Dallas Stars Close Long Chapter With Ken Hitchcock As He Retires
Friday morning Ken Hitchcock announced his retirement from coaching after 22 years behind the bench. While this ends his time with the Dallas Stars, it’s a great sign for the franchise moving forward.
The revolving door of Dallas Stars head coaches continues. Ken Hitchcock is leaving his post as head coach to move to a consultant position with the team, which shines a new light on the future of the Stars.
This is a great thing for Dallas moving forward for a few reasons.
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Hitch Hockey didn’t work. It was successful at times, but when it really mattered, it fell flat. His defense first mentality didn’t mesh with the players in the room, and his ties to the team likely overshadowed the lack of chemistry between his coaching style and the existing line-up.
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Now, assuming Jim Nill hires the right kind of coach, the Dallas Stars can get back to the quick, offensively impressive style of hockey we all know and love. This will make games more fun and allow players like Jason Spezza to shine yet again.
Plus, taking a puck-moving direction with the team will likely keep Julius Honka around, which is fantastic for the team’s defense moving forward, especially considering they’ll likely move on from Greg Pateryn and Dan Hamhuis this offseason.
Tyler Seguin is New and Improved
Tyler Seguin wasn’t drafted second overall in 2010 because of his defensive game — it was his offensive talents and skating ability were what drove the interest in him up. However, Hitchcock was able to turn a once offense-only center into a more complete player.
Seguin learned how to play on the penalty kill and in defensive situations he had otherwise never touched during his NHL career. That gave him confidence to have arguably his best season yet, all while allowing him to be excited about the team again.
Despite his dislike of being called the modern Mike Modano, No. 91 was transformed during the 2017-18 season into a better player. That is something the Stars will be grateful for moving forward, especially after they come to terms on a new deal with him (hopefully soon).
Next: A Look Back on Hitchcock's 22 Years Behind the Bench
Next Steps
The next few months are critical for Dallas. Wrong moves with personnel will likely lead to confusion in the room and poor performances on the ice. Making the right decisions, however, could yield the greatest hockey team the Lone Star State has seen in years. We’re hoping for the latter.