Dallas Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock has announced this will be his last season as a coach in the NHL. The Stars finished the season with a 42-32-8 record finishing tenth in the Western Conference and missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Though Hitchcock has retired from coaching he will take on a role as an advisor for the Stars.
Ken Hitchcock is retiring from coaching. Official announcement expected soon. Stars will begin search for a new head coach immediately.
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) April 13, 2018
Ken Hitchcock retires after 21 seasons.
The 67-year old Hitchcock’s second stint with the Stars lasted only one year. Hitchcock started his NHL coaching career with the Stars during the 1995-96 season. He would stay there until the conclusion of the 2002 season. During that time frame, the Stars made it to the postseason five times winning the Stanley Cup in 1999 and losing in the finals the next season. The Stars won two Presidents Trophies, five division titles and made it to the Western Conference Finals three times. Hitchcock is the Stars franchise leader in games coached (585), wins (319), playoff games coached (80) and playoff wins (47).
Hitchcock also coached for three other teams in his career the Philadelphia Flyers, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the St.Louis Blues. During his 21-year career, Hitchcock made the Stanley Cup Playoffs a remarkable 16 times. In the Postseason Hitchcock had an overall record of 86-82. Hitchcock took every team he coached to the postseason, including the Blue Jackets first trip in franchise history. Hitchcock will retire with 823 wins which are good enough for the third all-time in the NHL. He coached in 1,536 games which rank fourth in league history.
Hitchcock will be remembered as a legendary head coach and especially so for the Stars. His coaching helped to bring home their first and only Stanley Cup. Hitchcock made an imprint on every franchise that he coached for whether that be Dallas, Columbus, Philadelphia or St. Louis. He is a coach that has cemented his place in hockey and his presence will be missed behind the bench.
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