Newark, NJ – The New Jersey Devils today named John Hynes as the 17th head coach in team history. The announcement was made by Devils’ General Manager Ray Shero. Hynes was introduced at a press conference this afternoon at Prudential Center.
“John Hynes is an individual with extensive coaching experience on the collegiate, professional and national levels,” said Shero. “He has been successful at each one and we are fully confident in what he will bring to the Devils’ organization."
Hynes, 40, joins the Devils after spending the past six seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL), including the past five years, 2010-11 through 2014-15, as head coach. During that time, he led the Penguins to a 231-126-10-17 (.637) mark, including five straight 40-plus victory campaigns. Hynes guided Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to five consecutive playoff berths, including consecutive AHL Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2012-13 and 2013-14. His teams have allowed the league’s fewest goals in four of the five years. In Hynes’ first season behind the Pens’ bench, he was named the 2010-11 Coach of the Year after finishing with the AHL’s best record at 58-21-0-1=117pts. That year, he also served as co-coach of the Western Conference at the league’s mid-season All-Star Game. Hynes became the second-fastest coach in AHL history to reach the 100 career wins mark, doing so in just 152 games. In the second round of the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Pens became the first team in league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit by winning games six and seven on the road. Hynes originally joined the organization as an assistant coach in 2009-10.
Hynes spent six seasons, 2003-09, as head coach of USA Hockey’s National Development Program, posting an overall record of 188-131-16-10. He led the U.S. Under-18 national team to three medals at the World Under-18 Championships, winning the Gold in 2006, Silver in 2004 and Bronze in 2008. Hynes was head coach of the Gold Medal-winning U.S. team at the 2008 World Junior Championships and also served as assistant coach on the U.S. squad that won Gold at the 2004 World Junior tourney. He worked as an assistant coach at both Wisconsin (WCHA) in 2002-03 and UMass-Lowell (HE) in 2000-01. Hynes began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Boston University (HE) under legendary Coach Jack Parker. A forward, he played four seasons at B.U., participated in four straight NCAA Frozen Fours, and was a member of the Terriers’ 1995 NCAA Championship Team. A native of Warwick, RI, John and his wife, Sarah, have three daughters.
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