DALLAS, May 16 (UPI) -- The Dallas Stars, who missed the playoffs this year for the first time in six years, have installed former Los Angeles Kings assistant Dave Tippett as their new coach.
Tippett replaces Rick Wilson, who was promoted when the team fired Ken Hitchcock on Jan. 25. Wilson is still under contract with the Stars, although his role with the team is uncertain.
The 40-year-old Tippett played 11 seasons in the NHL and spent the last three as an assistant under Andy Murray in Los Angeles, where he was responsible for coaching special teams. This past season, they led the league on the power play at 20.7 percent, and ranked third in penalty-killing at 86.6 percent.
Tippett also was in the running for the New York Rangers' vacancy. As a left wing with Hartford, Washington, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh from 1983-94, he was a defensive and penalty-killing specialist who collected 93 goals and 169 assists in 721 games.
Prior to going to Los Angeles, Tippett served as coach and general manager for the Houston Aeros of the now defunct International Hockey League. He guided the Aeros to consecutive 50-win seasons and was named IHL Coach of the Year in 1999, when his team won the Turner Cup.
Dallas was 23-17-6-4 when it fired Hitchcock. The Stars finished 36-28-13-5 and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1995-96 season. They had won five straight division titles and the franchise's only Stanley Cup in 1999.
Ironically, Hitchcock reportedly was one of the candidates under consideration by Dallas before he was hired Tuesday by the Philadelphia Flyers.
