Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason, center top, checks the scoreboard during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Wild fired coach Dean Evason and assistant Bob Woods on Monday after losing seven straight games and 14 of their first 19 to start to the NHL season.
General manager Bill Guerin announced the moves and did not say who would be replacing Evason on an interim basis.
Evason, 59, was nearly a quarter of the way through his fourth full season as Minnesota’s coach. He got his first NHL head job in February 2020 as a midseason replacement when Bruce Boudreau was fired.
“Dean did an excellent job during his tenure with the Minnesota Wild, especially as head coach of our team,” Guerin said. “I am very thankful for his hard work and dedication to our organization.”
Not much has gone right for the Wild (5-10-4) so far this season.
Matt Boldy, who scored 31 goals last season, has just one 12 games into the first season of his $49 million, seven-year contract, and Kirill Kaprizov has six in 19 games. Only the lowly San Jose Sharks have allowed more goals per game than Minnesota (3.95).
The Wild host the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
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