The Stars will have a new head coach next season.
Rick Bowness resigned as coach of the Stars on Friday afternoon, the team said, days after the Stars’ season ended in a first-round loss to Calgary on Sunday. Bowness’ contract expired after that season.
The stars also announced that three assistant coaches will not be returning next season: Derek Laxdal, John Stevens and Todd Nelson. Laxdal managed the team’s power play, Stevens looked after the team’s defenders and Nelson acted as the club’s ‘eye in the sky’ in the press box during games.
Video coach Kelly Forbes, video assistant coach Matt Rodell and goalkeeping coach Jeff Reese were unaffected by Friday’s changes. Stars general manager Jim Nill said the search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
“After careful consideration with my wife, Judy, we believe it would be best to step down and give the organization an opportunity to take a different direction at the head coaching position,” Bowness said in a statement.
“I want to thank all the passionate fans and dedicated staff for their support and hard work during my time here. It was an honor for me and my family to represent the stars and the city of Dallas.”
Bowness, 67, was the Stars’ coach for three seasons after taking over when Jim Montgomery was fired in December 2019. Under Bowness, the Stars went 89-62-25, a .577 point percentage, which tied for 16th place in the NHL.
In the playoffs, Bowness led the Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals and an 18-16 postseason record. The Stars lost to the Flames in seven games that season.
“Rick is one of the most respected and loved individuals to ever coach in the NHL,” Nill said in a statement. “His dedication and commitment to the game and the influence he has had on countless players, coaches and support staff throughout his five decades in the league is second to none. He dedicated his life to our game and we’re honored to say that the Dallas Stars are part of his legacy.
“When he was called up to lead our team a few seasons ago, he seamlessly assumed the role and helped lead our team through unprecedented global events that impacted our players and staff both on and off the ice. On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to wish Rick, Judy and the rest of their family all the best for the future.”
Bowness has coached more NHL games than anyone in league history, either as an assistant or as a head coach. Likeable and generally easy-going, Bowness was popular with Stars players. Friday’s announcement was not a resignation from Bowness, who expressed earlier this week that “there’s still a lot of fire in me.”
The Bowness era will be remembered mostly for the Edmonton bubble run to the cup final and the odd circumstances he had to deal with in three seasons at the helm. He took over after Montgomery’s mysterious firing in 2019. He dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. There have been several coronavirus outbreaks on the list of stars. He went through the 2021 season, which was marked by injuries to top players.
His time will be marked by a lack of insults.
The Stars ranked 30th in the NHL under Bowness with 2.13 goals per 60 minutes at 5-5. They were a mediocre team that generated average to below average scoring chances and finished those chances as one of the worst teams in the league.
Young offensive arms have struggled to gain trust from the coaching staff due to inconsistent play and poor decision-making. Older, defensive-minded players had longer leashes despite a lack of offensive production.
The Stars were also one of the best defensive teams in the league under Bowness unless defending a lead.
Dallas finished third by conceding just 2.19 goals per 60 minutes at 5-5. They were a top 10 team in shots allowed and a top 5 team in goals expected and chances to score. They have paired strong defense with strong 2019-20 seasons from Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin and the recent emergence of Jake Oettinger.
While it might be logical to think an offensive-minded coach is on his way to Dallas to follow Bowness’s defensively-oriented approach, Nill said earlier this week that a defensive identity will still be crucial for the Stars.
“Do we have to score more?” said Nill on Tuesday. “Yes, and we have to build on that and find that, but you can’t lose that identity. You’re not going to win in this league, you just aren’t going to win.”
Over the past three seasons, with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin declining, Bowness and his staff struggled to find answers to generate more offense outside of the excellent top line of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski. Scoring issues remain and it’s up to Nill to provide the right players and the next coach to put them in the right positions.
Friday’s decision also brings Nill’s future into play. The next head coach will be the fifth hired with Nill as Stars GM, following Lindy Ruff, Ken Hitchcock, Montgomery and Bowness.
Nill has just one year left on his contract, a situation a new manager would not want to face knowing his boss has only one season left. Does the coaching search point to an extension for Nill?
Nill has the stars lined up well, with a core centered around Robertson, Oettinger, Hintz and Miro Heiskanen. Dallas’ prospect pool includes top players like Wyatt Johnston and Mavrik Bourque, who could become NHL staffers next season. Benn and Seguin’s contracts are undoubtedly an eyesore, and veteran contracts could run a season or two too long, but Nill’s recent draft could see him leading the next time slot for the stars.
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