Former Winterhawks coach, executive Travis Green named New Jersey Devils Interim Head Coach

Former Portland Winterhawks coach and executive Travis Green has been announced as the Interim Head Coach of the New Jersey Devils, President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald announced Monday.

Green will hold the position until the end of the season.

The 53-year-old joined the Devils’ coaching staff in June of 2023 after being named Associate Coach.

Green served as the Vancouver Canucks’ Head Coach for parts of five seasons from 2017-18 to 2021-22, collecting a 133-147-34 record.

He had previously spent three seasons from 2010-2013 with the Portland Winterhawks as an Assistant Coach, Assistant General Manager and Interim General Manager/Head Coach.

The Hawks reached the WHL Final in all three seasons of Green’s tenure, highlighted by a 57-12-1-2 regular season and the club’s third Ed Chynoweth Cup win in 2012-13.

The team also reached the Memorial Cup final that season, falling to the Halifax Mooseheads in the title match.

“Travis has key experience running benches at the junior, AHL and NHL levels and knows that there are no shortcuts to success,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “He is a high-demanding individual who is familiar with the group and excited about working to get us back on track.”

Green, a Castlegar, B.C. product, played four seasons with the Spokane Chiefs and Medicine Hat Tigers from 1986-1990, scoring 152 goals and 189 assists for 341 points in 283 games.

The New York Islanders selected Green in the second round, 23rd overall at the 1989 NHL Draft.

He went on to record 455 points (193G, 262A) in 970 career regular-season games with the Islanders (388 games played), Toronto (181 games played), Arizona/Phoenix (147 games played) and Anaheim (108 games played) from 1992-2007.

The Devils (30-27-4) currently sit sixth in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division and are eight points out of the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Green’s team is back in action on Tuesday, March 5 when they host the league-leading Florida Panthers at 7:00 p.m. EST.