National Post (National Edition)
Stars Hitch hopes to proven winner
When Ken Hitchcock 2.0 is introduced as the Dallas Stars’ new head coach for the second time in his illustrious career during a news conference Thursday, will anyone ask him what his goals-against average was last season?
We’re joking, of course, but the point is this: Does the biggest concern for the Stars rest behind the bench or in the goal crease?
Even with Lindy Ruff’s respected track record as an NHL head coach, he could not find a solution for the Stars’ penchant of fishing pucks out of their own net, whether it be because of leaky defensive play or a cache of odorous goals allowed by the much-scrutinized duo of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi.
In the end, Ruff’s downfall came from an inability to fix the Stars’ Achilles heel, one that featured 262 goals against in 2016-17. Only the 30th place Colorado Avalanche allowed more.
Even in 2015-16 — a season in which the Stars finished second overall in the NHL with 109 points — they finished just 20th in team defence.
In his previous stint with the Stars from 1995-02, Hitchcock led the team to a 277-154-12 record with 60 ties, five first-place finishes, two conference championships and a Stanley Cup victory in 1999 over Ruff’s Buffalo Sabres. Of course, that signature moment came with Hall of Famer Ed Belfour in goal, a luxury Hitchcock doesn’t have when he peers down at the blue paint this time around.
Now that he’s brought Hitchcock back into the fold, general manager Jim Nill’s mandate is clear: Bring in talent to help address the warts on the blue line and between the pipes. Whether that means adding the likes of pending free agent goalie Ben Bishop remains to be seen.
At the same time, Hitchcock’s track record shows that he’s had a shrewd habit of being able to suck the life out of opposing offences, even when saddled with average goaltending.
During his reign as bench boss in Philadelphia, for example, the Flyers twice finished in the top seven in goals against. He accomplished that with Roman Cechmanek and Robert Esche in goal. Yes, Roman Cechmanek. Hitchcock should have been named coach of the year for that alone.
In Columbus, he managed to turn the Blue Jackets into a top-10 defensive team from one that finished 19th the previous season. And he accomplished that feat with Pascal Leclaire between the pipes.
Again, that’s the stuff that makes for coach-of-the-year credentials.
The Stars have a skilled roster, with veterans Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza complemented by up-andcoming talents such as Radek Faksa and Devin Shore. In the opinion of some observers like Hall of Fame Stars forward Mike Modano, Hitchcock is the ideal candidate to get the maximum out of these players and transform Dallas into a contender again.
To that end, Modano, a member of the 1999 Cup champs, was quick to tweet about Hitchcock’s impending hiring.
Tweeted @9modano: “Congrats Ken Hitchcock on the @DallasStars head coach job. My schedule is pretty open.”
Anyone know what Modano’s goals-against average was this past season?
CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT
Thumbs up to the new regime of the Los Angeles Kings for acting swiftly to promote Mike Futa from his previous role of VP of hockey ops and director of player personnel to assistant general manager under incoming GM Rob Blake and team president Luc Robitaille.
Within hockey circles, Futa is regarded as one of the most respected minds in the game. The Buffalo Sabres showed interest in him several years ago before hiring Tim Murray as GM, while he was mentioned as one of the potential candidates for the then-vacant Toronto Maple Leafs job in 2015.
CROSS CHECKS
The Sabres confirmed that Dan Bylsma will be back as coach next season, a controversial decision among Buffalo fans judging by the reaction on social media ... The Florida Panthers reportedly have asked the Canucks for permission to speak with Travis Green, the coach of Vancouver’s AHL affiliate in Utica, N.Y. Given Green’s fine track record, he would appear to be an ideal candidate to fill the Canucks’ own vacancy ... Good call by Hockey Canada to hire Jon Cooper to coach Team Canada at the upcoming World Championship. Had his Lightning not been among the league leaders in games lost due to injury, it says here Tampa Bay would have been one of the Stanley Cup favourites ... Three iPads will be added to every bench during the NHL playoffs in order to help coaching reviews. Officials also will have access ... The Philadelphia Flyers are parting ways with defencemen Michael Del Zotto and Nick Schultz ... According to BSN Denver, the Avalanche will protect goalie Semyon Varlamov in the upcoming expansion draft, thereby exposing Calvin Pickard, who’s 24.