Dallas Stars Officially Name Ken Hitchcock New Head Coach
The Dallas Stars made waves today at a press conference by naming Ken Hitchcock as their newest head coach. This move only further enhances the Stars’ “win now” frame of mind.
Hitch is home. On Thursday morning at a press conference at the American Airlines Center, the Dallas Stars announced that they have named Ken Hitchcock their newest head coach.
“This is an emotional day for me because it feels like I’m coming home,” Hitchcock said in the press conference.
This will be Hitchcock’s second time to coach the Dallas Stars, and the Stars can only hope that his second tour is as successful as his first. From the 1995-96 season to the 2001-02 season, Hitchcock led Dallas out of their worst season in franchise history to a playoff and Stanley Cup contender each year.
He ended his time in Dallas with a record of 277-154-72, two Stanley Cup Finals appearances, and of course the one Stanley Cup championship in 1999.
Dallas Stars
This is a big change and a big chance for the Dallas Stars. They are abandoning Lindy Ruff’s high-risk, high-reward system and flipping the script. Hitchcock brings a defensive-minded presence to the Stars, who have struggled on defense over the past few years.
Hitchcock talked about playing the Dallas Stars 14 times in total during the 2015-16 season as coach of the St. Louis Blues and how the Blues only out-chanced them three times. He praised their spirit and fight and said that they can get back on track right away.
“This is the easiest [turnaround] because of the history of this team a year ago,” Hitchcock said. “I know what this team is capable of.”
In his interview, he praised the Dallas Stars’ organization because of the pieces they already have in place and the firepower that he knows the team can produce. At the end of the 2015-16 Western Conference semifinals, Hitchcock said that the Stars were going to be the team to watch out for over the next few years.
“They are the future of the NHL. That’s what they are,” he said following game seven of the playoffs last season. “They are where the NHL is going. They are really good. They are going to be a tough opponent for a number of years because of what they got.”
“When you played Dallas, you never felt like you were in control. You felt like you were on the edge of getting steamrolled.”
It’s going to be a long haul, and Nill announced that Hitchcock has a multi-year deal in place to figure it out. Following his coaching contract, the Stars have him linked to a consulting contract with the team, meaning he will likely be with the Dallas Stars until retirement. Talk about a proper homecoming.
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The Dallas Stars are in an awkward state. They just finished their second worst season in franchise history, but could very easily be a Cup contender next season. That’s because of the roster they possess.
And now Hitchcock is going to be the bench boss. A veteran coach who already knows the Stars’ system because of how often he has played against them in the Central Division over the past four seasons. If there is anyone out there prepared to fix the Stars’ weaknesses and flip them into contenders over one offseason, it’s Hitchcock.
With the new hiring, Jim Nill has once again proven that the Dallas Stars are not in rebuild mode and are in fact still in the “win now” frame of mind. Hitchcock brings a lot of talents in with him and a new style of coaching. The only question is whether or not the Dallas Stars will connect with it.
Next: Dave Strader Back In Booth For Stanley Cup Playoffs
Perhaps the biggest kicker of the day is the fact that everyone will have to wait until September to see it all in motion. Let the waiting commence.