Scott Gordon Will Lead Hawks

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USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Scott Gordon Will Lead Hawks

June 18, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


Waterloo, Iowa - Former National Hockey League and U.S. National Team Head Coach Scott Gordon has been named the new head coach of the Waterloo Black Hawks, the team announced on Wednesday.

Gordon reached the NHL as a goaltender for the Quebec Nordiques and has been a hockey coach since 1994. In that time, he led the New York Islanders (2008 to 2010) and the Philadelphia Flyers (2018 to 2019), as well as three stints guiding Team USA during the IIHF Men's World Championships. Gordon joins the Black Hawks following Matt Smaby's departure for the University of North Dakota after the Clark Cup Playoffs.

"Waterloo has a track record of bringing players to higher levels, and I look forward to building on the success the team had last season," said Gordon. "Players at this age are capable of tremendous things but still absorbing a lot of ideas, so it is an exciting and rewarding prospect to coach them. I would like to thank Black Hawks Managing Partner Eric Petersen and the entire organization for this opportunity."

"This is a very exciting day for the Black Hawks, our players, and our fans; I look forward to welcoming Scott to the Cedar Valley and watching as he shares the insights earned at hockey's highest levels," said Black Hawks President and COO Joe Greene. "The Black Hawks strive to bring world-class hockey talent to Waterloo - on and off the ice - and today's announcement reinforces that commitment."

Gordon acclimated to the United States Hockey League in 2024/25, working with the Youngstown Phantoms. Youngstown Head Coach Ryan Ward had served as Gordon's video coach with the Islanders. As they reconnected, Gordon enjoyed a first-hand, ice-level view of player development in the USHL. Now he and Black Hawks General Manager Kevin Gibson will collaborate to build Waterloo's team for 2025/26.

"Scott has a proven track record of developing players, and I look forward to working with him," said Gibson. "He has helped players get the most out of themselves, whether they were on NHL ice or aspired to get there. Scott's understanding of coaching and development philosophies will help the Black Hawks continue to be a place where NHL prospects want to grow toward the next level."

During his time with Philadelphia and New York, Gordon earned an NHL record of 89-116-27. He was named the Flyers' head coach midway through the 2018/19 season, bringing home a 25-22-4 mark after the team had started the year 12-15-4. The year included a late-season connection with Waterloo: former Black Hawks defenseman Mark Friedman made his NHL debut when Gordon filled out his lineup card on April 6, 2019.

Gordon's first NHL coaching opportunity began in July of 2008, when he was named head coach of the Islanders. It was a role he earned after leading the Providence Bruins to the best record in the American Hockey League the prior season and claiming the AHL's Lou Pieri Award as the league's coach of the year. Gordon directed the Islanders for parts of three seasons; the most notable campaign was in 2009/10, when New York was 34-37-11, including a 23-14-4 mark on home ice.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks have both benefited from Gordon's insights during his stints as an assistant coach. For three seasons beginning in 2011, Gordon was part of Toronto's coaching staff and helped the Leafs end a long playoff drought in the spring of 2013. His most recent NHL-level experience was with a young San Jose Sharks team during the 2023/24 campaign. In total, Gordon has spent all or part of eight seasons on the bench as an NHL head coach or assistant.

Gordon also repeatedly worked with NHL players on the international stage. He was an assistant for the 2009 United States entry at the Men's IIHF World Championships. Less than a year later, he held the same role during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, helping Team USA to a silver medal. Gordon was promoted to the U.S. head coaching role for the 2010, 2011, and 2012 World Championships. He also worked as an assistant on the squad which represented the United States during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Back in 2001, Gordon joined an AHL staff for the first time, spending much of the next decade with Providence. The Bruins reached the Calder Cup playoffs during all eight of his seasons as either an assistant or head coach. Adding six later campaigns with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Gordon became the sixth coach in AHL history to claim 400 victories. He reached the milestone in March of 2021. His career record in the AHL stands at 407-262-87. Gordon also worked in the International Hockey League for the Atlanta Knights and Quebec Rafales, as well as in the ECHL for the Roanoke Express.

As a player, Gordon made his NHL debut for the Nordiques on January 30, 1990, stopping 32 of 37 shots against the Buffalo Sabres. Less than a week later, he turned in a career-best 49-save effort during a 3-2 loss against the Boston Bruins. Gordon posted a 2-16-0 record across 23 NHL appearances in two seasons. He spent much of the 1991/92 season touring with the U.S. National Team in preparation for the Olympics and appeared during the Winter Games in Albertville, France. During Gordon's final season as a professional player, the Atlanta Knights won the IHL's Turner Cup championship.

The Massachusetts native played NCAA hockey for Boston College, helping the Eagles reach three NCAA Tournaments. Gordon was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star in 1986. He graduated that spring from the college's School of Management.

Gordon will make his USHL head coaching debut in September. Season tickets are on sale now for the Black Hawks' 2025/26 campaign. For more information, visit tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or call the Black Hawks' front office at (319) 232-3444.

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