Howdy, Stars fans.
As we embark on this new journey together, I think I can fulfill the role of J.K. Simmons in those
Farmers Insurance commercials
-- I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two.
That application might be no more appropriate than in assessing the challenge for Jim Montgomery. The first-time NHL head coach will be trying to do some of the same things that Ken Hitchcock and Glen Gulutzan did when they each got their big break in Dallas.
So what can we learn from them?
Heika: To find success, Montgomery can glance at Stars' past
Much like Ken Hitchcock did in 1996, the first-time NHL coach will look to get the most from his support system
RELATED: [Get to know new Stars head coach Jim Montgomery]
Hitchcock went 48-26-8 (104 points) in his first full season and won the Central Division. Gulutzan went 42-35-5 (89 points) and missed the playoffs. The first reaction is to say Hitchcock was a better coach and proved it throughout his time in Dallas. But a deeper look tells you that he also had a much better support system and that probably helped kick off his Hall of Fame career in a positive way.
The Stars had a rocky patch in the mid-1990s, as Norman Green sold the team, Bob Gainey struggled with the dual jobs of GM and head coach, and the 1994 lockout stole any momentum the Stars had gained in a fantastic first season in Dallas.
So when Tom Hicks rode to the rescue to buy the Stars in 1995, a lot of good things started to come into focus. One, Gainey decided to let his minor-league coach take over. And two, the team gained a great deal of cash to make improvements.
In the span of a year, Gainey added Guy Carbonneau, Joe Nieuwendyk, Darryl Sydor, Pat Verbeek and Sergei Zubov. That was a huge boost to the talent level. In addition, he stepped down with half the season left in 1995-96, so Hitchcock was given a really good learning period to make mistakes.
And while that might have been more than enough to ensure a strong first season for the then-44-year-old coach in 1995-96, there was so much additional help working behind the scenes. Gainey had five and a half seasons of coaching experience under his belt and handed Hitchcock two very accomplished assistant coaches in Doug Jarvis and Rick Wilson. Gainey, Jarvis and Wilson were former NHL players and carried with them a quiet calm and experience that filtered down to the players.
It was an incredibly supportive environment for Hitchcock, who needed the backing to make the demands that he made of his players.
Fast forward a decade and a half, and Gulutzan didn't have the same tools at his disposal. Yes, Tom Gaglardi bought the Stars in November 2011, but they were coming out of bankruptcy and had one of the lowest payrolls in the NHL. What's more, Gulutzan started with a staff of Paul Jerrard and Willie Desjardins. While that's what he wanted, the lack of experience among the three showed at times.
Likewise, GM Joe Nieuwendyk was in his third season at the helm, but still looking at things from a player's standpoint. He didn't have the coaching experience that Gainey did to help Hitchcock.
All of that said, Gulutzan squeezed 89 points out of the roster and had a decent start to his career. But the expectations for Montgomery will be much higher, so the support group also needs to be stronger.
It should be. One, the Stars should be pushing the salary cap again, and the new coach has several top players in Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, John Klingberg and Ben Bishop. Two, Stu Barnes is expected to return as an assistant coach, and should offer some veteran insight on the bench. And three, Stars GM Jim Nill is entering his sixth season, and also should be a huge help to the head coach.
Nill hired two of the winningest coaches in NHL history in Lindy Ruff and Ken Hitchcock, so you can understand how he has stuck to the old NHL adage that the GM GMs and the coach coaches. That likely will change now, out of necessity. Yes, Jim Montgomery was hired because of the great work he has done in the USHL and the NCAA, but he's never coached 82 games before, he's never gone head to head with the NHL bench bosses, he's never had all of this technology and information at his fingertips.
So he's going to need a little help.
We're not exactly sure who his assistants will be, but it seems sure Barnes will be one of them. Barnes will play a significant role as a former player -- something the organization is thin on -- and also as a person who knows this lineup. He can give Montgomery tips on not only where a player works best on the ice, but also on what's going on in a player's head. That should offer a significant boost in understanding the talent Montgomery has here.
Just as important, Nill has to share his vision of what the Stars can be. When Hitchcock came in, he was a fan of Edmonton Oilers hockey and an up-tempo approach to the game. Gainey showed him the Montreal Canadiens way, and it was a style Hitchcock adapted for the rest of his career.
Nill has experience in the Detroit Red Wings style of possession hockey. Montgomery also stresses possession, but in a little more aggressive way. They need to get together now and meld those ideas into a comprehensive attack that everyone can get behind.
Montgomery likes to say he steals the best ideas from coaches in all sports, so he should be open to Nill's thoughts.
Nill has had five years to get his players in place, so he should be open to sharing those thoughts.
If history has taught us anything, that's the best way to find success.
And to take this story full circle, Montgomery also will have the wisdom of Hitchcock as an advisor. Of all the people who might understand what the young coach is going through, Hitchcock might be the most qualified.
Like the 1996 team that Ken Hitchcock inherited, the Stars are in a good place. They have the financial backing, the players, and the support staff to help a rookie head coach succeed. That said, they still have to make it happen on the ice.
And that's never easy in the NHL.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
Read more: Jim Montgomery, Jim Nill, Ken Hitchcock, Dallas Stars
