USA Hockey adds Wild head coach to 4 Nations coaching staff

After serving as the head coach for this year’s World Championship, Wild bench boss John Hynes will be back behind a Team USA bench next year. He’s been added as an assistant on Mike Sullivan’s staff for next year’s inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, per a USA Hockey announcement.

It’s the second straight tournament in which Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who currently holds the same role for the U.S. Men’s National Team, has plugged in his new head coach to the staff. Hynes took over Minnesota’s bench in late November after the Wild got off to a sluggish 5-10-4 start under Dean Evason.

Under Hynes, the U.S. finished second in Group B at the Worlds but was ousted in the quarterfinal round. It was his second time leading the Americans at the tournament — he led them to a bronze-game loss in 2016. He also served as an assistant at the 2019 tournament.

Other than Hynes and Sullivan, USA Hockey has yet to fill out its staff for the 4 Nations tournament, which will run from February 12 to February 20, 2025. A handful of Hynes’ Wild players, likely winger Matt Boldy and Calder Trophy finalist Brock Faber on defense, could play under him at the tournament.

Hynes is now with his third NHL club as a head coach after previous stints with the Devils and Predators. He owns a career 318-279-68 record (.529 points percentage) in 665 regular-season games coached.