Reports: Devils will hire Penguins AHL coach John Hynes as head coach
The New Jersey Devils will introduce John Hynes, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affiliate, as the team's new head coach a press conference Tuesday, according to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record and multiple other reports.
The Devils have announced a noon press conference to introduce a coach but have not confirmed who the new coach will be. Gulitti reports that the Penguins and Devils are still negotiating the compensation Pittsburgh will receive. NHL rules stipulate that the Penguins receive a third-round draft pick but the Devils get to choose which of the next three drafts it comes from.
Hynes has been the head coach of the minor-league Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins since 2010. At 40 years old, he would become the youngest head coach in the NHL.
Former Penguins GM Ray Shero, who hired Hynes to coach the team's minor-league affiliate, is now the GM of the Devils.
The Devils fired head coach Peter DeBoer after 36 games this season. General manager Lou Lamoriello, Adam Oates and Scott Stevens then served as co-head coaches.
The Penguins went 45-24-3-4 under Hynes this season and lost to the Manchester Monarchs in the second round of the playoffs.
- Dan Gartland