As they stormed back last night to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, it’s easy to forget that the Dallas Stars are still operating with an interim head coach behind the bench. Rick Bowness took over control of the Stars after just 31 games this season and has now led them to the promised land with an incredible playoff run, but still had that interim tag on his job title.
The company line all postseason has been that GM Jim Nill and Bowness would sit down and discuss his future after the team stopped playing, but the front office executive was a little more forthcoming when speaking to the media today. As Sean Shapiro of The Athletic reports, Nill explained that Bowness has “definitely earned the right to come back” as head coach next season.
That’s not a new contract, but it does seem as though Bowness can take the reins of the Stars again if he chooses to in 2020-21 (whenever that season happens). His focus is squarely on the challenge that is in front of him and it’s not like he would have been out of work anyway. Bowness first became an assistant coach at the NHL level in 1984 and has been employed ever since, spending time with the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks, and Tampa Bay Lightning before joining the Stars as an assistant in 2018.
One of the other big contributors this postseason and potentially a clubhouse favorite for the Conn Smythe also doesn’t have much certainty surrounding his future in Dallas. Anton Khudobin, who has been outstanding in the postseason with a .920 save percentage in 19 appearances, is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in October. Shapiro tweets that Nill hopes to re-sign Khudobin this offseason. The journeyman goaltender is 34 and has played 237 regular season games, split between six different organizations.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Sportsnet literally said this during game four lol.
The potential of the last two Cup winning coaches being interim coaches doesn’t bode well.
How many coaches have taken over in season and won the cup that year? Blaysma,Robinson,I think Bowman took over in pre season or very late in the summer for Bob,Sutter,etc…
Will he punish his player who used a racial slur towards Ryan Reeves? Will prohockeyrumors report on the use of a racist slur? My money on both is on, “of course not”
That’s because there was no racial slur used.
No thanks. Give me Gallant. If we stick with Bowness, we will be god awful soon. Don’t get fooled by him riding a hot team.
100% Agree
GALLANT is more west bound then Dallas sorry boys stick with another Maritimer Bowness will probably win the Stanley Cup this year… Just imagine 1 year ago the Dallas owner wanted to trade Benn and/or Seguin… Wow…
Wasn’t the owner; it was the pres of the club who said all those things.Things in Dallas are better than they have been in years.
To Mr. BABER to correct me that if the owner didn’t call out or show his displeasure with Benn or Seguin in their play in December 2018 as all owners use their CEO’s or GM’s to do their talking for them but Jim Lites did make it public knowledge that the owner was pissed as well so look it up!!!!!
Tom G. was upset. But he also talked to Jim Lites behind the scenes as well saying it was a personal conversation.Anyboby can be upset yet doesn’t make it pubic. I think things are better. Going to the Stanley cup finals will do that.Tyler’s playing hurt but going all out. Jamie was a mad man carrying us to the SCF
So I’ll say to that it is great in Dallas now because of everyone is on board but you all should not bring a coach down because a team is running hot how do u think the team gets there, I would think da coach and his assistants. Players play for certain coaches that’s why Dallas is in the Stanley Cup Final and Vegas is back home crying about a penalty that has been called all year… Peace out…
Your right on the button. I won’t blame Zack Whitecloud for it. Simple play just at a bad time. Teammates didn’t blame him. LVS is still a very good team.Justbeing Grateful for where we are. Will see what else happens this offseason.