Rick Bowness resigned as the head coach of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League according to Stephen Hawkins of the Associated Press on Friday. A native of Moncton, New Brunswick, Bowness is 67 years of age and now the question is would he accept another coaching offer in the National Hockey League or retire?
Over the last three seasons with the Dallas Stars, Bowness deserves high praise for what he was able to accomplish. The Stars reached the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals in the bubble at Rogers Place in Edmonton before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.
Related: The Tampa Bay Lightning Hoist the 2020 Stanley Cup
2021-22 Season
In 2021-22, the Stars reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs by finishing in fourth place in the Central Division with a record of 46 wins, 30 regulation losses and six losses in extra time for 98 points. By being the highest wildcard in the Western Conference, they faced the Calgary Flames, which were the lowest seeded division winner in the West. The Flames defeated the Stars in a dramatic seven-game series in the opening round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Flames beat the Stars 3-2 in overtime on May 15.
Bowness’s career as a NHL head coach
Prior to being the Stars’s head coach in 2019-20, Bowness coached the Winnipeg Jets in 1988-89, the Boston Bruins in 1991-92, the Ottawa Senators from 1992-96, the New York Islanders from 1996 to 1998, and the Phoenix Coyotes in 2003-04. In 639 games, he had a record of 212 wins and 351 losses. However, he was a much better coach as he went along and one could argue, the Stars overachieved over the last three seasons.
What now?
There were rumours that the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in Bowness, but the general consensus is that Bowness is heading toward retirement. As who will be the next head coach of the Dallas Stars, there is a feeling it could be two-time NHL All-Star Marc Savard, who did a great job this season with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.
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