Ken Hitchcock returning as Dallas Stars head coach, per reports

The Dallas Stars coaching vacancy is about to be filled by a franchise legend, according to multiple reports on Tuesday morning.

Per Sportsnet insiders Elliotte Friedman and Mark Spector and Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw, the Stars will introduce Ken Hitchcock as their new head coach on Thursday morning.

This is a major reunion: Hitchcock coached the Stars to their only Stanley Cup win in 1999 and a second Cup Finals appearance the following season. Hitchcock is still the most successful coach in Stars history, with a 277-154-60 regular season record and a .588 winning percentage.

Dallas fired Hitchcock in 2002, and he most recently coached the St. Louis Blues for the last six seasons. St. Louis fired Hitchcock earlier this year after a disappointing start to the season and years of playoff disappointments. Hitchcock wasn’t going to return, anyway.

The opening in Dallas began just days ago when the Stars moved on from Lindy Ruff. Ironically, Ruff was the Sabres coach when Hitchcock’s Stars beat them in the 1999 Cup Finals.

The Stars are hoping Hitchcock can put them over the top. After leading the Western Conference in points last season, Dallas bottomed out and became a lottery team this season before Ruff’s dismissal.