John Hynes has been appointed as an assistant coach for the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025. Hynes will be part of the coaching staff for the 2025 team under head coach Mike Sullivan.
Before becoming a part of the United States National Team Development Program (NTDT), Hynes served as an assistant coach for the University of Massachusetts Lowell men’s hockey team during the 2000-01 season and then took on the same role for the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team during the 2002-03 season.
Hynes then began his professional coaching journey, first as the assistant coach for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2009. The following season, he would assume the head coaching role with WB/Scranton, which he held from 2010 to 2015. During this time, Hynes was honored as the 2011 AHL Coach of the Year. He led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to five successive seasons with more than 40 wins and clinched five consecutive playoff spots, including two trips to the conference finals. Hynes reached the milestone of 100 career victories in only 152 games, making him the second-fastest coach in AHL history to achieve this feat.
John Hynes would begin his NHL coaching journey in 2015 when he assumed the position of head coach for the New Jersey Devils. He remained with the team until the conclusion of the 2019-20 season, leaving a significant impact during his tenure. Notably, under his leadership during the 2017-18 season, the New Jersey Devils clinched a playoff spot for the first time since the 2011-12 season, showcasing his ability to guide the team to success. Hynes then transitioned to the role of head coach for the Nashville Predators from 2020 to 2023. In 2023, he was appointed as the head coach of the Minnesota Wild, where he led the team to a record of 34 wins, 23 losses, and 6 overtime losses and will enter his second season as head coach of the Wild this coming fall.
Hynes is presently a member of the coaching staff of the U.S. Men’s National Team for the fourth time. He previously held the position of head coach in 2024 and 2016, and served as an assistant coach in 2019.
Hynes boasts a successful coaching history, having guided the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Teams to three medals:
- 2004, Silver Medal
- 2006, Gold Medal
- 2008, Bronze Medal
Hynes also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Junior Team, which won gold in the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship. With six seasons dedicated as a head coach for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, he achieved an impressive coaching record of 216–113–19–9 overall.
Prior to his coaching career, Hynes, a forward, spent four seasons (1993-97) playing with Boston University. He participated in four NCAA Frozen Fours and secured the championship title in 1995. His junior season marked a career peak, with a combined total of four goals and six assists.
The 4 Nations Tournament is scheduled to be held from Wednesday, February 12, 2025, to Thursday, February 20, 2025. The 4 Nations Face-Off, hosted by the National Hockey League and showcasing exclusively NHL players, will replace the NHL’s traditional All-Star Game in 2025. It will take place at Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston and hosts Team Canada, Team Finland, Team Sweden and Team USA. The event will feature round-robin matches, where the teams with the top records will move on to the championship game.
