Dallas Stars' Rick Bowness stepping down after three seasons as head coach

Rick Bowness is stepping aside as Dallas Stars head coach after three seasons, the team announced on Friday.

Bowness, 67, had his two-year contract expire after the Stars were eliminated by the Calgary Flames in seven games in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Assistant coaches Derek Laxdal, John Stevens and Todd Nelson will also not return to the Stars next season.

«After careful consideration with my wife Judy, we feel it's best to step away and allow the organization the opportunity to pursue a different direction at the head coaching position,» Bowness said in a statement. «I'd like to thank all the passionate fans and the dedicated staff for their support and hard work in my time here. It has been an honor for me, and my family, to represent the Stars and the city of Dallas.»

Bowness coached the Stars for parts of three seasons, amassing an 89-62-25 record. As assistant coach at the time, he took over on an interim basis after the team parted ways with coach Jim Montgomery in Dec. 2019. Bowness led Dallas to the Stanley Cup Final during the «bubble» postseason necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was given a two-year contract after that run.

Dallas failed to make the playoffs in 2020-21 but finished in the first wild card spot in the Western Conference this season, pushing Pacific Division leader Calgary the distance before losing 3-2 in overtime of Game 7.

He was the 24th head coach in team history. His .577 points percentage was the fifth-highest mark in franchise history. General manager Jim Nill called Bowness «one of the most respected and beloved individuals to have ever coached» in the NHL.

Bowness has 2,562 games behind the bench as an assistant or