Hitchcock inspired players to improve on way to Hall of Fame, Gainey says

The Dallas Stars struggled badly out of the gate in 1995-96, 11-19-9 in their first 39 games under coach Bob Gainey. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, Ken Hitchcock was guiding the Stars’ solid, sharply focused International Hockey League farm team.

As Minnesota North Stars general manager, Gainey had hired Hitchcock in 1993. Now, in January 1996, as Stars GM and the team’s only coach since its 1993-94 relocation to Dallas, Gainey summoned Hitchcock for the latter’s first NHL head-coaching job.

The Stars finished sixth and last that season in the Western Conference Central Division, but under Hitchcock they rebounded dramatically to win the Central the following season. In 1998-99, Gainey in the GM’s office and Hitchcock behind the bench, the Stars won the Stanley Cup. On Oct. 23, 2023, Gainey introduced Hitchcock upon the latter’s induction into the Dallas Stars Hall of Fame.

Here, in a special testimonial for NHL.com, Gainey shares his thoughts on Hitchcock, who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday in the Builders category:

Meeting Ken Hitchcock happened for me in three phases.

First: in the late 1980s, I read a story about an oversized person coaching the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League. Two things got my attention: that he needed the trainer to tie his skates, which might or might not have been the case, and that he was accomplishing great results, which was absolutely true.

Second: in 1993, Minnesota North Stars assistant general manager Les Jackson brought me the idea, the recommendation, that Ken Hitchcock was available and would be a good fit for our International Hockey League farm team in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Third: an interview was arranged and Ken and I met in the Twin Cities. I liked his ideas, I liked his directness. I liked him. Later that day he became head coach of the Kalamazoo Wings and we began an eight-year journey.

The Kalamazoo team had been a disaster in the 1992-93 season, finishing last in the Central Division, out of the playoffs with a record of 29-42-1. With Ken’s arrival, that changed. The Wings won the Atlantic Division the following season with a 48-26-7 record and became a functional, stable farm team for the relocated Dallas Stars.

In Ken’s three seasons with the Wings, the team was successful on the ice and young players were improving, developing. It was a dramatic and much-needed turnaround for the success of the NHL franchise.

Fast forward to January 1996. The Dallas Stars are stumbling, a coaching change is needed. Ken Hitchcock is called. He is ready, he takes control.

The moment he takes charge, things begin to change, for the better. In Hitchcock’s world there are no delays, no hesitating in getting to work. There are no warmups, no TV time-outs, no intermissions. It’s pedal to the metal, 24/7 coaching.

Bob Gainey helps Ken Hitchcock into a jacket during Hitchcock’s induction into the Dallas Stars’ Hall of Fame.

On the day he arrived with the Dallas Stars, the work began that would bring the team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1997, the Presidents’ Trophy in 1998 and 1999, two appearances in the Cup Final and a Stanley Cup championship in 1999. The success of those years secured a place for the relocated Stars in Dallas-Fort Worth. 

There were many people who participated, who played important roles in making this happening: ownership, administration, staff, players like Mike Modano, Brett Hull, Sergei Zubov, Ed Belfour, Derian Hatcher, Jere Lehtinen, Guy Carbonneau, Joe Nieuwendyk -- too many to name, all extremely important, but in my view none more important than Ken Hitchcock.

Ken will be tied to the results, the statistics, to games coached, division titles, playoff appearances, the Stanley Cup.

This is not what Coach Hitchcock does. These achievements are the result of what he does.

Bob Gainey during his time as coach of the Dallas Stars.

He makes each player better, he convinces them to sacrifice, to give up some of their individuality to make the unit, to make the team stronger.

With some it’s easy, some more difficult, with others it’s hand-to-hand combat. The energy and the will of Coach Hitchcock does not rest. Day in and day out he will make the player better, the team stronger -- whether they like it or not.

This is a saying about coaching sports teams that I have heard and remember:

“Coaching is getting the players to do what they don’t want to do so they can accomplish what they want to accomplish.”

Even though they don’t always agree and push back, the players also know that Ken genuinely cares about them as people.

This is the essence of Coach Ken Hitchcock. This is who he is, this is what he does.

This is why he is here, meriting this recognition, being honored with his induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Top photo: Ken Hitchcock waves to fans for the ceremonial puck-drop before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 21, 2023 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. © Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images