ET, Bones Home.
The Dallas Stars announced on Thursday morning that Rick Bowness had officially done away with the interim tag and was named the permanent head coach. The NHL journeyman spent the latter half of the previous season serving as the interim head coach after Jim Montgomery was removed for off ice issues. (Which I am happy to say he addressed and recovered, even finding a new start with the St. Louis Blues.)
Bowness, or Bones as most call him, led the Stars to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since the year 2000. Bones professional career began in 1975 and lasted all the way until 1985. At one point serving as a player coach for the Winnipeg Jets AHL affiliate, Sherbrooke Jets in the 1982-83 season. (They finished last in their division and Bones would go on to play one more season before shifting to coaching full time.)
Bones was hired on by the Stars in June of 2018 as an assistant coach. As a defensive genius, Bones took over the duties on the defensive side and tuned the Stars into one of the stingiest defenses in the league. A defensive juggernaut, if you will. Bones would lead the boys in victory green to a 20-13-5 record in 38 games after being named interim coach on Dec. 10, 2019. Including an absolute gem of a Winter Classic victory over the Predators of country music killing Nashville.
Less we forget the epic run by the Stars in the 5-Dollar Footlong, Liberty Mutual Stanley Cub bubble extravaganza. Leading his team to a Campbell Bowl victory and an eventual loss in the Finals to his former team, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
While the details of his contract have yet to be released as of writing, it is safe to say that the team is behind this decision and ready to run through walls for Bones. If you listened to the Spittin’ Chiclets interview one thing is extremely clear. Bones is a players coach. He is married to his methods, and doesn’t look at his players number on their back. Bones sees the name above that number. He sees the man and he sees the mindset that goes into this sport.
Seeing the work he put in with this team as a head coach for roughly half a season, it is safe to say that Bones is the right man for the job right now. The NHL is a better league with guys like him leading men into arenas.
The Morning Skate 