This past Thursday, the Dallas Stars filled their head coaching vacancy with 1999 Stanley Cup-winner Ken Hitchcock. The Stars opted for an experienced coach, a coach with a serious pedigree, and more than anything else, a familiar face. That familiarity, however, has some fans concerned. Hitch is the guy who made Mike Modano and Brett Hull play defense, after all.
Hitchcock, fearful fans say, could stifle a young team built around its offense. It’s a casting-against-type thing. If your roster includes Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza, and John Klingberg, adopting a grind-it-out mentality could be problematic.