Avalanche name new head coach for AHL affiliate Eagles

The Colorado Avalanche organization has hired Jussi Ahokas to be the new head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. 

Former boss Mark Letestu departed earlier this summer to be an assistant head coach in the NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

And Ahokas is a winner, helping the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers earn the 2025-26 Memorial Cup championship and a 2025-26 OHL championship. 

Join us in welcoming Jussi Ahokas as the head coach of the Colorado Eagles! pic.twitter.com/QV9qIVQSJ5

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) July 17, 2026

The 45-year-old Ahokas guided the Kitchener Rangers to at least 40 wins every season under his watch, compiling a 135-52-13-4 record. Ahokas was the head coach for four seasons with both KooKoo Kouvola (2019-20 through 2020-21) and Turku TPS (2021-22 through 2022-23) in the SM-Liiga, Finland’s highest professional league before that. 

“Jussi has done a great job with every team and every league he’s been a part of as a head coach, and we’re excited to welcome him into the Avalanche and Eagles family,” Avalanche assistant GM and Eagles GM Kevin McDonald said. “His track record of winning games in a variety of leagues and international tournaments is impressive, and he’ll be a great fit for our team in Loveland.”

Ahokas was a goaltender in his playing days and appeared in four games in Finland’s under-20 circuit over the 1997-98 and 1999-00 seasons. He mixed in one game for Victoria in the British Columbia Hockey League in 1998-99.

While the Avalanche focus on winning a Stanley Cup, the Eagles made the AHL’s Western Conference Final a season ago. The two teams work closely together to put the best product on the ice in both the AHL and NHL.

Now, Ahokas becomes the fourth head coach in Eagles history, hoping his success in other leagues transfers to Colorado.

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