Dallas Stars: Five Players That Could Improve Under Jim Montgomery

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CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 06: Denver Pioneers head coach Jim Montgomery looks on during the second period of the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal game between the Denver Pioneers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on April 6, 2017, at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Dallas Stars hired Jim Montgomery to be their newest head coach in hopes that he can create a quick turnaround. And while his style should benefit the entire team, here are five particular players that could turn a corner this year.

It’s a difficult situation for any team when they go through three head coaches in three seasons. The Dallas Stars will get a firsthand look at this challenge when the 2018-19 season commences.

On April 13, 2018, Ken Hitchcock announced his retirement from coaching hockey in a letter. The announcement came as a bit of a shock, but the signs were clearly there for the Stars needing a change.

After seemingly bringing Hitchcock out of retirement in April 2017 to fill the void that Lindy Ruff had left after the Stars parted with their head coach of the previous four seasons, they looked destined to get back to their winning ways. A horrible 2016-17 performance that ended with a sub-.500 record and 79 points brought an end to Ruff’s time behind the Dallas bench.

But with the success that trailed Hitchcock in his long NHL coaching career (including a Stanley Cup championship with the Stars in 1999), things seemed to be going in the right direction.

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That feeling didn’t last long, though. After an average start to the year, Hitchcock found a way to build Dallas into one of the better teams in the league and had them competing for a top three spot in a loaded Central Division by the time March rolled around. But all of that hope dissipated as schemes and poor planning crumbled around the team, bringing them outside the playoff race for good.

And so, that was the end of Hitchcock’s time with Dallas and, consequently, in the NHL.

The reasoning behind the mutual parting was simple: the Dallas Stars have a talented and arguably well-suited roster to play past April and Hitchcock couldn’t get them there.

As a result, GM Jim Nill abandoned his former ways of hiring established veteran coaches and instead went with some fresh blood.

On May 4, 2018, the Stars announced the hiring of Jim Montgomery from the University of Denver. Though he is a veteran hockey coach, he’s never coached in an NHL game in any capacity. He will become just the fifth coach in history to jump directly from college to the NHL. That can be a scary thought at times, but Nill is banking on a new perspective behind the bench to turn the Stars’ misfortunes around and get his impressive lineup back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Montgomery’s perspective is definitely a unique one. For instance, much of his coaching career has involved fostering to players under the age of 22. That shines particularly bright when considering the youth movement that the Dallas Stars are pushing right now.

More From Blackout Dallas: Montgomery’s Coaching Style Could Fit The Stars Well

In addition, he’s not holding true to coaching strategies that he used 15 years ago. He knows he’ll have to adapt, so he’s bringing a new look to the team and giving them a fresh scheme. Will it work? We’ll have to wait and see. But from looking at his history of coaching, it’s easy to see that winning and success follow him wherever he goes. He knows how to get the most out of his players, to put it plainly.

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But which players will he get the most out of on the 2018-19 Stars roster?

While the hope is obviously for Montgomery to maximize the potential and output of the entire team, there are a few players that might react better than others to a new system. For example, Tyler Seguin and John Klingberg were two players who took a sizable step forward in their own impressive careers under Hitchcock’s supervision last season. And while there’s no doubt that those players could and likely will reach new heights yet again next season, there are other players that could see a more sizable increase in production.

There are always growing pains with a new coach. But in some cases, certain players adapt quicker and easier and even thrive in a new system.

Which Stars might fall into that category? Here are five possible choices. There could be more or there could be less. But these seem like respectable options. Take a look.

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