Source: Devils tap AHL's John Hynes for head coaching job

John Hynes will be the New Jersey Devils' next head coach, a source told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.

The team plans to introduce him at a news conference Tuesday.

Hynes has coached the American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguinsfor the past five seasons, making the playoffs each year. He was the AHL's coach of the year in 2010-11.

Prior to joining Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Hynes spent six seasons as a head coach with USA Hockey's National Development Team Program, posting a 216-113-19-9 record. He is a former Boston University player who won a national title in 1995.

At age 40, Hynes will become the youngest active head coach in the NHL.

Pete DeBoer, who led the Devils to the Stanley Cup finals in 2012, was fired as head coach in December. The Devils finished the season with team president and then-general manager Lou Lamoriello running them with assistant coaches Adam Oates and Scott Stevens.

New Jersey went 32-36-14 for 78 points, missing the playoffs by 20 points. It was the sixth-worst record in the NHL and the team's worst in a full season since getting 66 points in 1988-89.

The 72-year-old Lamoriello, who remains team president, stepped aside as general manager early last month, giving up his role to former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero.

It was Shero who hired Hynes to coach Pittsburgh's minor league affiliate.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has produced several NHL head coaches. Dan Bylsma, who recently was hired to be the Buffalo Sabres coach, is a former Wilkes Barre/Scranton coach who led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup title.

Michel Therrien of theMontreal Canadiens, Todd Richards of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Mike Yeo of the Minnesota Wild are former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coaches as well.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.