University of Connecticut Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
Alex Westlund enters his second season on the UConn men’s hockey coaching staff in the 2026-27 season, where he will continue to oversee the Huskies goaltenders and assist with recruiting. Westlund joined head coach Mike Cavanaugh’s staff in August 2025 following a three-year stint as the goaltending coach for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.
Westlund joins Cavanaugh’s staff after spending the past three years with the Detroit Red Wings (NHL) where he served as the teams Goaltending Coach. Prior to his time with the Red Wings, Westlund served as the goalie coach for Team USA during the World Championships (2024) and was the Hershey Bears (AHL) goaltending coach (2017-2022). Additionally, Westlund served as a goalie coach oversees for the KHL Medvescak Zagreb (2016-2017) and the Augsburg Panther Eishockey Club (2015-2017).
On top of his experience at the professional level, Westlund is very familiar with the USA Hockey system, serving as the USA Hockey New England District head goalie coach and evaluators for 15-18s, and was the USA Hockey Select 17 Festival goalie evaluation group for the Hlinka Tournament in 2014,2015, and 2021.
A Yale University graduate, Westlund set the record for all-time games played and saved and won the Ivy League Championship in 1998 and 1999. Westlund appeared in over 750 professional games during 16 seasons, playing in leagues across North America, Russia, Europe and Asia.
