Ontario Reign Name Mike Haviland Assistant Coach

The Ontario Reign announced on July 15 that Mike Haviland has joined the staff as an assistant coach under head coach Andrew Lord.

Haviland, 58, spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets after serving as associate coach with their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, from 2022 to 2024. He brings a Stanley Cup ring from his time as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks, helping the team win the 2010 championship.

The New Jersey native has head coaching experience across multiple levels. In the AHL, he led the Norfolk Admirals (2005-07), Rockford IceHogs (2007-08), and Hershey Bears (2013-14), earning AHL Coach of the Year honors at Norfolk. He also served as head coach at Colorado College from 2014 to 2021.

Haviland started his coaching career in the ECHL with the Trenton Titans as an assistant from 1999 to 2001. He later won two Kelly Cup championships as a head coach, first with the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2003 and again with Trenton in 2005.

Haviland replaces Chris Hajt, who was recently promoted to the NHL staff under new Los Angeles Kings head coach Peter Laviolette. The hire reunites Haviland with several figures in the Kings organization: former Reign GM Rich Seeley played for him in the ECHL, former Kings assistant Trent Yawney has ties to him from their time with the Norfolk Admirals, and current Kings video coach Travis Culhane worked with him in the NCAA.

Haviland has a track record of developing NHL talent, having worked with Norris Trophy winners Duncan Keith in Chicago and Zach Werenski in Columbus, along with Brent Seabrook and Dustin Byfuglien during his Blackhawks tenure. He also coached future Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin at Colorado College, where Slavin earned first-team all-conference honors in 2014-15.