Stars fit first piece of puzzle
After the news a couple of weeks ago that Brad Richards will not be offered a new contract, the Dallas Stars were without a coach and an owner, and times ahead looked nothing but dark. However, the Head Coach vacancy has been filled as the franchise from Texas appointed Glen Gulutzan as their Head Coach for the 2011-12 season.
Gulutzan coached the AHL side Texas Stars for two years and notched up some very good numbers in the process. His record over the two seasons was 87-56-7-10, including a Calder Cup finals appearance in 2010 and a playoff appearance in 2011- a very respectable record indeed. The 39 year old Canadian was officially appointed on 16th June, replacing the experienced Mark Crawford who was inevitably sacked two days after the Stars’ loss to the Wild. A defeat which resulted in missing out on the playoffs for three straight years. Crawford finished the 2010-11 with a respectable 42-29-11 record with the Stars, which would have been good enough for the playoffs in previous years. With Gulutzan now on the throne, Dallas will push for an improved record next season, trying to put an end to their playoff drought.
So, the Stars can tick off the coaching role and can look to secure a stable ownership for the franchise. Once completed, the first job on the list has to be bringing in a suitable replacement for Brad Richards, which will be tricky in terms of funds, as he has departed as a free agent. At the end of the day, the Stars players now know who they will be working for next year and can start to plan more specific work for the summer off season. Glen has met up with the majority of the playing team, and has now completed several media interviews outlining his excitement and the good work ethic he will bring to the group as a whole. One of the main points he highlights is his style of play – a ‘hard two way game’ in both offence and defence.
