Bowness out as Dallas Head Coach

[Brewin Flames]

Dallas Stars' Rick Bowness stepping down after three seasons as head coach

2:46 PM ET

• 
  Greg WyshynskiESPN

Rick Bowness is stepping aside as Dallas Stars head coach after three seasons, the team announced on Friday.

 

Bowness, 67, had his two-year contract expire after the Stars were eliminated by the Calgary Flames in seven games in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Assistant coaches Derek Laxdal, John Stevens and Todd Nelson will also not return to the Stars next season.

 

"After careful consideration with my wife Judy, we feel it's best to step away and allow the organization the opportunity to pursue a different direction at the head coaching position," Bowness said in a statement. "I'd like to thank all the passionate fans and the dedicated staff for their support and hard work in my time here. It has been an honor for me, and my family, to represent the Stars and the city of Dallas."

 

Bowness coached the Stars for parts of three seasons, amassing an 89-62-25 record. As assistant coach at the time, he took over on an interim basis after the team parted ways with coach Jim Montgomery in Dec. 2019. Bowness led Dallas to the Stanley Cup Final during the "bubble" postseason necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was given a two-year contract after that run.

 

Dallas failed to make the playoffs in 2020-21 but finished in the first wild card spot in the Western Conference this season, pushing Pacific Division leader Calgary the distance before losing game # 7 in OT

 

 

 

He was the 24th head coach in team history. His .577 points percentage was the fifth-highest mark in franchise history. General manager Jim Nill called Bowness "one of the most respected and beloved individuals to have ever coached" in the NHL.

 

Bowness has 2,562 games behind the bench as an assistant or head coach, which is the most for any individual in NHL history. He has a career head coaching record of 211-351-76 record in 638 games with Winnipeg (1988-89), Boston (1991-92), Ottawa (1992-96), the New York Islanders (1996-98), Phoenix (2003-04) and Dallas (2019-2022). Additionally, he served in assistant coaching roles with the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning. He is also just one of three coaches in NHL history to have held a head coaching position in five different decades alongside Hockey Hall of Famers Pat Quinn and Scotty Bowman.

 

"His dedication and commitment to the game, and the impact that he's made on countless players, coaches and support staff throughout his five decades in the League is unmatched. He has dedicated his life to our game, and we are honored to say that the Dallas Stars are part of his legacy," said Nill.

 

"When he was called upon to lead our team a few seasons ago, he stepped into the role seamlessly and helped guide our team through unprecedented global events that affected our players and staff both on and off the ice. On behalf of the entire organization, I want to wish Rick, Judy and the rest of their family nothing but the best moving forward."

 

The Stars are now the fifth NHL team seeking a new head coach in the offseason, joining the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets. It's expected to be a robust market for coaching candidates, from recently fired coaches like Barry Trotz and Peter DeBoer to veteran bench bosses like Claude Julien, Paul Maurice, Alain Vigneault, Rick Tocchet and John Tortorella.

 

Mike Babcock and Joel Quenneville, two of the all-time winningest coaches, could also be available although both bring considerable baggage. Babcock had mental abuse accusations levied at him by former players after he was fired in Toronto. Quenneville resigned from the Florida Panthers after a report was released that detailed how the Chicago Blackhawks mishandled allegations that a player was sexually abused by an assistant coach in 2010, when Quenneville was the team's head coach.

[yave1964]

So... Four teams in need of a coach. If you were the hot coach would you rather land in Dallas, Detroit, Vegas or Winnipeg?

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

20 minutes ago, yave1964 said:

So... Four teams in need of a coach. If you were the hot coach would you rather land in Dallas, Detroit, Vegas or Winnipeg?

 

I would think Dallas or Detroit would be spots where a good coach stands the best chances of success.

Wings because obviously, they are trending upwards at a steady pace with Steve Yzerman supplying whatever possible player type the coach may need as he goes. Yzerman also tends to stay out of the way of the team at ice level and just let the coaches do their jobs.
A smart coach with the Wings could be set up for at LEAST the next 10+ years if he can keep the ears of his players...

Dallas because I STILL contend there is much talent here (including some nice young budding types!) that was held back by the previous administration's overly defensive schemes.
They wouldn't be the only ones, but for an example.... did Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alex Radulov, AND John Klingberg all forget how to play offensive hockey....at the same time? Or is there some other explanation.....??
Nice mix of vets and youth, with some lessons already learned in the ways of defensive hockey. Wouldn't be a bad gig.

Granted, when given tools to work with and the results still don't come, that is that much more rope for a coach to hang himself with, but well, it is assumed that a GOOD coach hire is made...and if so, a GOOD coach will take advantage of the tools given to him.

Edited May 20, 2022 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[Otter]

Dallas has a lot of potential with both a good veteran presence on the squad as well a young talent that contributes to the club. As these veteran players such as Radulov, Seguin, and even Benn start to transition out another generation of Stars players come to the front like Robertson, Hintz, Oettinger, and Heiskanen and that is not including those waiting in the wings like Mavrik Bourque and Wyatt Johnson. 

 

This club is set up to be good for many years to come. 

 

Whoever takes over this team as coach will inherit a team that should easily be successful right away and for a long time into the future. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by Otter

[Math]

About f*** time. I didn't expect that as the Stars succeeded in the "enter-the-playoffs-and-everything-can-happen", plus they had three home postseason games, which could make owner TomG do a checkmark on this season.

 

But his constant illogical choices went it comes to the line-up, his unconditional love with Faska, Suter and previously Comeau, the fact that we was always reacting instead of acting, plus the Tufte drama in Minnesota proved that he wasn't in control of the team. His quote from the Stars' post-mortem sums it all: "We had 98 points, got to the playoffs, we took that team to overtime in Game 7. That’s what matters. The rest? Yeah, we have to fix some things and we can improve on some things, absolutely, but so can every other team." Typical Bowness's head in the sand. And the offense will take of itself, right Rick?

 

Now the issue relies on Nill's contract. He has one more year and I'm wondering which coach would agree to take the job given this situation as it is still unknown if GM Nill will remain in place or have another role.