Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Wild are keeping John Hynes behind the bench for the long haul.
The team announced Tuesday it has signed its head coach to a multi-year contract extension. Hynes is entering the final season of his current deal, and the new contract begins with the 2027-28 season. Terms were not disclosed.
Hynes, 51, took over in November 2023 after the Wild fired Dean Evason 19 games into the season. Since then, Minnesota has gone 125-78-24 and made the playoffs twice.
Last season was the best of his tenure. The Wild went 46-24-12, and their 104 points tied for the third-highest total in franchise history. Minnesota then beat the Dallas Stars in six games for its first playoff series win in 11 years before falling to the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the second round.
General manager Bill Guerin has said he views this stretch as the team’s window to chase a Stanley Cup. That push includes star defenseman Quinn Hughes, acquired from Vancouver last December, who can become a free agent next summer.
Hynes is in his 12th season as an NHL head coach, with previous stops in New Jersey and Nashville. His 409 career wins rank fourth among U.S.-born coaches in league history. He also served as an assistant coach for Team USA’s gold medal team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Training camp opens Thursday at TRIA Rink in St. Paul.
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