Derek Laxdal

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 seasonPlayoffs 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