Doug Armstrong learned on the job from Bob Gainey, but has already left his imprint on the Stars since becoming the team's GM on Jan. 25, 2002.

Armstrong learned from the masters
By John McGourty | NHL.com
Sept. 22, 2004

Doug Armstrong is in his third season as general manager of the Dallas Stars and is entering his 13th year with the organization. He replaced Bob Gainey on Jan. 25, 2002, and guided the team to its sixth division championship in seven years and a Western Conference-topping 111 points.

Armstrong has put his imprint on the Stars, hiring Dave Tippett as coach and signing free agents Bill Guerin, Scott Young and Philippe Boucher. He also added key personnel such as Stephane Robidas, Stu Barnes and Don Sweeney.

Armstrong is the son of former NHL linesman Neil Armstrong, who officiated 1,733 regular-season games, 208 Stanley Cup Playoff games and 10 NHL All-Star Games. Neil Armstrong was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.

Armstrong's first NHL job was with the Washington Capitals. He then joined the staff of the Minnesota North Stars and later was a key figure in smoothing the franchise's transfer to Dallas.

You worked for NHL GMs David Poile in Washington, Bobby Clarke in Minnesota and Bob Gainey. That's quite an education.

True, but when I worked in Washington I wasn't in the hockey department, so I didn't have an opportunity to work with David as I did with Bobby Clarke and Bob Gainey. For me, getting into hockey and being around hockey all my life was one thing, but to start working with Bobby Clarke was a great honor. Getting to know him and watch him assemble a team in Minnesota that had been struggling but went to the Stanley Cup Finals in his first year. I saw the commitment that was needed every day to get better. It opened my eyes to what I had to do.

What are the most important lessons you learned from Clarke and Gainey?

I traveled with the team my first full year in Minnesota and spent a lot of time sitting and listening to Clarke and Gainey discuss players and the game. They were very open with me around and it was a great privilege to sit in the background, listening to two people I respect. I watched them play as a youth and to listen to them, day in and day out, it opened my eyes to how the game should be played. More importantly, I learned the integrity that goes into the game. If you don't shortchange your beliefs, you have a great chance to succeed. If you sell short your beliefs, you will probably fail.

You started at the bottom and worked your way to the top. How did your job expand?

That first year, I worked in the hockey office, doing a lot of administrative work, not contracts, but all the administrative things. It started to expand after Bobby Clarke left and Bob Gainey became general manager. I began to take a hands-on role in contracts. I was just three years out of college and willing to do whatever they asked me. Clarke allowed me the time to touch and learn as much as I could and it opened a lot of doors for me and let me paint my own picture.

There were a lot of changes after the North Stars played for the 1991 Stanley Cup. Part of the team was split off to start the San Jose Sharks, then there was the transfer to Dallas. How did that impact you?

I was the transfer liaison with (former North Stars owner) Norman Green, getting things set up in Dallas. It was a team effort. One of the big similarities between Bobby and Bob is that you don't feel you work for them but rather, with them. That's a great feeling because you always felt you were part of a team and I wanted to do what had to be done. Everyone did what was needed to make sure the transfer went smoothly. There were a lot of details but it was really enjoyable.

Clarke's return to Philadelphia was a seminal event in your career. How did that impact you?

The major front-office change happened when Bobby returned to Philadelphia. Bob Gainey was coach and general manager our last year in Minneapolis. I took on a bigger role because there was an opening that had to filled on the management side to make Bob's life as easy as possible on the coaching side. I had a lot of interaction with other general managers around the League. That was a product of working for someone in a double role.

If you remember, there were a lot of changes in the NHL in the early 1990s, not the least of which, Gary Bettman became commissioner. The times were changing and the whole game was changing. It was a really interesting time to be part of it. It wasn't the status quo of recent years. It was a great opportunity to meet some of the people I respected like Lou Lamoriello, Glen Sather, Harry Sinden and a lot of other people that I admired. I tried to learn, from a distance, how they were managing the changes. It was a great time in hockey for me, especially at my age and stage of my career.

Bob Gainey is a very gracious and dignified person. How did he influence you?

I worked with Bob Gainey for 10 years and we became very close friends. During that time, he faced a personal tragedy when his wife was diagnosed with cancer and subsequently passed away. The way he handles himself on and away from the rink, I have him on a pedestal very few people will ever reach. To me, he is the one person I admire the most in the NHL, for a number of reasons. His dignity and his ability to treat people fairly and honestly is what I respect the most. He's a great man.

What one thing surprised you the most when you became general manager?

I felt I was prepared, but there is a big difference. As an assistant manager, it's easy to come up with creative ideas but when you have the final say on something that has an effect of someone's career and family, that's not easy at all. As an assistant manager, when we were talking about names, I didn't have to make the final call. As a manager, you realize you are dealing with families and emotions. It's quite a bit more agonizing making trades than talking about them. I felt I was prepared but when I got there, it was a different animal.

Dave Tippett was a very smart hockey player and he did a great job as an assistant coach in Los Angeles, particularly in improving the Kings' special-teams play. Were those big factors in your decision to hire him to replace Ken Hitchcock?

We had gone through a great run with Bob Gainey and Ken Hitchcock. Our team, though, was coming off a non-playoff year. I felt we needed to move out of the past and go into the future. I thought that bringing in a dynamic young coach from a different organization would be the start of a new chapter. I did a lot of due diligence and there was a natural connection with Dave when we talked. The more we talked, the better I felt. I thought we could grow together and, hopefully, we would be together a long time.

What Dave did with the power play in Los Angeles, that didn't hurt. That went into the equation. We had been active in the free-agent market and it was comforting to know he could forge good relationships. We wanted Mike Modano and the other players to have a coach they felt comfortable with. Most importantly, Dave's a worker.

Your father is one of the most respected officials in the history of the NHL. How's he doing and how did he influence your career?

After my dad retired as an NHL linesman, he scouted for 20 years for the Canadiens. He's retired now and still lives in Sarnia (Ont.). He still enjoys hockey and is active with alumni events and charity golf tournaments in the summer in Sarnia and Detroit. Hockey is a huge part of his life. He was impartial all his life, but his allegiance turned to Dallas when I got this job. He has been a great influence on me. I saw the work that went into his job everyday and the professionalism he brought to it. It's gratifying running into retired players because they speak with great respect about his integrity and his relationship with the players. It means a lot when you are respected that much by your peers. Now, scouts ask about my father. There is a genuine caring in the hockey community for each other. That's one of the things that pulled me to hockey and keeps me in hockey. It's a small community, close-knit. When you work hard and you've paid your dues and you're welcome in the fraternity, you are in for life. It's a great feeling to travel with Les Jackson and see how he is revered by his peers. There's a real trust. Everybody has everybody's back.