BURSTQuesnel’s Mitch Love has been appointed as the new head coach of the Shanghai Dragons.
According to an announcement on Monday, Jan. 19, Love has signed a contract through the end of the 2026-27 season and will take over immediately, with roughly one-third of the regular season remaining.
The hiring follows the departure of Gerard Gallant and comes at a critical juncture for Shanghai, which remains firmly in the playoff race.
“We’re still in the playoff race, and with a significant portion of the season ahead, we evaluated multiple scenarios following Gerard Gallant’s departure,” Sergey Belykh, CEO of the Shanghai Dragons, said in a release. “After a thorough review of the market, our final choice was Mitch Love.”
Love brings a resume that spans both the NHL and AHL. He previously played for seven different teams over six seasons in the AHL and served as assistant coach of the Washington Capitals.
On Oct. 26, 2025, the Washington Capitals announced that Love has been relieved of his duties as assistant coach of the team.
At the time, the team announced that the decision followed the findings of an NHL-led investigation into past allegations.
Back in September 2025, the Capitals placed Love on a team-imposed leave pending the results of an investigation led by the national league. To date, a reason for the investigation has not been given.
The Shanghai Dragons are part of the Kontinental Hockey League and its member clubs are based in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and China.