He was previously head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL, as well as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings, and head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL). He also was the head coach of the United States men's national ice hockey team. Bylsma won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009, just four months after being promoted to Pittsburgh's head coaching position.
Prior to coaching, he played as a forward in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He was drafted in the sixth round (109th overall) of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, by the Winnipeg Jets.