Wild Announce Promotion of Daniel Johnston to Associate Head Coach
WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee Wild, proud members of the Western Hockey League (WHL), are pleased to announce the promotion of assistant coach Dan Johnston to associate head coach ahead of the 2026-27 season. Johnston has served for the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the club, and will take his new title into the new season, which officially begins with the team’s home opener on Saturday.
Johnston has served the last two seasons under head coach Don Nachbaur, whom he served alongside for two years as a video coach and team services manager with the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League (AHL) prior to his time in Wenatchee. During his playing career, Johnston stepped onto the ice for more than 250 games over six Western Hockey League seasons with the Portland Winterhawks and Lethbridge Hurricanes from 2007 to 2013. His professional playing career spanned nearly 200 appearances in a five-year ECHL career before his retirement in 2018. He also served a two-year stint as a video coach, and later an assistant coach, for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings from 2020 to 2022.
“We are very fortunate to have the coaching staff we do,” said Wild general manager Bliss Littler. “With both D.J. and Ethan (Goldberg) helping Coach Nachbaur, we feel our players are in great hands. D.J. is starting his third season with us and is relied heavily on by Coach Nachbaur.”
The Wenatchee Wild congratulate Dan Johnston on his promotion to associate head coach and look forward to his continued contributions to the club as the new season begins.
