006 and 2009.
Chabot was named Goaltending Coach for the Minnesota Wild on August 26, 2020. He spent the previous five seasons (2015-20) as the Wild's Goaltending Development Coach working with goalie prospects throughout the organization, including goaltenders playing for the Iowa Wild, as well as Minnesota draft picks. The former NHL netminder joined the Wild after serving as the Goaltending Coach for the Edmonton Oilers for five seasons (2009-14). Chabot played 17 seasons of professional hockey (1989-2006) and appeared in a total of 32 NHL contests with the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers.
Jindra is in his second season with the Minnesota Wild as a Video Coach and third with the organization after being hired as a Video Scouting Coordinator prior to the 2019-20 season. Jindra brings extensive hockey knowledge to the Wild having served on several coaching staffs throughout a variety of hockey levels.
Plumb is in his 11th season as Video Coach for the Minnesota Wild. He is in charge of organizing the team's video requirements during the season. Prior to joining the Wild, Plumb worked for Hockey Canada in 2010-11, preparing video for various men's and women's tournaments. He also worked for the Swedish men's hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics and the Washington Capitals during the 2008-09 season.