Hitchcock is back with Stars
Ken Hitchcock is returning to coach the Dallas Stars, a person with direct knowledge of the situation says.
The Stars are expected to announce the hire Thursday.
Hitchcock won the Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999, coaching there for parts of seven seasons from ’95-96 through 2001-02.
He has since coached the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues.
“Congrats Ken Hitchcock on the (Stars) head coach job,” 1999 Cup winner and Stars great Mike Modano tweeted.
“My schedule is pretty open.”
The 65-year-old was fired as Blues coach in February and replaced by Mike Yeo. Even before that, St. Louis had announced it was Hitchcock’s final season there and that Yeo would take over.
Hitchcock replaces Lindy Ruff, who was fired Monday after four seasons in Dallas.
The Stars didn’t make the playoffs this season after winning the Central Division last season.
The Edmonton native is fourth on the National Hockey League’s all-time wins list with 781, one shy of New York Islanders coach Al Arbour for third.
Hitchcock can pass Arbour back with the team that he led to its only title in franchise history.
Dallas considered former Florida Panthers coach Gerard Gallant and others for its vacancy but went with the affable Hitchcock, whose recipe for success has worked through several eras of hockey.
Good friend and Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz said he believes Hitchcock will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame one day.
“He’s a guy that tries to teach the game,” Trotz said.