Hockey Axemen add Pettersson as an assistant coach

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Acadia University and Acadia men's hockey head coach Darren Burns announced today that former Axeman Daniel Pettersson will join the team's coaching staff this fall.

"We are extremely excited to add Dan to our coaching staff. He is a very hard-working individual and is very passionate about the game of hockey. He has an intelligent hockey mind and it's an excellent time to add him to our staff as we head into hosting a U SPORTS National Championship. ‎Anytime you have a resource like this in your community and he's a former Axemen, it's a perfect fit," noted Burns.

Pettersson played his junior hockey career from 2007-2011 with the QMJHL Moncton Wildcats and then jumped to the professional ranks from 2011-2014 in Sweden for two seasons and one season in France.

In 2014, Pettersson joined the Axemen and remained for three seasons, playing 44 games in two seasons and capturing a U SPORTS bronze medal in his final senior year in 2017. Pettersson participated in the 2017 FISU Games with Team Sweden in Kazakhstan and was the team's top scorer in the International university championship tournament with 10 points in five games.

Pettersson's coaching background began in the 2015-2016 season with the Acadia Minor Hockey Association Atom AA team as an assistant coach and the Peewee AAA team in 2016-17.  In the 2017-2018 season, Pettersson became an assistant coach with the Midget AAA Valley Wildcats assistant and hasn't looked back in the coaching profession. With more than 10 years of experience in skill development and hockey school Instruction, Pettersson spent two years as a skills/development coordinator in Sweden.

"I am really excited about this opportunity and am happy to be able to be part of the Axemen program once again. It's a very exciting year with the program hosting the U SPORTS National Championship. I look forward to helping build a winner come March," said Pettersson.

"I was fortunate enough to play at a U SPORTS championship during my time at Acadia and know what it would mean to bring home a U SPORTS title to Acadia. I look forward to working with Coach Burns and his staff this coming season and I am excited for September," concluded Pettersson.

The Axemen open the AUS exhibition season at home, hosting the Dalhousie Tigers on Tuesday, September 17, followed by Friday, September 20 vs the Moncton Aigles Bleus and concluding against the McGill Redmen on Saturday, September 21. The AUS regular season begins the weekend of September 27-29.