Rick Bowness not returning as Stars head coach next season
The Dallas Stars are searching for a new head coach after announcing Friday that Rick Bowness has stepped away from the role.
Assistant coaches John Stevens, Derek Laxdal and Todd Nelson are also not returning for next season.
The 67-year-old Bowness holds the record with 2,562 regular season games as either a head coach or an assistant in the NHL.
Bowness joined the Stars organization in 2018 as an assistant and was named interim head coach on Dec. 10, 2019, after Dallas fired Jim Montgomery.
Under Bowness’ watch, the Stars reached the 2020 Stanley Cup Final losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. Bowness’ interim tag was dropped on Oct. 29, 2020.
After missing the playoffs last season, Dallas bounced back with a 45-30-6 record in 2021-22 and lost in seven games to the Calgary Flames during the first round of the post-season.
Bowness has also served as the head coach with the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and Phoenix Coyotes.