By HockomockSports.com Staff
King Philip girls hockey head coach Ken Assad passed away unexpectedly on Sunday morning.
Assad took over at the helm of the Warriors at the start of the 2019 season. He guided the Warriors to their first-ever Hockomock League title last season. Prior to that, he spent over a decade as junior varsity and varsity assistant coach with the Franklin boys program. He spent many years coaching in the youth system in Franklin as well as summer league teams. He was well-known in both the Franklin and King Philip hockey communities and beyond.
He etched his name in Franklin hockey and Massachusetts hockey history during his senior year skating for the Panthers. He scored the game-winning goal in overtime at the Boston Garden in the 1983 Division 2 state championship to hand Franklin a 5-4 win over Falmouth for the program’s first-ever state championship. He was an assistant coach under Chris Spillane in 2016 and was on the bench when his son Adam and the Panthers beat St. Mary’s, 4-3, in overtime to win the Division 1 state championship at the TD Garden.
Below is a statement from the King Philip Regional School District:
Dear King Philip Community,
It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of a valued member of our school community. This morning, Ken Assad, head coach of the King Philip Regional High School girls hockey team, passed away unexpectedly.
Mr. Assad was a cherished and well-respected member of the King Philip community, and his loss is deeply felt by students, families, colleagues, and friends. He was a dedicated coach, a mentor to his players, and, above all, a kind and generous person.
Mr. Assad has served as head coach of the King Philip girls hockey team since the 2019-2020 season. During his tenure, he helped shape a very strong program.
One of the highlights of his tenure as coach of the girls hockey team was winning the 2025 Hockomock League Championship.
Mr. Assad, a longtime Franklin resident, was also a standout player for his hometown. He scored the game-winning goal in the 1983 MIAA Division 2 boys ice hockey state championship for Franklin High School. He later returned to the program as an assistant coach, then head coach, and was part of the staff when Franklin won the 2016 MIAA Division 1 state championship.
We recognize that this news may be difficult for many in our community, and we encourage anyone in need of support to seek help. Counselors and support staff at King Philip Regional High School will be available on Monday and Tuesday to assist student-athletes and staff as we navigate this loss together. Grief affects everyone differently, and we want to ensure that resources are available for those who need them.
If your student is experiencing distress or needs to talk to someone about this tragic loss, please let us know by calling our high school counseling office at 508-384-1000. In addition, Care Solace, a care match service that can connect students, staff and their families to counseling support, is available at no cost. Other resources for students and families relating to grief and loss can be found here courtesy of the CDC, and here courtesy of the National Education Association.
Our thoughts are with Ken’s family, friends, colleagues, and all those who were impacted by his kindness and support for our student-athletes.
Sincerely,
Rich Drolet, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools