Nill will be patient in search for Stars' new coach

CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Jim Nill has started to reach out to coaches as he searches for a new bench boss in Dallas, but the Stars GM said he will be patient with the process.
"We've kind of made a list of identifying who are the top 10-15 guys, and I'll start to narrow that down," Nill said. "It's not going to be something that happens real quick. Some of the coaches are still coaching (in the playoffs), so I've got to wait for that process, too."

RELATED: [Hitchcock retires from coaching, will remain with Stars as consultant]
That means it could be several weeks before Nill nails down a replacement for Ken Hitchcock, who retired earlier this month after one year in his second stint as head coach of the Stars. This will be the third coaching hire for Nill, who picked Lindy Ruff in 2013 and then Hitchcock in 2017.
Both Hitchcock and Ruff were veteran, established NHL coaches. There are plenty of coaches with NHL experience out there this time around such as Alain Vigneault, Willie Desjardins, Dave Tippett, Paul MacLean, Kirk Muller and others. One went off the board Monday with the Calgary Flames announcing they've hired Bill Peters, who resigned as head coach in Carolina over the weekend.
But Nill, who has not identified any of his possible candidates, said he is considering a variety of options, including candidates from the minor-league and college ranks, noting that there have been some younger coaches who have come into the NHL and had success.
"I am enjoying this process as far as that there are some new names out there," Nill said. "Somewhere along the way, there is another Ken Hitchcock or Scotty Bowman. There is going to be somebody out there, and that's the good part of the process."

Among possible coaches from the AHL are Sheldon Keefe of the Toronto Marlies, Todd Nelson of Grand Rapids, and Pascal Vincent of Manitoba. Texas Stars coach Derek Laxdal could get some consideration as well. College coaches Jim Montgomery at the University of Denver and Boston University's David Quinn are just two who could be in the mix.
Nill wants a coach who will push the Stars to play fast, hard, and be strong defensively. The ability to work with young players is another part of the equation -- a significant one -- but so are other standard staples of any good coach.
"You've got to have the basic qualities. You've got to handle the bench. You've got to handle players, older players, and younger players," Nill said.
"Our game is going to younger players, that is a big part of it. It's the nature of the beast. The way the cap system works, the way our game has progressed, the way young players have progressed."
Nill admitted he'd been an old-school guy who prefers to be patient with the development of prospects, often saying he likes them to be "overripe" before making the full-time jump to the NHL. But times have changed, and Nill said so will he and the Stars.
"I was brought up that you've got to be overripe, but I am seeing more and more young players making that step quicker," Nill said.

"These younger players now have had skills coaches, development coaches, and nutritionists since they were 15-years-old. I think they are more advanced and I think we've got to look at that as an organization, too, and maybe they come in quicker."
While it may be time for a little less time on the vine, that doesn't mean a philosophy of just playing young players to play them. They still must perform and contribute.
"You still have to win games," Nill said. "They are going to make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. The game is fast now. But they still have to pull their weight, and they are not just getting a job because they are 21 years old. They have to earn it, but I think a lot of those players have made that advancement faster than they have in the past."
Nill, who just recently concluded exit interviews with players, coaches, and staff, spent late last week in Cedar Park watching some of the team's top pro prospects as the Texas Stars began play in the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs. He'll also be heading to Denmark to do some scouting at the 2018 IIHF World Championship. Among the players who could be playing there: defenseman Miro Heiskanen, the team's first-round-pick in 2017 who will make the jump to North America next season; Dallas defenseman Julius Honka, who will push for a bigger role next season; and forward Valeri Nichushkin, who could return to Dallas next season after playing the past two years in the KHL.
And in the meantime, Nill will continue to work on the search for a new head coach.
"It's probably going to happen over the next 4-5 weeks," Nill said, "but there is no real definite date."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mark Stepneski is an independent writer whose posts on DallasStars.com reflect his own opinions and do not represent official statements from the Dallas Stars. You can follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.