Dallas Stars: Assessing New Assistant Coach Todd Nelson
By Summer LeBel
When the Dallas Stars take the ice this fall, Jim Montgomery won’t be the only new face behind the bench. He’ll be joined by a pair of new assistant coaches.
The Dallas Stars announced the hiring of Todd Nelson earlier this off-season. He’ll join Montgomery, the three members of the coaching staff the team retained and Rick Bowness, the other new assistant.
Todd Nelson is no stranger to coaching in the NHL. He was an assistant coach for the Thrashers, but moved on to the head coaching job of the Oklahoma City Barons. When the Oilers fired Dallas Eakins for going 7-19-5 to start the season, they looked to their AHL team and asked Nelson to step into the head coach role to finish the season.
The team went 17-22-7 under his leadership and missed the playoffs, but it was an improvement on the rate the team had been going. After the season, the team did not hire him on full time, choosing instead to hire Todd McLellan, who had just left the Sharks bench. Nelson then departed the organization.
More from Blackout Dallas
- Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
- Grushnikov and Stankoven lead Dallas Stars to 6-3 win over Columbus
- Dallas Stars prospects look to wrap up tournament with a win
- Burn the tapes: Dallas Stars prospects lose 5-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs
- Dallas Stars look to continue success today against the Maple Leafs
After leaving the Oilers, Nelson spent the last three years as the head coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins. While he was there, the team made the playoffs all three years. He coached the team to their second Calder Cup and went 133-78-17. It was actually Nelson’s second stint on the Griffins’ coaching staff, as he spent time as an assistant coach there early in his coaching career. He also played for the Griffins during four seasons.
For the Dallas Stars, bringing in Nelson is good for their young players. He’s been coaching in the AHL for most of his career and knows how to foster player development. As a former defenseman himself, he can help particularly with players like Miro Heiskanen and Julius Honka as they look to improve.
Another place Nelson can help improve the Dallas Stars is on special teams, where the Stars have struggled to find consistency despite streaks of success. Last year, the Griffins were fourth in the league in both penalty kill and power play. The year before, their 24.4% led the league in power play percentage.
Nelson was one name in the rumor mill for a potential head coach hire in the NHL between his AHL success and previous NHL experience. Instead, he’ll help new head coach Jim Montgomery get adjusted to the NHL as he comes from coaching at the college level.
Theoretically, if things go wrong with Montgomery, he could potentially step into his shoes as he did with Dallas Eakins in Edmonton, but it’s likely that he spends a year or two with the Dallas Stars before moving into a head coach vacancy. Nelson himself said this was the plan discussed by himself and “the Jims.”
Next: Five Potential Trade Targets In 2018 Offseason
For now, he should be a good fit for the Stars as they go through yet another coaching transition. Come back tomorrow for an article focusing on Rick Bowness, the other new assistant coach for the Stars.