Stars’ Ruff figures to be next coach on chopping block

To hear Lindy Ruff, one of the best coaches in NHL history, say the 7-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers this week was maybe the worst game he’s coached with the Dallas Stars — calling out his veterans for their poor play — it sounds like a bench boss at the end of his rope.

The Warburg, Alta., native has won 729 NHL games as a coach, which puts him fifth all-time in the National Hockey league, but he’s probably Dead Man Talking in Dallas in his fourth year there.

If that’s the case, does general manager Jim Nill bring back Ken Hitchcock?

Hitchcock, fourth in career wins with 781 — one back of New York Islanders legend Al Arbour — would close the circle with the Stars because they were his first NHL head job 21 years ago.

Hitchcock, fired in St. Louis a couple of months ago, has gone underground. The always voluble 65-yearold isn’t talking right now about any job, but the hockey world knows he wants to coach again, somewhere. He’s feeling good, he’s watching NHL games on TV. He’s like Mike Keenan, who just hired on to coach a KHL team in Beijing. And Iron Mike is 67.

Hitchcock would have his hands full, of course, if he went back to Dallas. They have the worst goaltending in the league and a young defensive corps that makes errors, with forwards who were able to out-score those mistakes last season when they had 50 wins. But not this year.

Hitchcock won the Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999, beating Ruff’s Buffalo Sabres. He’s got the name, the resume, the desire.

The only other job that would be ideal for Hitchcock?

Coaching a major college hockey team at a U.S. school. Two games a week, lots of practice time.

Others in the running in Dallas include ex-Oilers coach Ralph Krueger, who says he’s happy running soccer club Southampton FC in England’s Premier League, but loved his hiatus with Team Europe at the World Cup.

Krueger did a great job with the young Oilers during the lockout in 2012-13. His name has come up in Vegas, too.

The other name is Gerard Gallant, fired in Florida.

Ruff, who just turned 57, looks worn out and in need of a break.