Another NHL head coaching position has opened up, as the Stars announced on Friday that Rick Bowness would be stepping away from his position as head coach.
Rick Bowness will be stepping away as head coach, effective immediately.
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 20, 2022
Additionally, assistant coaches John Stevens, Derek Laxdal and Todd Nelson will not return next season.
In addition, the team announced that assistants John Stevens, Derek Laxdal and Todd Nelson would not return next season.
Bowness, 67, had spent the previous three seasons as head coach of the team. He was promoted from assistant coach to interim head coach in December of 2019 after Jim Montgomery was fired. He helped lead the Stars to the Stanley Cup Finals in his first year at the helm. Dallas fell to the Lightning in six games.
During his time in Dallas, Bowness compiled a record of 89-62-25. After failing to make the postseason last season, the Stars were bounced out of the first round of the 2022 playoffs in seven games by the Flames.
In his career, Bowness has 212 wins as a head coach with 351 losses, 29 overtime losses and 48 ties. In total, he has 2,562 NHL games behind the bench as either an assistant or head coach, the most by any individual in NHL history.
Why did Rick Bowness step away as head coach of the Stars?
It's unclear the exact reason why Bowness decided to step away, as he was fairly vague in statement, but he did cite that he felt it was "best" to step aside from the organization.
Statement from Rick Bowness: pic.twitter.com/x8N4wwXVIb
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 20, 2022
General manager Jim Nill put out a statement as well, praising Bowness' legacy as a coach in the NHL and expressing his pleasure with how Bowness stepped in during the 2019-20 season to replace Montgomery.
Statement from general manager Jim Nill: pic.twitter.com/u11AouCJf7
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 20, 2022
Despite his age, The Athletic's Saad Yousuf reported that retirement is not in the cards yet for Bowness, and he still wants a crack at a job somewhere else in the league.
Also, this fact remains unchanged from exit interviews but at this time, Rick Bowness is not looking to retire. He will explore other opportunities
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) May 20, 2022
Given his extensive coaching resume that dates back to 1982, Bowness could find himself under a new employer as soon as next season.