Confirmed with Link: Ken Hitchcock Returning as Head Coach (Wilson, Barnes, Fraser as Asst. Coaches)

[usefulfiction]

This is just personal speculation like all the posts but my biggest worry is that the Stars will return to boring hockey. Beware what you wish for since I wanted better structured defense play as well. Perhaps all the Stars align and there's a happy medium. I don't really know if the two styles can be emerged into one holistic system. I don't mind less blowouts but if they come with boring percentage hockey is it worth it. Too early to tell. Too many moving parts and trying to evaluate how Hitch has changed as a coach.

Hitch has said he doesn't want to lose the high energy style, he just wants to add more defensive structure.

 

[MBTendy]

This is just personal speculation like all the posts but my biggest worry is that the Stars will return to boring hockey. Beware what you wish for since I wanted better structured defense play as well. Perhaps all the Stars align and there's a happy medium. I don't really know if the two styles can be emerged into one holistic system. I don't mind less blowouts but if they come with boring percentage hockey is it worth it. Too early to tell. Too many moving parts and trying to evaluate how Hitch has changed as a coach.

But if boring hockey wins us games and makes us the team to beat again, does it really matter? As long as we have Benn. Segs, Spez, Honka, Klinger, I don't think we'll be a boring team to watch. Like the poster above said, Hitch wants to just add defensive structure and try to maintain the high energy.

 

[________]

Mailbag

Hitchcock is high on Honka, Lindell, and Klingberg. He told me as much after his introductory press conference. He also indicated that it was hard to really judge the Stars defense last season with how they were handled, so he still had reserved time to make judgement on all players in the defense core

Jim Nill wouldn’t confirm that hiring on Friday, but did say Bedard was one of the candidates for the job. We likely won’t get an official announcement on coaches until after the Stars hire their assistant coaches in the NHL.

 

[BigG44]

Not really much hockey talk. I enjoyed the part about why Hitch personally and other coaches like Julien and Carlye have returned back to their old teams.

 

[BigG44]

Paul MacLean has history with Nill through the Red Wings, and while Jim hasn't sought a ton of former players, he's gone after DRW staff pretty frequently. MacLean also has head coaching experience which could make it a similar situation as Yeo as an assistant behind Hitchcock in STL.

 

[Magic Mittens]

Paul MacLean has history with Nill through the Red Wings, and while Jim hasn't sought a ton of former players, he's gone after DRW staff pretty frequently. MacLean also has head coaching experience which could make it a similar situation as Yeo as an assistant behind Hitchcock in STL.

Was just thinking about this when I read about Mac and the Ducks. I'd be on board with hiring him to take over Hitchcocks spot. He did a great job with Ottawa when he coached there. Finalist for the Jack Adams twice

 

[BigG44]

Plus .... that would mean the likely not so sad departure of Fraser.

 

[Morry83]

Yes to MacLean. Pretty fantastic coach, and I think he'd be a great candidate to take over for Hitch once he's steps into the consultant role.

 

[BigG44]

Finally got around to reading Heika's chat.

He speculated that Rick Wilson comes in to coach defense (hardly a surprise considering everyone is saying this, Curt Fraser returns but in a reduced role, and they sign a veteran coach to take care of the forwards and have a big role.

I'm OK with that. This could mean Fraser is the eye in the sky or they go with 4 on the bench.

 

[Hockey Dad]

I think they go 4 on the bench. I think I have read where that is a direction Hitch is leaning.

 

[Benneguin]

I think they go 4 on the bench. I think I have read where that is a direction Hitch is leaning.

Makes sense. Hitch will do the arm folding thing, while the others do the coaching.

 

[BigG44]

Griffins win the Calder Cup. That's only important to this discussion because Shapiro and Heika have both said Dallas wanted to wait for the hockey season to end so they could speak with all coaches. Hockey season is officially over. If Dallas is looking at a coach who just finished the NHL or AHL playoffs, it would probably be at least a few days before they have a chance to talk.

Heika specifically mentioned he believed Dallas could lean towards a veteran forwards coach. If that's the case, I still like the idea of MacLean. Shaprio has been high on Todd Nelson (just won the Calder Cup with Grand Rapids).

 

[Morry83]

MacLean is definitely my top choice. I hate the idea of keeping Fraser, but I can at least bear it if we bring in someone else to be the main forward coach. I still just can't understand why they want to keep Fraser around though.

 

[Pohlow]

Anytime you have a chance to add a Jack Norris nominated to coach to your staff for, let's be real, dirt cheap with relation to how much $$ they make, you do it

 

[BigG44]

I think most of us just assumed this would be true. The people pointing to his return have been abundant.

 

[LT]

Wilson sounds fine to me. Seems like his defenses have been pretty successful everywhere he's gone.

I still want MacLean for the forwards, and to eventually take over when Hitch is done. Haven't seen his name anywhere besides here, though.

 

[________]

Another source mentions Wilson returning.

Former Wild assistant coach Rick Wilson is also finalizing a contract to be reunited with Ken Hitchcock in Dallas, sources say.

 

[BigG44]

Shapiro says plan is for Dallas to announce staff today or tomorrow.

This is another name I saw that made since for the associate coach/coach in waiting type position. MacLean still the guy I'd like to see announced.

 

[LT]

Rick Wilson and Stu Barnes. Curt Fraser stays.

Ugh.

 

[Magic Mittens]

Rick Wilson and Stu Barnes. Curt Fraser stays.

Ugh.

Not what i was expecting or hoping

 

[BigG44]

Stu Barnes will always have a special place in my heart for a beautiful, but simple, thing he did for my family. I love that guy.

Thrilled he's back with the team, but I think my personal preference would have been for Stu to replace Fraser and then also add a top flight associate coach ... like a MacLean.

 

[Zrhutch]

Stu might be coach in waiting. Guy is sharp as a tack.

 

[BeaverSports]

I'm a little underwhelmed on this one, at least until I hear more reasoning. Stu Barnes really hasn't coached a lot since his first stint in Dallas, and definitely not at the professional level or a high level of junior. Familiarity with Hitch must have played a big role here.

My expectation was to bring in an offensive coach who had a bit more experience that would be poised to take the head role in a few years if Hitch doesn't stay. I'm not sure Barnes is that guy yet.

Wilson is a solid choice, he's an experienced NHL assistant, but I don't see him as a coach-in-waiting either.

The question might be what the Stars think they've got with Curt Fraser. I know Nill worked with him in Grand Rapids. I wonder if he thinks Fraser maybe didn't get the input he should have had under Ruff.

 

[Morry83]

I like Wilson and Barnes. **** Fraser.

 

[BigG44]

I'm a little underwhelmed on this one, at least until I hear more reasoning. Stu Barnes really hasn't coached a lot since his first stint in Dallas, and definitely not at the professional level or a high level of junior. Familiarity with Hitch must have played a big role here.

Stu Barnes stepped away for family reasons. He had young kids at the time. Also, it's pretty common for long time NHLers to make the jump to an NHL assistant position without much or any time at lower levels. His "experience" coaching isn't an issue when he has 16 seasons of NHL experience to draw on.

I would prefer someone other than Fraser to be the creative, offensive mind behind the bench. At some point we have to stop blaming Ruff for everything, but I guess our last hope is that Fraser's inability to innovate beyond the drop past was at least in some part due to direction from Ruff. If it wasn't, yeah ... this sucks.