Shift seen within an NHL team in the Western Conference due to an unsatisfactory start to their season
A notable coaching change has occurred within the NHL as a struggling team from the Western Conference has opted for a coaching shift.
In a significant move, the Minnesota Wild have relieved head coach Dean Evason of his duties due to their unsatisfactory 5-10-4 start to the season. Joining Evason in departing the team is assistant coach Bob Woods.
Previously serving as an assistant coach, Evason transitioned to the role of head coach for the Minnesota Wild in 2020, initially in an interim capacity. During his tenure, Evason contributed to the team's consistent playoff appearances, advancing to the postseason in all three complete seasons, albeit not progressing past the first round.
In his inaugural NHL head coaching role, Evason managed a 147-77-27 record across 251 games with the Wild. His achievements led to a Jack Adams nomination for the NHL's top coach, finishing as the runner-up to Rod Brind'Amour of the Hurricanes.
Before coaching, Evason enjoyed a 13-season, 803-game career as an NHL player, drafted 89th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.
Bob Woods has served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Wild over the past seven seasons. He and Evason previously collaborated as assistant coaches in the AHL with Hershey, working under head coach Bruce Boudreau.
Woods assumed the coaching responsibilities in Hershey when Boudreau transitioned to the Capitals' head coaching role in 2008. Later, Woods worked as an assistant under Boudreau in Washington and Anaheim from 2009 to 2014. Subsequently, both Evason and Woods served as Boudreau's Assistants in Minnesota, with Woods joining Boudreau in 2017 and Evason in 2018.
