Derek Laxdal
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Derek Laxdal (born February 21, 1966) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional right winger.
On July 5, 2024, he became head coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League, following two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League Oshawa Generals. In his last season with the Generals, they were OHL finalists, leading the Eastern Division in the regular season, and losing to Memorial Cup runner ups, the London Knights. His return to the head coaching role came after three seasons as assistant coach of the NHL Dallas Stars.
Playing career
Born and raised in Stonewall, Manitoba, Laxdal was drafted in the eighth round, 151st overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He completed his second season in the WHL, having joined the 1983 Memorial Cup champion Portland Winter Hawks in his rookie season (which was also spent in the AJHL with the Red Deer Rebels), and then with Brandon Wheat Kings in his home province. He played 67 games in the National Hockey League: 51 over four seasons with the Maple Leafs, and 16 more over two seasons with the New York Islanders. He played in one career Stanley Cup playoff game in 1990, where he recorded two assists. He is the only NHL player to record two points with only one career postseason game played. In an almost 20-year career, he scored points at every level, including a successful four-year stint in the UK between 1995/96 and 1998/99, where he played for the Humberside Hawks (British League), Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers (Ice Hockey Superleague). He also played in the 1986 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships for Canada, where Canada were silver medalists.
Coaching career
From December 10, 2019, until May 20, 2022, Laxdal was an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. From 2014 to 2019, he was the head coach of the American Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, the Texas Stars. Previously, he served as head coach of the WHL Edmonton Oil Kings (2010–2014), the ECHL Idaho Steelheads (2005–2010), and in the former Central Hockey League, the Wichita Thunder (2002–2005). In 2007, he was the ECHL John Brophy Coach of the Year, leading the Steelheads to the Kelly Cup championship in the 2006–07 season. He led the Edmonton Oil Kings to WHL titles in 2012 and 2014, winning the 2014 Memorial Cup with the Oil Kings. He was the first coach in the history of the WHL to have three 50-win seasons in a row. Before playing in the UK, he was an assistant playing coach in Roanoke, and in Odessa in his final playing years.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1982–83 | Portland Winter Hawks | WHL | 39 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 27 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1983–84 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 70 | 23 | 20 | 43 | 86 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1984–85 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 69 | 61 | 41 | 102 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | St. Catharines Saints | AHL | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 42 | 34 | 35 | 69 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | New Westminster Bruins | WHL | 18 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | St. Catharines Saints | AHL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | Newmarket Saints | AHL | 78 | 24 | 20 | 44 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | Newmarket Saints | AHL | 67 | 18 | 25 | 43 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 41 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 65 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Newmarket Saints | AHL | 34 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 53 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 1989–90 | Newmarket Saints | AHL | 23 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | New York Islanders | NHL | 12 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1989–90 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 28 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 42 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 47 |
| 1990–91 | New York Islanders | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Capital District Islanders | AHL | 65 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Capital District Islanders | AHL | 49 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 61 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 1993–94 | Ilves | SM-l | 17 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1994–95 | Roanoke Express | ECHL | 66 | 32 | 24 | 56 | 144 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 25 |
| 1995–96 | Humberside Hawks | BHL | 33 | 29 | 29 | 58 | 163 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 16 |
| 1996–97 | Nottingham Panthers | BISL | 31 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 54 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 27 |
| 1997–98 | Nottingham Panthers | BISL | 44 | 24 | 23 | 47 | 103 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 1998–99 | Sheffield Steelers | BISL | 29 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Sheffield Steelers | BISL | 18 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Odessa Jackalopes | WPHL | 46 | 28 | 25 | 53 | 53 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2000–01 | Odessa Jackalopes | WPHL | 65 | 21 | 23 | 44 | 103 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 31 |
| AHL totals | 356 | 108 | 122 | 230 | 450 | 31 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 86 | ||
| NHL totals | 67 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 88 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from , or , or , or