Nieuwendyk Chooses Gulutzan for the Job

The Dallas Stars and General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk announced today that they have hired Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach for the next two seasons. Glen Gulutzan will become the 21st head coach in their franchise history. 

At the age of 39, Gulutzan is the second youngest head coach in the league.

Exactly 2 years and a days ago the Texas Stars General Manager Scott White announced the hiring of the first ever head coach in the clubs history Glen Gulutzan. 2 years and a day later he is now the head coach of the Dallas Stars. Gulutzan was serving as the head coach of the Dallas Stars farm team in the AHL the Texas Stars these past two years. In the Texas Stars inaugural season back in 2009-2010 he and the Stars finished in second in their division posting a  46-27-7 record (.619 winning percentage). When the playoffs came around, the Stars were ready, Gulutzan and his Stars made it to the Calder Cup Finals against the former Calder Cup champion the Hershey Bears. Gulutzan and the Stars would end up blowing a 2-0 series lead and lose four straight to end their season losing in the finals. It was definitely an impressive season by Gulutzan and the Stars considering it was their first season in the AHL. Just last year was his second season behind the bench with the Texas Stars and the second year the Stars were in the league, and once again had another solid season. Texas posted a 41-29-10 record. Although Texas would end up being beaten in the first round of the playoffs in six games in the hands of the Milwaukee Admirals.


Gulutzan so far has succeed in every opportunity he has gotten. Gulutzan first coaching job was back in 2003, he coached in the ECHL for the Las Vegas Wranglers in their inaugural season all the way to the 2008-2009 season. Gulutzan and the Wranglers posted tremendous numbers for those years Gulutzan was behind the bench. In six seasons, they made the playoffs five times, made the Kelly Cup Finals in 2007-2008, and the National Conference Finals in 2008-2009. The team also had three straight 100+ point seasons with Gulutzan. 


Former owner of the Las Vegas Wranglers Charles Davenport who had hired Gulutzan back in 2003 said "This was a matter of time, nobody is more prepared then Gully is. No matter what circumstance was thrown Gully's way, he was ready. Gully's a leader, and I look forward to watching him enjoy huge success in the NHL." (www.lasvegaswranglers.com/).

His last season with the Wranglers was in 2008-2009. When the season ended he packed his bags said his goodbyes and that's when he accepted the coaching job for the Texas Stars. His record in the ECHL is very impressive, he had 254 wins, 124 losses and 55 ties/extra time losses resulting in a .650 winning percentage. In the playoffs he was 67-36-31.

Back to present day, there was speculation going on since last week about the Stars hiring Gulutzan, but GM Joe Nieuwendyk didn't wanna say nothing since the Dallas Mavericks had just won the champions in the NBA. So today wasn't much of a surprise for Stars fans when it was made official today by Nieuwendyk, most of us knew it was coming, it was just a matter of when it was going to come.

"I am very excited to hire Glen Gulutzan as a head coach of the Dallas Stars. Glen is a young, exciting coach who we believe has a bright and long future in the National Hockey League. We were pleased with his development skills and the leadership he brought our young player at the American League level. We fee; he will bring energry and winning attitude to our club. I look forward to working with him as we plan for the future of the Dallas Stars," (www.stars.nhl.com) is what GM Joe Nieuwendyk had to say about his hiring today.

"I am thrilled to be the head coach of the Dallas Stars," said new Stars head coach Glen Gultzan. "Having worked with the organization over hte last two season, I am very familiar with our personnel and that will be a big advantage for me. I look forward to working with Joe Nieuwendyk and his entire staff to build a hockey club that will win and compete for Stanley Cups." (www.stars.nhl.com)

The Stars new head coach spoke to the media earlier today, he mentioned that he wants to make the Stars a two-way hockey club with some tempo. He feels that's the way hockey is today, that defensive hockey is really tough to play against, which is why he would like to make his new team a two-way hockey club.

Now that the Dallas Stars have their head coach, they could move on to the Draft which is held next week on the 24th and 25th and Free Agency on July 1st. And from these quotes from Nieuwy, expect some moves to improve the team "We'd like to improve our defense for sure.... it may be through trade" (defendingbigd). Nieuwendyk mentioned on the topic of improving the defense.

"I think we need a top six forward. Maybe we get there through a trade, too. I think the opportunity through trade is probably more likely scenario than overpaying through free agency" (defendingbigd). This time addressing the situation upfront. So even with no owner Nieuwendyk is doing everything he could to improve the team.

But who could we possibly trade? Grossman? Fistrict? Prospects? Picks? I just hope he doesn't make a lopsided trade on our part. I do have a bad feeling our 14th overall pick is up on the trade block, really hope those feelings are wrong. Whatever happens though, these next few weeks will be very exciting for Stars fans and fans from around the league.

Welcome to the NHL and the Dallas Stars Glen Gulutzan! Glad and excited to have you on board, wish you the best!


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Friday, June 17, 2011

MB

Dallas Stars 2011 NHL Draft Preview

With the 2011 NHL Entry Draft around the corner, the Dallas Stars are looking at their options of who to pick with their 14th overall pick this year in Minnesota. Players that come to mind that will fit the Stars needs and their organization would be players like Mark McNeil, Jamie Oleksiak, Joel Armia, Mark Scheifele, Duncan Siemens and Oscar Klefbom. When the Stars go up to make their pick on June 24th, chances are most of these players will be available. The only question will be, which one will they pick?


 If you ask any Stars fan, the past two first round picks GM Joe Nieuwendyk and the Dallas Stars management have made have been real head scratchers. In the 2009 NHL Entry Draft the Dallas Stars had the 8th overall pick in the draft. When the Stars staff including new GM at the time Nieuwendyk went up to make their pick, Magnus Paajarvi and Jared Cowen surprisingly were still available. Stars fans were hoping for either one, little did they know we would be in for a surprise. "The Dallas Stars select from the Canadian hockey league, Brandon Wheat Kings, Scott Glennie." Those were the exact words that came out of Tim Berhhardt mouth. That's when Stars fans were confused and frustrated after being sure they would see Paajarvi or Cowen putting on a Stars jersey instead of Glennie. 

Dallas Stars select Scott Glennie 8th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft

A year later the Stars had the 11th pick in the 2010 NHL draft and once again two big names dropped, Cam Fowler and Brandon Gormley. Both were available when the Stars went up to make their pick, and every Stars fan watching was excited because they knew that one of the two players would be a great fit to the Stars organization and would help their future. But once again the Stars staff made another head scratching move by picking Jack Campbell 11th overall passing the opportunity of drafting Fowler or Gormley when it was clear that either one would have made more sense to draft considering they had just signed goaltender Kari Lehtonen last month to a four year deal.

Dallas Stars select Jack Campbell 11th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft

Don't get me wrong here, both Glennie and Campbell are both very talented prospects and will be a big part of our future in Dallas if not, in another organization. Although as a Stars fan Paajarvi and Cowen would have been the better choice over Glennie, while the same could be said about the Campbell situation and how Fowler and Gormley would have been the better choice over Campbell. But that's just speaking in the present, it could change in the future. You never know with prospects. Just hope that the Dallas staff and management see something in Glennie and Campbell that we don't and they'll turn out to be something special for the Stars.

With all that behind us, we look ahead at the upcoming draft. Stars fans are hoping the management won't make another head scratching pick and if a big name player drops on the draft board when were up on the stage ready to announce our pick that this time we pick him. Wouldn't be surprise seeing Murphy dropping down, Siemens is another name that comes to mind. Both those players could help the Stars significantly in the future if they do fall in the draft.

If that doesn't happen Stars could really use a good stay at home defensemen, know's how to play physical and could kill a penalty.  First name that would come to mind is Jamie Oleksiak, a huge 6'7 defensemen who has terrific strength, moves well for his size and has great agility and athleticism. He knows how to deliver huge hits and could turn into a solid two-way defensemen. Oscar Klefbom is another potential pick for the Dallas Stars. Klefbom could become a physical defensemen, has great strength and his able to win battles. He's very calm when he has the puck on his stick, makes good decision and could move the puck up the ice well.

Besides defense, Dallas could really use a good center who knows how to play physical, not afraid to go to the net, and is able to play in key moments of a game. Mark McNeil is the guy for the Stars. He fits the Stars needs perfectly. McNeil is a right handed center who you can relay on in key moments of the game to get goals, kill penalties, win a faceoff and play against certain players on the opposing team. McNeil with his size and agility is hard to stop when he's driving to the net. He could win battles infront of the net and in the corner, know's how to use his size and isn't afraid to drop the gloves.

Center Mark McNeil is projected to go somewhere in the middle of the 1st round

Those are the top three players I feel would fit the Stars needs and could help the Stars get better in the future. McNeil the center the Stars are looking for, Oleksiak a good two-way defensemen and Klefbom another solid defensemen, who knows how to play physical and can win battles. Some honorable mentions would be Joel Armia, Mark Scheifele and Jonas Brodin. 


NHL Entry Draft 2011 will start on June 24th and will finish June 25th. Really looking forward for it, and can't wait to see who the Stars will draft this year with all the talent!


Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it! Go Stars Go!!!


Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

MB