When the Seattle Kraken built their inaugural coaching staff in the summer of 2021, they made a statement hire behind the bench. Dan Bylsma—still affectionately known as "Disco Dan" from his playing days—joined the NHL's newest franchise not as the head man, but as an assistant coach with a championship résumé.
The nickname, born from Bylsma's energetic style and the locker-room culture of his playing career, has followed him for decades. But there's nothing throwback about the experience he brought to Seattle. Bylsma arrived with a Stanley Cup ring from his 2009 run as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, plus a reputation for connecting with players and getting the most out of offensive talent.
What Bylsma Actually Brings to the Kraken
Bylsma's role in Seattle was specific and significant. Tasked with running the power play and working with the forward group, he was charged with building an attack from scratch for an expansion team with no established identity. That kind of responsibility on a brand-new franchise is rare for an assistant coach—and it speaks to the trust Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol placed in him from day one.
The Kraken's inaugural roster featured proven veterans up front, including Jordan Eberle and Joonas Donskoi, along with a defensive corps anchored by captain Mark Giordano, Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, and Vince Dunn. Bylsma's challenge was to mold those pieces into a cohesive offensive system while the franchise figured out what Kraken hockey would look like long-term.
A Genuine Seattle Hockey Connection
Bylsma's tie to the city isn't manufactured—it's rooted in his own playing career. He skated for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League from 1988 to 1990, cutting his teeth as a junior player in the same market where he'd later help launch an NHL franchise more than three decades later. That history gave him an authentic foothold in a city passionate about its hockey lineage, even before the Kraken arrived.
Why the Hire Mattered
Assistant coaches rarely generate headlines, but Bylsma was an exception. His Stanley Cup experience offered Seattle something most expansion teams lack: a voice in the room who had already navigated the pressure of championship expectations. For a franchise building everything from the ground up—from systems to culture to fan connection—that pedigree carried weight.
Bylsma also brought an approachable, communicative style that has long made him a "players' coach." In an inaugural season filled with unknowns, having an assistant who could relate to veterans and newcomers alike was a deliberate asset.
The Bottom Line
The Kraken didn't hire a dancing sideshow. They hired a former Cup-winning head coach to serve as an assistant, develop their power play, and help establish an NHL identity in a market hungry for hockey. Whether "Disco Dan" ever broke out a move behind the bench mattered far less than the real experience he delivered where it counted: on the ice, in the video room, and with a roster trying to make its mark in a difficult Pacific Division.
