| Derek Laxdal | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1966-02-21)February 21, 1966 (age 59) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs New York Islanders Ilves Humberside Hawks Nottingham Panthers Sheffield Steelers | ||
| CurrentAHL coach | Coachella Valley Firebirds | ||
| Coached for | Idaho Steelheads Edmonton Oil Kings Texas Stars Oshawa Generals | ||
| NHL draft | 151st overall,1984 Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| Playing career | 1984–2001 | ||
Derek Laxdal (born February 21, 1966) is a Canadianice hockey coach and former professionalright winger.
On July 5, 2024, he became head coach of theCoachella Valley Firebirds of theAmerican Hockey League, following two seasons with theOntario Hockey LeagueOshawa Generals.[1][2] In his last season with the Generals, they were OHL finalists, leading the Eastern Division in the regular season, and losing toMemorial Cup runner ups, theLondon Knights. His return to the head coaching role came after three seasons as assistant coach of the NHLDallas Stars.
Born and raised inStonewall, Manitoba, Laxdal was drafted in the eighth round, 151st overall, by theToronto Maple Leafs in the1984 NHL Entry Draft. He completed his second season in theWHL, having joined the1983 Memorial Cup champion Portland Winter Hawks in his rookie season (which was also spent in theAJHL with theRed Deer Rebels), and then withBrandon Wheat Kings in his home province. He played 67 games in theNational Hockey League: 51 over four seasons with the Maple Leafs, and 16 more over two seasons with theNew York Islanders. In an almost 20-year career, he scored points at every level, including a successful four-year stint in theUK between 1995/96 and 1998/99, where he played for theHumberside Hawks (British League),Nottingham Panthers andSheffield Steelers (Ice Hockey Superleague). He also played in the1986 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships forCanada, where Canada were silver medalists.
From December 10, 2019, until May 20, 2022, Laxdal was an assistant coach with theDallas Stars of theNational Hockey League. From 2014 to 2019, he was the head coach of theAmerican Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, theTexas Stars.[3][4] Previously, he served as head coach of theWHLEdmonton Oil Kings (2010–2014), theECHLIdaho Steelheads (2005–2010), and in the formerCentral Hockey League, theWichita Thunder (2002–2005). In 2007, he was the ECHLJohn Brophy Coach of the Year, leading the Steelheads to theKelly Cup championship in the2006–07 season.[5] He led the Edmonton Oil Kings to WHL titles in 2012 and 2014, winning the2014 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.
| 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 | ||||