While nobody I have talked to has any definitive updates on Tom Gaglardi's bid and the sale process and why it is taking so long (which I think you can surmise is not a good thing), Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk talked today at the Glen Gulutzan press conference about how he views the ownership situation and where the Stars are right now. Here are some of the highlights from his discussions: On dealing with the budget limitations while the lenders are trying to sell the team: ``It has been a challenge, but the one thing I’ll say is we never used it as an excuse. I think we feel that the 20 guys we put on the ice can win any night, and we believe in each other. To me, that’s a big plus for our group. I don’t think the highest payroll always wins. I think it’s a group of guys who care about each other and play for each other, and we’ve built that over the last couple of years, in my opinion. Moving forward, we are going to have a new owner, and we’re going to be positioned to make some noise, because if you want to look at cap hit and numbers like that, we’re well positioned once we get everything resolved.’’(I'll agree that the Stars are well positioned. Recent reports say the salary floor (how much each NHL team has to spend) could be $48 million next season. That Stars have only $38 million commited to future contracts for about 16 players, so they'll need to add seven players and have about $10 million they will have to spend. They still owe Sean Avery $2 million, so that could enter the picture, but I think they should have at least $10 million to spend. As for the theory that teams that spend the most don't always win, I will argue that the teams that spend the least almost never win).On how he feels about his job in building the Stars:``I’m pleased with the way things stand. Obviously, missing the playoffs is tough to swallow, but I think we’re making significant progress. I think we’re moving forward on my checklist internally. When I came here, I didn’t feel like it was a team. I felt like there were a lot of moving parts within the walls of that locker room that maybe weighed on the team attitude, and I think we’ve made big strides in those areas. I think this team really cares about each other right now, and we’re moving forward.''(I do think the Stars are good teammates, and that's something I saw when I was helping cover the Mavericks. That's a great start, but they still have to fill some holes with improved on the ice performance before a great team attitude can make a big difference)On dealing with a time when interest in the Stars is at its lowest:``It makes it challenging, but I’m excited by the challenge. I went to Game 5 of the NBA playoffs and just sat there all night and thought about the day when we could have that kind of atmosphere in that building. I know it’s been there before, but that’s the challenge, and I really believe the only way you get there is through stability and drafting well. I think we’re moving in the right direction. Ownership will be plus, I don’t think anybody can dispute that, I think it will give us a good foundation to work from.’’(I had the same thought when I was watching the Mavericks games.It's a stretch to say the Stars can create that level of buzz, but it didn't take much of a tweak to get the fans excited in 2008, and I think fans will get excited again if they start winning. That's why it's silly to compare this team to Atlanta, Phoenix or Florida. This has been a three-year slump, not a 10-year slump.)On his philosophy that you can rebuild on the fly and that you don't need to ``blow things up:''``I think this organization has done a tremendous job of rebuilding on the fly, and we’re still in that mode. Obviously, there have been some challenges the last couple of years, but we’re working toward building a winner on the fly. We have some good players, we have some good young players, and we’re seeing some players who will be coming into Austin who will supplement our system. We’re clearly on the upside. I think 95 points is an indication of that, and we’ll just continue to move forward.’’On acquiring talent without losing draft picks or prospects:``You're right, in talking to people, most of them want draft picks, so it will be difficult. But I know there are teams out there who are hoping to move money, and we could be in the position to help them out. We're trying to study every option and we're trying to be creative. Bottom line is we have to spend some money, but we still want to spend it wisely.''(The interesting thing about taking a bad contract off of somebody's hands is you usually get a shorter term than if you simply outbid to get a free agent. If you get the right player, then paying a little extra salary to get him doesn't kill you if it's in the short term. Someone like Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell is still a good player even if he is overpaid, so adding an overpaid player can still make you a better team. The question then comes what do you have to give up to help another team).On even if the team isn't sold, can the Stars still be in the free agent game on July 1:``We have to be in the game on July 1. We understand there are players who are going to be made available, and we have to study what their contracts might be and whether they might be a fit for us long-term, because we do believe we will eventually have strong ownership. But, we're not going to be stupid. You have to overpay on July 1, but we still would want to be smart with our overpayments, if that's the case. If the right player is there at that cost ($4 to 5 million) and it fits what we can do, we would jump at that.''(I truly believe the front office is seriously considering spending a big chunk of the money needed to get to the floor on one player, either via trade or free agency. The problem will be convincing that player to sign with Dallas or giving up what is needed in a trade. Either way, though, it could make July an exciting time).

I've had a lot of people ask me why the Stars would go with a young no-name coach, and my response is that's what NHL teams seem to do these days. Yes, coaches like Ken Hitchcock and Craig MacTavish will probably get another chance somewhere, but look at the recent hirings in the NHL _ mostly AHL head coaches. I personally believe either Hitchcock or MacTavish would have been great, but that isn't the trend right now. It's Mike Yeo in Minnesota or Guy Boucher in Tampa or Scott Arniel in Columbus. Dan Bylsma did it in Pittsburgh and won a Cup. Bruce Boudreau did it in Washington and got to the Finals. NHL coaches like starting with someone new. That said, they don't want too new. They want a head coach who knows how to run a bench and run a team. There is a certain feeling that you can't just walk in and become a head coach at the NHL level, and that's why Kirk Muller might not get a head coaching job until he takes a job as an AHL head coach. It's probably why Willie Desjardins didn't get an interview. Gulutzan's contract is unusual in that he gets just the first two years guaranteed and the club has an option on the third. That's pretty much a statement to how tough the lenders are at negotiating. But don’t think that Gulutzan was hired because he is the cheapest option. The cheapest option would have been to keep Marc Crawford around. Joe Nieuwendyk selected Gulutzan because he really believes he is the best coach. It's not an unusual trend in the NHL. OK, I'm heading to the conference call.

Here is the press release. We should talk to him in an hour or so and we'll update you then. DALLAS STARS NAME GLEN GULUTZAN AS FRANCHISE’S 21st HEAD COACH FRISCO, Tex. – Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk announced today that the club has hired Glen Gulutzan (pronounced Gull-it-zen) as the 21st head coach in franchise history. Gulutzan has signed a two-year contract with a club option for a third season.The Dallas Stars will hold a press conference on Monday, June 20, to formally introduce Gulutzan as head coach. It will take place at 11 a.m. (Central Time) at American Airlines Center, in the main interview room across from the Stars Locker Room on the Event Level of the arena. Media parking is available in Lot F on the North side of the arena and enter through the Administration Entrance. Both Nieuwendyk and Gulutzan will be available at the press conference.Gulutzan, 39, has served as head coach of the Texas Stars, Dallas’ primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL), for the past two seasons. He led the club to the AHL Playoffs in both campaigns and coached the Stars to the Calder Cup Finals in the franchise’s inaugural season of 2009-10. Gulutzan posted a cumulative 87-56-17 record (.597 points percentage) during the regular season and a 16-14 (.533 winning percentage) record during the playoffs with Texas. “I am very excited to hire Glen Gulutzan as head coach of the Dallas Stars,” Nieuwendyk said. “Glen is a young, exciting coach who we believe has a bright and long future in the National Hockey League. We were pleased with the leadership he brought our young players at the American League level and strongly believe his coaching strengths will transfer to the NHL. We feel he will bring energy and a winning attitude to our club. I look forward to working with him as we plan for the future of the Dallas Stars.”The native of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, served as general manager and head coach for the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL from 2003 to 2009. He compiled a record of 254-124-55 for a .650 winning percentage, including 100+ points in three consecutive seasons (2005-2008), a first for any team in the 21-year history of the ECHL. Gulutzan took the Wranglers to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2008 and to the Conference Finals in 2009.“I am thrilled to be the head coach of the Dallas Stars,” said Gulutzan. “Having worked with the organization over the last two seasons, I am very familiar with our personnel and that will be a big advantage for me. We are a young team with a strong nucleus and I’m very excited about what we can accomplish. I look forward to working with Joe Nieuwendyk and his entire staff to build a hockey club that will win and compete for Stanley Cups.”In 2005-06, Gulutzan was recognized as the ECHL Coach of the Year. He led Las Vegas to the playoffs in five of six seasons, including their expansion season (2003-04) when the team went 43-22-7 for 93 points. In addition, he was selected to coach in the ECHL All-Star Game three times. He led the Wranglers to the division crown in back-to-back seasons in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Gulutzan has missed the playoffs in only one season as a head coach and holds a perfect 5-0 record in game sevens in the playoffs. GULUTZAN’S CAREER COACHING RECORD REGULAR SEASON PLAYOFFSSeason Club League Gms W L T/OL Gms W L2003-04 Las Vegas ECHL 72 43 22 7 5 2 32004-05 Las Vegas ECHL 72 31 33 8 Did Not Qualify2005-06* Las Vegas ECHL 72 53 13 6 13 6 72006-07 Las Vegas ECHL 72 46 12 14 10 6 42007-08 Las Vegas ECHL 72 47 13 12 21 14 7 2008-09 Las Vegas ECHL 73 34 31 8 18 8 102009-10 Texas AHL 80 46 27 7 24 14 102010-11 Texas AHL 80 41 29 10 6 2 4 ECHL RECORD 433 254 124 55 (.650 win%) 67 36 31 AHL RECORD 161 87 56 17 (.593 win%) 30 16 14 PRO TOTALS 593 341 180 72 (.636 win%) 97 52 45 *John Brophy Award Winner (ECHL Coach of the Year)

Bodog already has the odds out for the 2012 Stanley Cup. The Stars are a pretty respectable 35-to-1. Odds to win the 2012 Stanley CupVancouver Canucks 5/1Boston Bruins 8/1Washington Capitals 17/2Philadelphia Flyers 9/1Pittsburgh Penguins 9/1San Jose Sharks 9/1Detroit Red Wings 12/1Tampa Bay Lightning 12/1Chicago Blackhawks 15/1Los Angeles Kings 16/1Anaheim Ducks 22/1Montreal Canadiens 22/1Buffalo Sabres 25/1Nashville Predators 25/1New Jersey Devils 30/1Phoenix Coyotes 35/1Calgary Flames 35/1Carolina Hurricanes 35/1Dallas Stars 35/1New York Rangers 35/1St. Louis Blues 45/1Toronto Maple Leafs 60/1Ottawa Senators 60/1Colorado Avalanche 65/1Edmonton Oilers 70/1Minnesota Wild 70/1New York Islanders 70/1Winnipeg 80/1Columbus Blue Jackets 90/1Florida Panthers 125/1

Here is the press release: Frisco, Tex. – The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed goaie Richard Bachmanl and defenseman Dan Spang each to one-year, two-way contracts, placing them both under contract through the 2011-12 season.

Bachman, 23, made his NHL debut with Dallas on Dec. 11, 2010, at Phoenix, stopping all four shots faced in nine minutes. He spent the majority of 2010-11 as the starting goaltender for the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Salt Lake City native appeared in 55 games last season, posting a 28-19-5 record with a 2.20 goals against average (GAA), which ranked fourth in the AHL, and a .927 save percentage (SV%), which placed third in the league.

The 5-10, 170-pound goaltender set numerous Texas team records this past season, including wins (28), shutouts (6), appearances (55), minutes (3,191), and saves (1,478). Bachman is Texas’ all-time leader in most goalie categories, going 32-23-5 all-time in 63 appearances. The second-year pro has played 3,637 minutes, posting a 2.19 GAA and a .927 SV% with seven shutouts. Bachman played in 35 games for the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL in 2009-10, going 22-7-4 with a 2.25 GAA and a .910 SV%. He spent two seasons at Colorado College from 2007-09, posting a 39-20-9 record with the Tigers. Bachman was selected by Dallas in the fourth round (120th overall) at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Spang, 27, skated in 77 games for the Texas Stars in 2010-11, leading Texas defensemen in points with 37 (10g, 27a). He also played in six games for Texas during the 2011 AHL Playoffs, collecting four assists. The Winchester, MA, native has dressed in 264 career AHL games, tallying 114 points (26g, 88a).

Spang played four seasons at Boston University from 2002 to 2006 and skated in 146 games, posting 70 points (20g, 50a). He was originally drafted by San Jose in the second round (52nd overall) at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

The Stars have signed defenseman Dan Spang, but it is to a two-way contract, so that makes a lot more sense. The 27-year-old, who played 77 games for the Texas Stars last season, will probably be an important part of the plan down there. The Stars have some important decisions to make on defense, and that's why it was surprising that cap geek listed him as having a one-way contract.Here is their defense right now:Stephane Robidas _ $3.55 million with no-trade clause
Trevor Daley _$3.5 million with no-trade clause
Alex Goligoski _ $2.75 million
Nicklas Grossman _ $1.75 million
Mark Fistric _ $1.25 millionThey have unrestricted free agents in Jeff Woywitkaand Karlis Skrastins, but will not sign them before July 1 and will simply keep them among many options going forward.Brad Lukowich still is in discussions for a two-way contract and would again be a key piece in Cedar Park with the possibility he could have a bigger role in Dallas than he had last season.And prospects Brenden Dillon and Philip Larsen will get a chance to make the team out of training camp.That means the Stars still could go after one of the top-level defensemen in free agency or could wait to fill in with an older veteran after the early big names fall.Adding to the defense could be one of the most important jobs for GM Joe Nieuwendyk this summer, so it will be interesting to watch what he does.

The man that really impressed the Stars in their job interview, got a promotion in staying with the Predators. Here is the press release: Nashville, Tenn. (June 15, 2011) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that Predators Assistant Coach Peter Horachek has been promoted to Associate Coach. Horachek has been a part of the team’s coaching staff since the 2003-04 season, helping the Predators to Stanley Cup Playoff berths in six of his first seven seasons. Horachek has also helped the Predators reach the 40-win mark in each of the last six seasons, while amassing the League’s sixth-highest win total (272) since 2005-06. “Peter has brought great energy, passion and knowledge to our coaching staff for the last seven seasons,” Poile said. “He has played a significant role in our overall success, including the development of so many homegrown players. He is very deserving of this promotion. Prior to joining the Predators coaching staff on June 19, 2003, Horachek served as head coach of Nashville’s primary developmental affiliate in the AHL, the Milwaukee Admirals. He guided the Admirals to a 32-27-14-7 record and their first playoff series victory since 1998. Prior to becoming head coach of the Admirals, the Stoney Creek, Ont., native won championships as a coach and a player. In 2000-01, Horachek coached the Orlando Solar Bears to the International Hockey League championship. The Solar Bears went 12-4 in the Turner Cup Playoffs and Horachek was named the 2001 IHL Coach of the Year. He also spent time as head coach of the ECHL’s Trenton Titans, head coach/director of hockey operations for the ECHL’s Nashville Knights, and as an assistant with Saginaw of the International League. He also served as a player/assistant coach with Flint (IHL). As a player, Horachek held the title of team captain in four of his five seasons with the Saginaw/Flint Generals and won a Turner Cup Championship in 1984. In 545 career professional games, he tallied 188 goals and 238 assists (188g-238a-426pts).

I’ve been helping out with Mavericks coverage the past couple of weeks, and one of the overwhelming themes has been how much the fans, the organization and some key players have been patient throughout this process. They are saying it means more because it took so long and because the key parties had to really work so hard to get to this place. The theme was the same for the Rangers when they made it to the World Series last fall.And that made me think about what the Stars are going through right now.Truth be told, if you are a fan of this team, you’ve been pretty lucky. They came out of the gate on a gallop in 1993 and made the playoffs the first season. There were some bumps with the 1994 lockout and the changeover to Tom Hicks as owner and eventually Ken Hitchcock as coach, but Dallas was a great regular season team in 1996-97, a Conference Finalist in 1997-98 and the Stanley Cup champion in 1998-99.There wasn’t much suffering there.Sure, you can look at past three seasons and even say a good part of the ‘00s were disappointing, but isn’t that what being a sports fan is about? The hockey fans in Chicago suffered for a decade. The Penguins fans had the realistic threat that their team might be moved. Texas Rangers fans might be as hardy as any in sports (although my favorite team is the Detroit Lions, and we may have something to say about that debate). The point is, you have down times. Every team does. And this team is going through some down times.I’m not sure when the Tom Gaglardi offer will be finalized. Dealing with that group of lenders is a real challenge. But it’s safe to say now that it won’t be finalized in time to get into the conversation on signing Brad Richards and it could very well hurt whatever plans Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk might have had for free agency on July 1.It stinks, but it’s part of being a Stars fan right now. You can walk away for a while and come back later or you can soak in the disappointment and tell stories about it when this team is good again.People talk about the Mavericks’ worst days in almost endearing terms now _ a sort of badge of courage that shows they have earned the right to celebrate. That doesn’t mean you can’t be angry or depressed, it just means that there will be a day (or at least should be) when you can look back on this and say that it made this team stronger.A lot of media people at the Mavericks availability asked me Tuesday if Glen Gulutzan was simply the cheapest, easiest hire for Joe Nieuwendyk. I don’t believe he was selected for that reason. Throughout this process, Nieuwendyk has talked about getting a young coach to grow with this team _ and I truly believe that in his heart, Nieuwendyk believes that Gulutzan is that coach. He believes Gulutzan will get better and he will be a coach who could be here for the long haul.Now, the problem with that thinking is that Nieuwendyk wants to win now and in the long-term _ and I’m not sure that’s the easiest thing to do. Will Brenden Morrow and Mike Ribeiro and Stephane Robidas still be in position to help the cause when Gulutzan has a few years of experience under his belt? Will Nieuwendyk spin his wheels trying to add veterans this summer in hopes of giving Gulutzan a team that can win now?Is that the path to long-term mediocrity?They are all worthy questions and debates you should have as fans.There are several fans who question the job Nieuwendyk has done so far, and I understand that. But I am a fan of his, and I think he is the best thing this franchise has going for it right now.That doesn’t mean he is without flaw. He hired the wrong coach in Marc Crawford, and you wonder if that has allowed the past two seasons to be wasted. He made what appear to be smart moves in moving past Mike Modano and Marty Turco, but in doing so he handed a lot of the team leadership to Brad Richards.If Richards is gone (and I think he probably is), that leaves a huge hole in the leadership department. So then was that wasted time, as well?We don’t know the answers to those questions. Gulutzan could become a great coach, Nieuwendyk could tweak the lineup in a perfect manner, and leaders could step up from strange places. I know Mavericks fans and Rangers fans were doubting their teams at the highest level just months before they made historic runs.The wonder of sports as entertainment is you have no idea how the story will turn out. It’s what keeps you coming back and what helps you hang on through the toughest times.At least it sure seemed that way for two other local teams.

Here is the press release from the Stars:

Frisco, Tex. – The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has agreed to terms with center Travis Morin on a two-year, two-way contract ($525,000 at the NHL level; $125,000 at the minor league level; with a minimum guarantee of $150,000 each year), putting him under contract through the 2012-13 season.

Right wing Colton Sceviour has agreed to a one-year, two way contract ($525,000; $75,000). Morin, 26, appeared in 64 games with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, ranking second on the club in points with 45 (21 goals, 24 assists).

He also led the club in scoring during the playoffs with seven points (3g, 4a).

Morin made his NHL debut in 2010-11 with Dallas after dressing in three games and recording two shots.

The Brooklyn Park, Minn., native skated in 80 games with the Texas Stars in 2009-10, tying the club lead in assists (31) and totaling 52 points. Morin helped Texas reach the Calder Cup finals in the spring of 2010, posting four goals and 12 assists in 24 games.

The 6-2, 195-pound center was originally drafted in the ninth round (263rd overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by Washington.

Sceviour, 22, skated in 77 games last season for the Texas Stars, ranking third on the club in points with 41 (16g, 25a). He also skated in six games for Texas during the AHL playoffs, scoring one goal.

Sceviour, a Red Deer, Alb., native, made his NHL debut with Dallas on Feb. 5, 2011, at Philadelphia. The 6-0, 201-pound right wing helped the Texas Stars reach the Calder Cup Finals in the club’s inaugural season in 2009-10. Sceviour skated in 80 games, tallying 31 points (9g, 22a), during the regular season and 24 contests, accruing eight points (1g, 7a), during the playoffs. He was selected by Dallas in the fourth round (112nd overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Phoenx goalie Ilya Bryzgalov waived his no-trade clause to have his negotiating rights traded to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, but don't think that means that Brad Richards will do the same thing. Richards' agent Pat Morris confirmed today that the Stars have asked Richards to waive his no-trade clause, and that Richards has declined under advice from Morris. ``He asked in late May, and it was not a situation that was good for us, and so we said no,'' Morris said of Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk. ``He hasn't asked again, but he understands that we would have to be aware of the situation and it would have to be a situation that would be one where we can see some benefit.'' That means that Richards needs to know the team and the circumstances before he would even consider a move, and that in itself slows the process. The problem is there really isn’t the right situation out there for Richards. Bryzgalov has the ability right now to set out a plan with the Flyers and then help them adjust a very tight cap situation as they move forward. If they can't sign Bryzgalov, then there's no use making some serious trades that would be necessary to fit in the kind of money Bryzgalov is seeking. If they can, the window of negotiation before July 1would allow some wiggle room for Philadelphia. In other words, if Bryzgalov can agree to terms, the Flyers could then start moving players to open up space. That's not a real concern for the people who might be interested in Richards. The Rangers, Maple Leafs and Kings already have space. Teams like Buffalo and Columbus could express interest on July 1 and be able to move quickly. So it's best for Richards to go to July 1 and leave all of his options open. If he were to waive the no-trade clause and go to say the Rangers, what would happen if he couldn't get a contract done? Would that take the Rangers out of the bidding and reduce his ability to have the best auction on July 1? That's a possibility that has to be considered. Some would argue that by going to a team that surrendered an asset to get your rights, you create a deadline before July 1 that could force a great contract offer, and that's also a theory that could be studied. But right now the Richards camp seems to think the auction is the best path. There are others who have been traded and who have not signed. Dan Hamhuis last season was the best example. Bryzgalov could fall into that category this season. Richards does not seem to want to be one of those guys. It's his right to make that choice, so it seems that his rights probably won't be traded before July 1. Another aspect of the Bryzgalov trade is that the Flyers would have to dump some salary to fit him in, and those players traded could fit into the kind of moves that GM Joe Nieuwendyk talked about on Monday. The problem is we have to wait to see just how serious the Flyers are about Bryzalov before we see if they are willing to move bodies the way that Chicago did last summer.

Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk updated the media today and said he is trying to move ahead on as normal a schedule as possible, despite the concerns with ownership. He said that he's not completely sure when the ownership issue will be resolved, but he said he doesn't expect it to get done in time for the draft of free agency on July 1. As such, he said he is moving forward with normal talks and said he would like to have the coach hired by July 1 and will look at free agency as the team has a certain amount of money to spend. He said the lenders were ready to sign Brad Richards to an extension, and that should mean the payroll should go up from the approximately $47 million the team spent last season. “I think our first hurdle is to find out what our budget will be and we don’t have that number yet. We should know that soon,” Nieuwendyk said. ``But by (the lenders) giving us the ability to go out and sign Brad, it says that our payroll will be higher, so we’ll have some money to play with. Some of that will be allocated to the bumps in salaries that we have. We’re looking at free agency, we have our list and the guys initially we want to target. There’s money to be spent and players to go get.”

Nieuwendyk said the Stars will still have a certain amount of caution in the early stages of free agency, because there is a tendency to overpay. ``Free agency year after year now seems to be less and less, because teams are signing their good, young players,'' Nieuwendyk said. ``This year is skinny, but there are some areas that we can look at that can be very helpful for us as far as our depth. One of the things last year, I felt our depth was not good. You look at the teams that have gone through the playoffs here, they use a lot of their people, We need to work on those third and fourth line guys. There's a few big boys at the top, but some of them are going to get severely overpaid and we can’t be in the business of doing that.'' Unfortunately for the Stars, their biggest needs are for a top six forward, now that it appears they will not re-sign Brad Richards, and for a high-end defenseman. Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro, Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn are under contract, and it appears Steve Ott will get a chance to play in the top six, but Dallas still could use a scoring winger or two, as well as a top defenseman. ``I think we need a top six forward,'' Nieuwendyk said. ``Maybe we get there through trade, too. I think the opportunity through trade is probably a more likely scenario than overpaying through free agency.'' As for the coach search, Nieuwendyk said that it's important to get that done before July 1 when th team might be wooing free agents. He confirmed that former Stars coach Ken Hitchcock, Texas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan, Montreal assistant Kirk Muller and Nashville assistant Peter Horacheck have been interviewed and all were impressive, Nieuwendyk said. When asked if he had learned anything from the search for Marc Crawford that he is applying to this siuation, Nieuwendyk said: ``Having been here two years and seeing the players and the team has helped me tremendously. Going back to that process, we were more of a veteran team, and we wanted to go with a veteran coach. This time around, I'm looking for a guy who can grow with a young group of players.'' As for the philosophy of a coach, he said: ``I think we can be an uptempo team and a lot teams are going that route. The game is getting faster all of the time, and I have no issue with that. I think the key is to have enough people to play (that style), so you're not asking Jamie Benn to play 25 minutes a night. I firmly believe you have to use a lot of your people. Depth is important to me, and having a coach who puts a lot of faith in role responsibility is important. I think our defense is better and I think we can play more of an uptempo game now, but we have to have structure.'' Nieuwendyk said the team has had discussion with free agents to be such as Jamie Langenbrunner, Jeff Woywitka, Karlis Skrastins, Brian Sutherby and Brandon Segal. “We’ve talked to them briefly,” Nieuwendyk said. “We’ve asked them to be patient and in a holding pattern.”

A little bit of news on the Stars trickling in over the weekend, and hopefully there will be more this week. The biggest news is a source said that the offer that Brad Richards received before the trade deadline was his choice of either contracts that San Jose centers Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau recently signed. Thornton signed a three-year deal for $21 million that will start in the 2011-12 season. It is structured at $8 million next season, $7 million in 2012-13 and $6 million in 2013-14. He will be 32 when it starts. Marleau signed a four-year $27.6 million deal that started last season when he was 31. It averages $6.9 each season. Richards turned 31 on May 2 and is coming of a contract that averaged $7.8 million. There are many discussing the fact he will make at least $7 million a year in free agency and could sign a deal five years or longer. Neither Richards' agent Pat Morris nor Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk would confirm or deny if this was the offer. Sources also confirm that Tom Gaglardi and his people still are working on their purchase agreement, and that it could be finished by the end of this week. It really is a complicated formula, as they are trying to put together an offer that is fair to them, but also won't allow other potential buyers to get in a bidding war. If the offer is in at the end of the week, the NHL, the lenders, the teams and Gaglardi will try to move quickly into a pre-packaged bankruptcy hearing, which could take as little as 30 days or could stretch on the way the Texas Rangers' did last summer. Everyone involved believes lessons were learned in the Rangers' case, and that this one should go more smoothly.

Lots of Brad Richards talk out there on Sunday. First, Richards tweeted late on Saturday a thanks to Stars fans and a message that he wouldn't be tweeting for a while. ``Thanks to all the fans in Dallas for 3 great years. Will miss everyone... Gonna take a rest from twitter For a bit.... Chat soon'' Then, Larry Brooks of the New York Post had a story in which he said he believes Richards will be seeking a contract in excess of $7 million a season and that might be too much for the Rangers. Here's Brooks: ``The Rangers have heard through the grapevine that Brad Richards will be seeking a long-term contract worth a minimum of $7 million per when the free-agent market opens on July 1, and they've heard it more than once and they've heard it from more than one source. This means that, a) general manager Glen Sather will not be sending an asset to Dallas for the right to try and convince the 31-year-old center to sign before he hits the market; and, b) the Blueshirts already are pondering a Plan B to bring a first-line pivot to Broadway. We're told by well-placed sources Richards has no intention of signing for a discount in order to reunite with coach John Tortorella, with whom he won the Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004. That's fine. If five years at $6.5 million per -- that's the number -- doesn't represent enough green to get Richards into a Blueshirt, then that's that. The Toronto Star is reporting that Richards has been asked to waive his no-trade clause and has declined: Here is their report:``But Richards will not waive his no-trade clause in order to allow the Stars to move him. Rather than let a single club have exclusive negotiating right:s with him, he will hit the open market as a 31-year-old elite centre with a Conn Smythe Trophy to his credit.“We’ve been asked by Dallas to (waive the no-trade). We’ve analyzed it and, to date, we’re not in the position to give any clearance on a trade,” said Richards’ agent Pat Morris on Saturday. “In all likelihood, as we go through the remainder of June, we will not be doing so. It isn’t likely that Brad’s mind will change.” That's pretty much what was expected, so we'll see what happens with Richards on July 1, it appears.

It’s tough to lose one of your best players. You wonder who will replace him. You wonder if he’ll help another team win a Stanley Cup. You wonder how the heck you got to this point.But I really believe there are no bad guys in the Brad Richards situation, just bad timing.You have to cut Richards some slack. He went through a very traumatic time in Tampa Bay, and it clearly had a lasting effect on him. He wasn’t the one who pushed for a five-year contract that averaged $7.8 million when he was still a restricted free agent back in 2006. Tampa Bay willingly offered him the deal, and Richards would have been a fool to turn it down.But then when finances got tight and new Lightning owners Len Barrie and Oren Koules made a lot of mistakes, Richards was forced to waive his no-trade clause and move onto Dallas _ a sort of scapegoat for a bloated payroll.He thought he had found a steady home, but it became clear in the past two years that the Stars’ ownership situation was also messed up. While Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi might buy the team very soon, there’s a very good chance he might not. And what if whoever buys the Stars underestimates just how much money is being lost here. There is a lot of risk in buying a franchise like this, and the new owner might have to try to win on a budget.And if you were an unrestricted free agent with the ability to play anywhere, wouldn’t you want that chance? Let’s be serious. How many of you would make the exact same decision Cliff Lee made? Go to Philly and be a part of one of the best pitching staffs in baseball? Yeah, I get that.Richards is no different. He might not take the most money offered on July 1, but the guess here is he will sign with the team that he feels has the best chance to win.So he really has no obligation to the Stars other than to do what’s best for himself.That’s frustrating to Stars fans, but it’s what most of us would choose.Of course, if you’re not mad at Richards, you’re probably furious with Joe Nieuwendyk. How could the GM ever let this happen? Why didn’t he trade Richards in March and get something for him…anything for him?Well, he did get something _ a run at a possible playoff spot. Had Nieuwendyk traded Richards, he would have been sending a message to the team the future was more important than the present. He didn’t feel that way.In addition, the offers he received just weren’t good enough. Richards was recovering from a concussion and had to approve any trade. That made the deal intensely more complicated. In the end, Nieuwendyk said he didn’t ever ask Richards about a trade, because he just wasn’t that intrigued by what was on the table.So Richards came back, the team made a run, and it fell short. Would the Stars have faded more quickly without Richards? Would that have bought Marc Crawford another year as head coach? Was there a shock to the system for Nieuwendyk and Co. when things fell apart the way they did?And what about a potential sale? Did we believe enough in Bill Gallacher or Doug Miller or Tom Gaglardi to believe there would be plenty of time to negotiate with Richards? It certainly was a possibility.So it seems we should cut Nieuwendyk some slack on the trade deadline decision. He has pushed this team forward in a very difficult time. He found goalie Kari Lehtonen in exchange for a defenseman (Ivan Vishnevskiy) who is going back to Russia. He somehow acquired a 25-year-old puck moving defenseman in Alex Goligoski when most of us would have been happy with an aging Tomas Kaberle. He has been on the watch while scouts have turned up free agents Matt Fraser and Brenden Dillon.He has this thing moving in the right direction.So the team loses Richards and gets nothing in return (and my guess is he will not waive his no-trade clause, because it just doesn’t make sense to pick one team when you could be wooed by five or six on July 1)? That doesn’t mean the Stars can’t be good.They have a young roster, with emerging players like Goligoski, Lehtonen, Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson and Nicklas Grossman. They have some talented prospects who could be in the lineup as soon as next season. They have a ton of salary cap space, and they could have a new owner who allows them to spend some money.That’s a dangerous situation right there.So give Nieuwendyk a chance. Let him hire a new coach, adjust the assistants and take a shot at filling in a couple of top six forwards and a high-end defenseman. You might be surprised at how quickly he can fix things when he has a new owner and can shed the day-to-day uncertainty of the current lender-group regime.It’s a tough thing to do, but you just have to allow both Richards and Nieuwendyk to move forward without blame. Things happen. It is a business. And lessons have been learned.Hopefully, both sides can find a way to be happy. Sometimes, that's all you can hope for.

I just talked to Pat Morris, the agent for Brad Richards, and while he would not say definitively that Richards would not waive his no-trade clause before the July 1 free agent deadline, he did say that Ricards has to do what's best for himself. ``I'm not aware of another player in this situation who has waived his no-trade clause, and I think there is a reason for that,'' Morris said. ``Accepting a move to another team creates an obligation, and you have to be pretty sure about that obligation. I think Brad has to do what's best for himself and keep his options open.'' Richards has worked a long time to earn the no-trade clause and to earn a chance at free agency, and you can’t blame him for wanting to utilize that opportunity. He said that so much will go into his decision, and so much is based on his experience already. ``It is difficult to leave Dallas, because it's a city I really like and it's a team where I thought I would have a chance to stay long-term,'' Richards said. ``But the ownership situation is what it is, and I've been through that before, and it's something that's really important to me. I want to win, and I think if you look around the league, the teams that win consistently are teams with strong ownership.'' Morris said that Richards will certainly listen to any offers that teams are making to acquire his rights before July 1, but that the situation would have to be perfect. ``In a perfect world, you would love to help out the Dallas Stars and let them get something, but it would have to be the right fit,'' Morris said. ``I think that's the best way to view this is that Brad has earned this right and it's not something that should be given away easily. It's a very important time in his career and a very important decision.'' Richards, 31, waived his no-trade clause to be traded from Tampa Bay to the Stars in February of 2008, and he said that was a difficult decision. He said the upcoming decisions would be just as tough. ``I never thought I was going to leave Tampa, so that was a shock, and I really didn't think I was going to leave Dallas, but you have to learn to adjust,'' Richards said. ``This is a great opportunity, but it's also a pretty important decision, so I just have to take my time and look at all my options and see what is best for my future.'' Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said the Stars made a concerted effort to sign Richards before the NHL trade deadline in March, but that it became clear that Richards was not comfortable with the Stars' ownership situation. The team is owned by a group of lenders and is up for sale. While Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi is hoping to put in an official offer for the team very soon, it is unlikely the team will be sold by July 1. ``We felt we made a very fair and honest effort to sign Brad before the trade deadline, but the ownership situation is a real sticking point, and so we have to deal with that,'' Nieuwendyk said.

I just talked to Pat Morris, the agent for Brad Richards, and while he would not say definitively that Richards would not waive his no-trade clause before the July 1 free agent deadline, he did say that Ricards has to do what's best for himself. ``I'm not aware of another player in this situation who has waived his no-trade clause, and I think there is a reason for that,'' Morris said. ``Accepting a move to another team creates an obligation, and you have to be pretty sure about that obligation. I think Brad has to do what's best for himself and keep his options open.'' Richards has worked a long time to earn the no-trade clause and to earn a chance at free agency, and you can’t blame him for wanting to utilize that opportunity. He said that so much will go into his decision, and so much is based on his experience already. ``It is difficult to leave Dallas, because it's a city I really like and it's a team where I thought I would have a chance to stay long-term,'' Richards said. ``But the ownership situation is what it is, and I've been through that before, and it's something that's really important to me. I want to win, and I think if you look around the league, the teams that win consistently are teams with strong ownership.'' Morris said that Richards will certainly listen to any offers that teams are making to acquire his rights before July 1, but that the situation would have to be perfect. ``In a perfect world, you would love to help out the Dallas Stars and let them get something, but it would have to be the right fit,'' Morris said. ``I think that's the best way to view this is that Brad has earned this right and it's not something that should be given away easily. It's a very important time in his career and a very important decision.'' Richards, 31, waived his no-trade clause to be traded from Tampa Bay to the Stars in February of 2008, and he said that was a difficult decision. He said the upcoming decisions would be just as tough. ``I never thought I was going to leave Tampa, so that was a shock, and I really didn't think I was going to leave Dallas, but you have to learn to adjust,'' Richards said. ``This is a great opportunity, but it's also a pretty important decision, so I just have to take my time and look at all my options and see what is best for my future.'' Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said the Stars made a concerted effort to sign Richards before the NHL trade deadline in March, but that it became clear that Richards was not comfortable with the Stars' ownership situation. The team is owned by a group of lenders and is up for sale. While Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi is hoping to put in an official offer for the team very soon, it is unlikely the team will be sold by July 1. ``We felt we made a very fair and honest effort to sign Brad before the trade deadline, but the ownership situation is a real sticking point, and so we have to deal with that,'' Nieuwendyk said.

Dallas Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk today confirmed that the team is trying to trade the rights to leading scorer Brad Richards, who can become a free agent on July 1.

``We have had talks with Brad throughout the year, and he's not going to sign with us unless we have the ownership situation resolved, and it doesn’t look like that's going to happen by the start of free agency,'' Nieuwendyk said.

``So while we could have discussions, it just doesn't make much sense right now. So we would like to see if we could get something for his rights and allow another team to have a chance to sign him, but a lot of that is up to Brad and his agent.''

Richards maintains a full no-trade clause, so he would have to approve a trade even now. And while it might be beneficial to a team like the New York Rangers or Toronto Maple Leafs to get Richards and get an exclusive negotiating window before July 1, it would also be easy to assume that Richards' agent, Pat Morris, would much rather start on July 1 with a clean slate.

If Richards waives his no-trade clause to go to a team and that team gave up a significant asset (say a second-round draft pick), then Richards might feel obligated to sign there. If he waits until July 1 and doesn't waive the no-trade, he has an open auction with more options.

Neither Richards nor Morris immediately returned requests for interviews.

Nieuwendyk is traveling to Vancouver today to be a part of the NHL's Blue Ribbon Committee that studies ways to improve the game. Also on the committee are NHL executives Brendan Shanahan and Rob Blake, as well as Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman.

Nieuwendyk said he expects to talk with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman while he's in Vancouver about the Stars' sale situation and timeline.

``We're juggling a lot of things here, so it's just good to have guidance from everyone involved,'' Nieuwendyk said.``Just like Brad's situation, it's changing all of the time, so you have to be informed and then make the best decisions you can when the time comes.''

As for moving forward without Richards, Nieuwendyk said the team is prepared for anything.

``Certainly, we have understood this was a possibility for a long time, so we'll study our options and see what we can do,'' Nieuwendyk said. ``We've had a lot of discussions already, and we have a lot things we can look at.''

Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk today confirmed that the team is trying to trade the rights to leading scorer Brad Richards, who can become a free agent on July 1. ``We have had talks with Brad throughout the year, and he's not going to sign with us unless we have the ownership situation resolved, and it doesn’t look like that's going to happen by the start of free agency,'' Nieuwendyk said. ``So while we could have discussions, it just doesn't make much sense right now. So we would like to see if we could get something for his rights and allow another team to have a chance to sign him, but a lot of that is up to Brad and his agent.'' Richards maintains a full no-trade clause, so he would have to approve a trade even now. And while it might be beneficial to a team like the New York Rangers or Toronto Maple Leafs to get Richards and get an exclusive negotiating window before July 1, it would also be easy to assume that Richards' agent Pat Morris would much rather start on July 1 with a clean slate. If Richard's waives his no-trade clause to go to a team and that team gave up a significant asset (say a second round draft pick), then Richards might feel obligated to sign there. If he waits until July 1 and doesn't waive the no-trade, he has an open auction with more options. Neither Richards nor Morris immediately returned requests for interviews. Nieuwendyk is traveling to Vancouver today to be a part of the NHL's Blue Ribbon Committee that studies ways to improve the game. Also on the committee are NHL executives Brendan Shanahan and Rob Blake, as well as Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman. Nieuwendyk said he expects to talk with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman while he's in Vancouver about the Stars' sale situation and timeline. ``We're juggling a lot of things here, so it's just good to have guidance from everyone involved,'' Nieuwendyk said. ``Just like Brad's situaton, it's changing all of the time, so you have to be informed and then make the best decisions you can when the time comes.'' As for moving forward without Richards, Nieuwendyk said the team is prepared for anything. ``Certainly, we have understood this was a possibility for a long time, so we'll study our options and see what we can do,'' Nieuwendyk said. ``We've had a lot of discussions already, and we have a lot things we can look at.''

Dallas Stars interim president Tony Tavares confirmed this morning that discussions in the sale of the team are moving forward in a positive direction and that the team could have definitive news by the end of the week.

``There have been some bumps at times, as there will be in these kinds of negotiations, but there has been a lot of progress made in the past week and we're very confident about things moving forward,'' Tavares said.

``This is a process, and there are a lot of challenges in any sale like this, so we're always going to be cautious. But there is a lot of optimism right now for something by the end of the week.''

Tavares would not confirm any of the details, but several sources said that Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi is moving forward with his bid and that the exclusive 30-day negotiating window has been extended.

Gaglardi is negotiating with a group of lenders who began paying the bills when Hicks Sports Group defaulted on more than $500 million in loans in March of 2009. The NHL and Hicks also have a role in the negotiations, according to several sources.

The next step in the sale of the team is for Gaglardi to put forward a signed purchase agreement with details of how he would like to buy the team. That includes amount of cash paid, amount of debt assumed, as well as several other complicated issues in how the purchase will be structured with the lenders and with the NHL.

Gaglardi, the lenders and the NHL would then move to push the sale through a pre-packaged bankruptcy hearing.

The bankruptcy would allow Gaglardi to be free from lawsuits from anybody who felt the sale did not adequately compensate them, as well as allow any other buyer to exceed his bid.

According to sources, Dallas businessman Doug Miller and Dallas businessman Billy Quinn would still be interested in looking at the offer and possibly trying to better it in hopes of getting the team.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is working with Quinn, according to sources. Sources also confirm that at least one other interested party has been studying the Stars' finances and could be open to making a bid that would exceed Gaglardi's.

Detroit businessman Christopher T. Charlton, whose business Charlton Group, Inc. supplies parts to the automotive industry, has had his lawyers looking at the Stars' finances, but he is behind the curve as far as research.

To make sure any potential buyer has the time to study the team, the bankruptcy court (which will probably be the same Fort Worth court where the Rangers were sold) will have the ability to grant a window of 30 to 60 days before the sale is official.

If the window is 30 days, the sale could be completed in early July. If it is 60 days, it wouldn't be until early August.

What will  that mean for GM Joe Nieuwendyk and free agency? The guess here is that until a new owner is officially confirmed, his budget for next season will be close to the $47 million the team spent last season.

That said, the Stars have 17 players (give or take a two-way contract) under contract for about $38 million right now.

So, Nieuwendyk could make a big offer early in the free agent process (which begins July 1) and then fill in role players once the new owner is in place later in July or August.

This is the first entry in our look at possible candidates to become the next coach of the Dallas Stars. Let me say that I have a strange philosophy in regards to the search. I believe that a team gets its personality from the general manager, and that the general manager has to be true to himself and true to what he believes. Thus, I believe whoever Joe Nieuwendyk hires is the right coach. That said, I do have a few views on who might be the best candidate and what each candidate might bring, so let's take a look at the men who might be available for this job. Today, let's start with Ken Hitchcock. One of the mistakes that Craig Button made when he was GM of the Calgary Flames was he decided he didn’t want to re-do something that had happened within the organization. Thus, when he looked at all the available coaches and saw that Brian Sutter might be the best fit, he hesitated because the team had just fired Sutter before Button became the GM. Hiring Sutter back just seemed like something that couldn’t possibly work. Button instead hired Don Hay. That didn’t work out. He then hired Greg Gilbert. That didn’t work out. He then hired Darryl Sutter, and was eventually fired. I tell you that story because I truly do believe that you can’t just dismiss a person simply because he has had his run here. That brings me to the candidacy of Ken Hitchcock as the next possible coach of the Dallas Stars. A lot of people will blanch at the mention of Hitchcock and say it’s just a failed attempt at trying to get the band back together. But what if Hitchcock really is the most qualified coach and might be the best fit? I think you can actually make that case for the 59-year-old who is 534-350-158 in his NHL career and won five straight division championships when he was leading the Stars. First of all, GM Joe Nieuwendyk wants a coach who will make his players accountable. There are few who do that like Hitchcock. He is a master of raising the bar for his team and a master of pushing the right buttons on individuals. If you could make a serious criticism of the job that Marc Crawford just finished, it’s that he really didn’t try to individually motivate his players. He tried to motivate the team, and he tried to establish leaders and allow them the opportunity to motivate, but he didn’t really try to learn what made each athlete tick and get into their heads. Hitchcock will do that.
Secondly, Ken Hitchcock is not a defensive coach at his core. He was raised on the firewagon hockey of the 1970s and ‘80s Edmonton Oilers, and he coached that style while turning Kamloops into a Western Hockey League powerhouse. When Hitchcock came to Dallas, he became a defensive coach because that’s what Bob Gainey wanted. He embraced the philosophy and became very good at it. Still, he always said that you create offense from defense, and several of his teams were among the top scoring teams (and top power play teams) in the NHL. Hitchcock will coach the talent he has and try to find a way to win with it. If that means offense, he’ll coach offense. If it means defense, he’ll coach defense. If it means finding a compromise, he’ll try to do that.Which brings me to another strength _ there are few people who will outwork Ken Hitchcock. He lives for the game and the job, and you will get 100 percent of what he has. Now, for the weaknesses. He very much needs a strong GM. That means that when the players get tired of him or tune him out or don’t want to work as hard as he demands, the GM has to back him. Scott Howson tried in Columbus, but he eventually gave into the pressure of the players and the fans. Hitchcock was trying very hard to instill discipline, but the whole Nikita Filatov deal blew up on him (Hitchcock often scratched the highly skilled youngster), and that sort of led to his exit. That has some people believing that Hitchcock can’t coach kids, but I think he can if the GM will support his tough love. There are some out there who believe today’s young players have to be trained differently, and if you subscribe to that theory, then maybe Hitchcock isn’t your coach. But if you want accountability, sometimes you have to take a rocky path to get there. I personally believe that maybe we’ve lost too much of the old school discipline and need to get some of it back in our society. New Jersey and Minnesota are also interested in Hitchcock, so you might have to hurry if you want him to seriously consider the Stars, and hurrying might not be a part of the Stars’ strategy in the coach-search department right now, so that’s also a concern.But I really believe Hitchcock should be a serious candidate for this job. What say you?

One of the biggest fears of Stars fans is that the uncertainty surrounding the ownership situation will cause this summer to be a wasted one. If Tom Gaglardi’s bid to buy the team takes too long or is somehow derailed, then the ability of the Stars to negotiate with free agent Brad Richards or with other free agents who could fill openings will certainly be affected.And, even now, the amount of patience that GM Joe Nieuwendyk and the front office is showing in the search for a new coach seems maddening at times. There are only four teams remaining in the playoffs, there are worthy candidates out there, so let’s get this thing moving, right?Yet, we must wait as Nieuwendyk walks the tightrope between waiting for a new owner and getting a new coach.One thing that’s helpful is the fact that the four other teams who are seeking new head coaches also seem to be moving slowly. There’s no real news out of Minnesota, Florida, Ottawa or New Jersey about a short list or looming interviews. There seems to be a willingness to wait for all hockey (both the NHL and AHL playoffs) to end and make sure all candidates are available.So that does allow at least a little less stress for fans (and management).I’ll toss out another idea that could allow for a little less stress. Does anybody else think the Stars might have the best coaching job available right now?That might seem strange with the ownership situation, the tight budget and the waning fan base, but I think if you look closer, the upside of this organization is as good or better than any of the other four.If you want to win right now, maybe New Jersey ranks first. The Devils had a great second half to the season, they have solid ownership and appear to ready to spend to the cap. And they have a few dynamic superstars in Martin Brodeur, Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise. The problem is that Brodeur is 39, and you are tied to Kovalchuk for 14 more years. That would seem to create some coaching challenges.Mix in the fact that GM/President Lou Lamoriello goes through coaches like tic tacs, and you have a less than ideal situation. So what happens if Brodeur finally does break down? Where is the five-year coaching plan there?Minnesota is a great place to coach with great fans, but you do wonder if the Wild have painted themselves into a corner with their current contracts. Minnesota has 20 players under contract for next season at about $52 million and appears to lack skilled prospects. Hockey’s Future ranks them 26th in prospect depth. That means a coach almost has to use a defensive system there, which is not exactly what GM Cliff Fletcher was hoping to build.It seems from the outside, the ability to turn the Wild around quickly could be more difficult than turning the Stars around.Florida also is a long-term project. The Panthers have a solid young roster and are ranked fourth by Hockey’s Future in prospects. They also are a bit of a blank canvas, as they have $17 million committed to 10 players for next season, so young can put your imprint on that team as a coach. That said, they also will probably be in the bottom five in spending and are struggling to build their fan base.Ottawa seems the most intriguing destination. The Senators have a hungry Canadian fan base, meaning you could be king if you succeed there. They have a legitimate superstar in Jason Spezza, and some solid support players in Daniel Alfredsson and Chris Phillips.The Senators have about $43 million committed to 15 players for next season, and appear to have a good group of prospects (especially defensemen), so there is the ability to make this team win quickly.The only real concern might be that GM Bryan Murray has been struggling for years to get this team to win, and an organization often gets its personality from its GM. A veteran coach like Ken Hitchcock might be able to push through that, but a young coach would have his hands full. Plus, if the GM that hired you gets fired, well, that would seem to be a concern.That leaves the Stars.They have their own problems with a lack of depth on defense and a fan base that’s not near as strong as that in Minnesota or Ottawa (and thus might not be able to fund a cap-level payroll even with a new owner). That said, they have about $38 million committed to 17 players for next season, and they have some credible prospects in Scott Glennie, Philip Larsen, Matt Fraser and Brenden Dillon (although Hockey’s Future ranks them 28th overall as an organization).I think that’s low, because I think some of these players are ready to help right now. The team appears to have the choice between going even younger or using whatever financial wiggle room a new owner might bring to sign free agents or swing a trade for a big-name player that might carry a little salary with him.The Stars have several 20-something players who appear to be trending up, including Alex Goligski, Loui Eriksson, Jamie Benn, Nicklas Grossman, Mark Fistric and Kari Lehtonen (quite possibly more talent than any of the other four teams on the current NHL roster when you add Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro, Steve Ott and Stephane Robidas). And they have a solid GM in Joe Nieuwendyk, who should be given some flexibility with new ownership.So while we can argue the merits of each team, I do believe Dallas would be near the top of the list for coaches who are seeking employment _ and that could allow the Stars to possibly get a coach or two to wait out the process. That’s a tricky proposition with only so many head coaching jobs available, but I do think Nieuwendyk might have a little wiggle room as he juggles the coach search and the wait for a new owner.Or…maybe I’m wrong.What say you?

In a telephone conversation, Dallas Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk said he has started exploratory phone conversations with potential new coaches for the Stars.

Nieuwendyk said the process to get a new coach could be slow, and said he and the front office are walking a sort of tightrope in trying to get this done.

On one hand, he would like a new owner to be a part of (or at least aware of) the selection process, and with Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi in an exclusive 30-day negotiation window, there is a chance Gaglardi could be the owner by early June.

 On the other hand, there is nothing new this week to be reported on the sale and there still is a matter of clearing the new owner through bankruptcy court _ something that could take the process into July or even later if complications pop up.

``There is an ideal way of doing this, and we'd love to try to follow that path,'' Nieuwendyk said of allowing an owner to be involved. ``However, there also are other factors that will push from the outside and may force a decision more quickly. We've been patient and we've been prepared in other areas as we've dealt with the ownership situation, and we'll just have to do that here. Really, we have to be ready for anything.''

Nieuwendyk said he has initiated phone contact with some of these coaches and that some coaches have initiated contact with him, but he listed as people he has talked to as: Texas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan, Stars associate coach Willie Desjardins, Montreal assistant coach Kirk Muller, former Stars coach Ken Hitchcock, former Montreal head coach Guy Carbonneau, former Ottawa coach Cory Clouston and coaching veteran Mike Keenan.

Nieuwendyk said not to draw any conclusions on that group or anybody that might be missing from that group. He said he expects to talk to a lot of people.

However, what is interesting in the process is that he said he would like to keep his in-person interviews to about three. He said that might change if he has some dynamic phone conversations, but he stressed that he would like to keep his list pretty short and serious.

That said, he will have to play this thing by ear when it comes to coaches who might be interested in other jobs. There are open coaching positions in Minnesota, New Jersey, Florida and Ottawa, as well. So if a coach is interviewing for another job, Nieuwendyk will have to either move quickly or let a coach go.

 Last summer, Columbus and Tampa Bay got in a bit of battle to get coach Guy Boucher. Tampa Bay won that battle, and Columbus ended up hiring Scott Arniel. Boucher has the Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals, and while there is more involved to that than just coaching, there is something to be said for getting your first choice.

Both Gulutzan and Desjardins are under contract for next season, and both are considered serious candidates for the Stars head coaching job, so that may be the ace card that allows Nieuwendyk to be patient. We'll just have to wait and see.

Mike Heika

Give a lot of credit the Stars’ Western Hockey League scouts. Led by Dennis Holland and Shane Churla, the Stars have turned up another couple of gems from the West.After finding Jamie Benn in the fifth round in 2007, the Stars appear to have discovered two very good players in undrafted free agents Brenden Dillon and Matt Fraser. Dillon is a defenseman who already has played with the Texas Stars in the playoffs, while Fraser is a left wing who is advancing to the Memorial Cup with Kootenay.Kootenay just won the Western Hockey League and now moves on to what amounts to the final four of Major Junior hockey. They will play in a round-robin tournament that begins May 20 with Owen Sound (Ontario Hockey League champ), St. John (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champs) and Mississauga (host team).And Kootenay is there in large part because of Fraser, who has 17 goals in 19 playoff games. Those are the kind of numbers that Benn put up before he burst onto the scene and made the Stars straight out of juniors in 2009, but Les Jackson, the Stars director of scouting and player development, cautions that comparing Fraser to Benn is dangerous.``He’s a great kid and a hard worker, but we want to just let him develop at his own speed,’’ Jackson said. ``I really don’t want to make that kind of comparison, it’s not fair to the player.’’What’s more, the two players are very different. Benn is a puck-carrier who likes to dance between defenders. Fraser is a player who likes to find open spaces without the puck. He is less dynamic than either Benn or James Neal, which is probably why he went undrafted, but Jackson said Fraser has great intangibles.``He’s a smart kid, a dedicated kid, a hard worker, just a really good team player,’’ Jackson said. ``He reads the game very well and he understands where he is going to be to have the best to chance to score goals. And he’s a very good two-way player, as well.’’Fraser turns 21 on Friday, so he will be in the Stars’ system next season, and while the team once was thick with high-end left wingers, he could actually be hitting the organization at just the right time. Neal was traded to Pittsburgh to get Alex Goligoski, and Benn is a candidate to move to center if the Stars can’t re-sign Brad Richards. That could actually leave an opening in the top six next season for a scoring winger.Scott Glennie (the eighth overall pick in the 2009 draft who is coming off a WHL season where he had 35 goals among 91 points in 70 games) is a candidate to fill in one of those spots, but he might have a worthy competitor (or a great linemate) in Fraser. A lot will depend upon whether or not the Stars are able to sign Richards or add any other top six forward in free agency. And that, as we have heard on so many occasions, is tied to whether the team gets sold or not (still in waiting mode on that one, maybe some news next week).But, whatever happens, having Fraser in the mix seems like a good thing. Dillon was signed as a free agent from the Seattle Thunderbirds and had a solid introduction with the Texas Stars in the playoffs. Now, he could be battling Philip Larsen at training camp for a spot on the NHL roster.``I just think having any kind of competition is good,’’ said Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk. ``We could have it where Fraser and Glennie are battling in training camp, we could have it where Dillon and Larsen are battling in training camp. We could have it where all four are rotating up and filling in between here and Cedar Park, or we could have all four in Cedar Park working together and getting better down there. We have said all along that we want to get a good push for our younger players and make sure that we have that push down there and up here, so we feel like we’re getting closer to that.’’

He will probably stay in Europe and start the contract in 2012. Here is the press release: Frisco, Tex. – The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed defenseman John Klingberg to a three-year entry level contract. “We are excited to reach an agreement with John,” Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk said. “He is a skilled player and we are encouraged by his development over the past year in Sweden and at the World Junior Championships. We are expecting great things from him as he continues progressing toward the NHL.” Klingberg, 19, spent last season with Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League. He skated in 26 games for the club, collecting five assists and 10 penalty minutes. The Gothenberg, Sweden, native represented his country at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Buffalo, skating in all six games for Sweden and posting a goal, an assist and a +2 rating during the tournament. The 6-0, 158-pound defenseman spent the 2009-10 season with Frolunda’s under-18 squad, skating in 20 games, posting 16 points (3g, 13a) and 22 penalty minutes. He also recorded 9 points (2g, 7a) and 10 penalty minutes in seven playoff games for Frolunda. Klingberg was drafted by Dallas in the fifth round (131st overall) at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles.

The season for Stars goalie prospect Jack Campbell was a lot like the season for all of the Stars goalies _ a learning one.Campbell didn’t play a game in the World Championships in Slovakia (which ended for Team USA on Wednesday), but he was invited by Team USA to be the No. 3 goalie, and Stars goalie coach Mike Valley said that in itself was a great opportunity.``First of all, it says a lot about what USA Hockey thinks of him and what his future with that organization might be,’’ Valley said. ``And secondly, it’s just a great experience for him. To go overseas, to work with the team, and to see what that level of competition is like, those are all great things for a young goalie to experience. I think it’s been great for him.’’Campbell, 19, has had his challenges this year. He jumped from the National Development Program, which plays out of the NAHL, to Major Junior Hockey in Ontario. His first season with Windsor was an interesting one, as he posted a 24-14-4 record with a 3.80 GAA and .884 save percentage (his GAA ranked 23rd in the league) _ certainly not the success he was hoping for. However, he also mixed in some really big performances in big games. After winning the gold medal at the 2010 World Juniors, he came back in 2011 and posted a 1.70 GAA and .941 save percentage and was named the outstanding goalie of the tournament in helping Team USA to the bronze medal.In addition, he led Windsor three rounds deep in the playoffs. And while the stats were not spectacular (9-9, 3.74 GAA, .887 save percentage), the reviews were.``I talked to several people who said he was one of the best, if not the best player for Windsor,’’ Valley said. ``I just think he was challenged and he responded to the challenges, and that’s all you can ask of an athlete at his age.’’While a decision has not been made yet on where Campbell might play next season, the odds are he will return to Windsor and get another season in the OHL. Andrew Raycroft is under contract for another season with the Stars, and it appears Richard Bachman and Tyler Beskorowany are set to return as a goaltending duo with the Texas Stars.``I’m not a fan of rushing young players. I think you need to take your time,’’ said Valley. ``I think if you look at someone like (Kari Lehtonen), you see that he’s still maturing and learning new lessons every day, and that he’s more open to those lessons now. It’s a process, and you want to make sure you put in the work along the way.’’Valley said it will be good for Campbell to get a little down time and rest, but he expects him to be more than ready for next season.``He's not a guy who likes to sit still much, so I'm sure he'll be back at it pretty quickly,'' Valley said.

In watching Vancouver methodically take care of two pretty solid opponents in Chicago and Nashville (and in watching the Mavericks surprise the NBA), I started thinking about the Stars and whether or not it would have been a good thing if they would have made the playoffs.After all, they were one game away from making it. They pretty much should have been in the playoffs this season by beating Minnesota in that final game. So would that have benefitted the team in the long run to get some post-season experience?On one hand, you have to say it would have been a huge boost. You look at the buzz the Mavericks are feeling right now, and you ponder the amazing turnaround a team can experience in the playoffs. But even if that miracle didn’t take place for the Stars, could they have at least seen some of the same excitement that was felt in Anaheim or Phoenix or Nashville. Those cities are battling many of the same problems Dallas is facing, and even a quick playoff run seemed to at least create a small amount of hockey fever (and, in the case of Nashville, a large amount).With Dallas averaging 15,073 fans a game, any help has to push the needle a little higher, right?And, on the ice, there also is the thought this could have been a positive thing. First, Kari Lehtonen needs to get playoff experience. The man who is now the Stars’ No. 1 goalie has played two NHL playoff games. He went 0-2 with Atlanta in 2006-07 and posted a 5.59 GAA. He was so disappointing that twice the Thrashers went to backup goalie Johan Hedberg in the playoffs. And this came after he had a fantastic regular season at 34-24-9 with a 2.79 GAA, so it’s clear that a good regular season doesn’t mean much once you get to the playoffs.Lehtonen is in much better shape than he has ever been and is probably more mature, but it sure would have been nice to see how he responded to playoff pressure. He has a 16-10 record in the AHL playoffs and posted GAA’s of 2.08 in 2003 and 1.70 in 2004, so there is that…but…he needs time in the NHL playoffs.In addition, Jamie Benn and Tom Wandell have yet to play in the NHL playoffs, Mark Fistric has nine games, Nick Grossman has 18 and Loui Eriksson has 22. Experience is the best teacher for the younger players.And lastly, if you really are going to make a five-year (or more) investment in Brad Richards, wouldn’t it have been nice to have a fresh playoff memory to base the future on? I can tell you that several players in other NHL cities are being looked at in different ways after their recent playoff performances.Now, as for the other hand, you can argue that they probably are better off not making the playoffs. Do you really think they could have beat the Canucks or put up a good fight? They were swept by Vancouver 4-0-0 in the regular season and were outscored 20-5. That could have actually been an awful series that lowered the interest in the Stars even more. Plus, you could have had the ignominy of empty playoff seats at AAC. Phoenix and LA had a couple of hundred empty seats for their playoff games, and the Stars had an announced crowd of 15,105 for their final home game, so there is a real chance the building could have looked very bad in Game 3 or 4 of the playoffs.In addition, any extra money gained at the end of the season could have allowed the lenders to be a little more picky. As it was, the final flop spurred the lenders to get more serious about unloading the team. Since everything that involves this team seems to revolve around getting a new owner, any movement forward has to be seen as a positive.And lastly, it forced Joe Nieuwendyk to make the decision to fire Marc Crawford. Now, you can say a quick exit would not have changed this decision, but you just don’t know until you watch the team perform. How much has Rick Carlisle’s job status changed in the past month? How is Ron Washington looking these days?Of course, the coaching change will only be a positive if Joe Nieuwendyk picks the right coach, but at least you have the organization getting the time to study every aspect of operations and ask a lot of tough questions to prepare for the hiring.With all of that information, I still tend to lean toward the fact that it would have been better to win that last game in Minnesota and take your chances in the playoffs. I just think there are enough people who are going to be here for the foreseeable future who could have benefitted from even one series. Remember, Nieuwendyk has never gone through an NHL playoff as a GM. Willie Desjardins, Stu Barnes and Mike Valley have never been through an NHL playoff as coaches. There is a dynamic where people learn about themselves when placed under heavy pressure.There is a real possibility that the Stars needed to receive a hard message that more work is needed, and that message was delivered clearly this season, but I still think they could have taken plenty of energy into the off-season with maybe a more positive message.What say you?

The Dallas Business Journal consulted an economic expert who told them the Stars could, maybe, possibly, move, so the Stars had to refute that story today. In the story, Todd Jewell, a sports economist at the University of Texas said: “There’s some thought that the NHL has overreached in the southern United States, especially in the southwest. These teams are not doing as well as the NHL had hoped. This isn’t enough of a hockey hotbed to put up with a team that’s not always in the playoffs.”He added: “Hockey is Canada’s national sport and it irks Canadians a little bit that the majority of NHL teams are in the United States and the U.S. doesn’t appreciate the sport as much as Canadians.” Stars interim president Tony Tavares, who initially declined comment for the story because it was about the sale of the Stars, issued this statement: “Any opinion or rumor that it is even possible for the Dallas Stars to move from North Texas is unequivocally untrue. The Dallas Stars are not moving. The team’s current contractual agreements with both the City of Dallas and American Airlines Center prohibits the Stars from moving.” Tavares added, “While I cannot get into the details of the sale of the team, I can say that the process is ongoing and we are hopeful to have new ownership for the Dallas Stars soon.” The Stars issued a couple of facts with the Tavares statement: The contractual facts: The Dallas Stars have a contractual obligation (Non-Relocation Agreement) with the AAC lenders that would prevent the team from being moved until at least 2023. The Stars also have a Location Agreement with the City of Dallas that the team could not be moved until at least 2031. After that, there is a series of 10 one-year lease options that are designed to be attractive enough financially as to avert the movement of the team to a new facility during that period. From a logical standpoint, there are several other teams who could be moved before the Stars. Forbes put their franchise value at $227 million in November and one of our sources said Tom Gaglardi's offer to buy the Stars is in excess of $250. You could buy Phoenix or Atlanta for a lot less if you were looking to move a team. There are also other teams in worse financial shape than the Stars.

The IIHF World Championships will be held in Slovakia this year, starting April 30. While rosters are changing, it appears only three Stars players will participate _ Loui Eriksson, Nicklas Grossman and Tom Wandell, all for Sweden. Several others, including Alex Goligoski for Team USA and Jamie Benn for Canada, were invited, but will not participate to rest injuries. Versus will televise several of the game. Here is their press release: NEW YORK (April 27, 2011) — VERSUS will air at least eleven games during the 75th Annual Men’s International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships, beginning on Saturday, April 30, at 10 a.m. ET when team USA faces off against Austria in the preliminary round live from Bratislava, Slovakia. This will mark the first time VERSUS will televise the round-robin tournament. The network will air a substantial amount of the games throughout the 16-day tournament, including four preliminary- round games, at least three qualification-round games and at least one quarterfinal game. The network will air every game the U.S. team plays if they advance past the first round, but regardless of how far they go, VERSUS will also televise both semifinal games on May 13 and the Gold Medal contest on May 15. VERSUS will also produce pre, intermission and post-game updates from the network’s Stamford, Conn., studio, providing viewers with expert analysis of the games before, during and after the hockey action. Bill Pidto and Matt Loughlin will alternate as hosts for the studio show along with Zach Parise, current New Jersey Devils left winger and member of the U.S. Olympic Team that won the silver medal in Vancouver last February. There are a total of 16 teams participating in the round-robin tournament which are placed in four groups to play in the preliminary round. The top three teams in each group will advance to the qualification round, while the last team in each group competes in the relegation round, where the top two teams will automatically qualify for the next year’s World Championships. Preliminary round groups:Group A (Bratislava): Russia, Slovakia, Germany, SloveniaGroup B (Košice): Canada, Switzerland, Belarus, FranceGroup C (Košice): Sweden, United States, Norway, AustriaGroup D (Bratislava): Finland, Czech Republic, Latvia, DenmarkVERSUS’ preliminary round coverage of the 2011 World Championships is as follows (all times ET, subject to change): Saturday, April 30 USA-Austria (Live) 10 a.m. Monday, May 2 USA-Norway (Live) 10 a.m.Tuesday, May 3 Canada-Switzerland TBDWednesday, May 4 USA-Sweden TBD

Here is the press release: DALLAS STARS SIGN DEFENSEMAN PATRIK NEMETH TO ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACT FRISCO, Tex. -- The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed defenseman Patrik Nemeth to a three-year entry-level contract. Nemeth was Dallas’ second round selection (No. 41 overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Nemeth, 19, played for AIK of the Swedish Elite League this season, skating in 38 games and recording one goal, six assists and 18 penalty minutes. The 6-3, 212-pound defenseman played for Team Sweden at the 2011 World Junior Championship, appearing in six games and posting one assist, two penalty minutes and a +1 rating, helping his team to a fourth-place finish.

“Patrik is a very promising prospect in our system,” said Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk. “He is a solid and physical player on the defensive side of the ice. We are looking forward to watching him develop as his career progresses.”
The Stockholm, Sweden, native spent the majority of 2009-10 playing for AIK’s junior club, accruing 20 points (1g, 19a) and 120 penalty minutes in 38 games. He also played for AIK Elite team during that season, dressing in 16 games for the club and recording three assists, eight penalty minutes and a +7 rating. He represented Sweden again in 2009-10 at the 2010 U-18 World Championships, where he skated in six games and posted two assists.

During the off-season we try to address Newsletter questions on the blog, so here's a timely question with Phoenix getting swept by Detroit last night: Q: So when Phoenix gets booted, will the NHL immediately announce their move to Winnipeg? And any chance we get out of the Pacific Division? Zach MIKE HEIKA: I think the NHL will give the Coyotes every chance to stay. The TV people like the Phoenix market, and I think the NHL has commited itself to try to do everything it can to keep that market alive. That said, they have hit a real brickwall in the Goldwater Institue, and there might be no way around the fact that the Goldwater Institute will try to block the City of Glendale from using taxpayer money _or at least that much taxpayer money (it's been reported they want to guarantee the city will cover losses up to $100 million) _ to prop up the Coyotes. If the Coyotes do move to Winnipeg, the guess is that Winnipeg will move into the Northwest Division and that Colorado will move into the Pacific, so the Stars would remain in the Pacific and simply play the Avalanche twice more per season. The best chance for the Stars to get out of the Pacific would be if Phoenix stayed, Atlanta moved to Winnipeg (supposedly a realistic option) and then Detroit or Columbus moved into the East. If that happened, it would open up a spot in the Central, and Dallas would be the perfect fit.

Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi has become the leading candidate to buy the Stars, according to two sources close to the sale of the team, and could become the stalking horse in what could eventually become an organized bankruptcy case that would allow the exchange of the ownership from a group of lenders led by Monarch Investments. The bankruptcy case could be necessary to make a clean separation from the complicated group of lenders (some who will not be compensated) and new ownership. The bankruptcy court would allow other buyers to outbid Gaglardi, but they would have to do so by a stated amount, and Gaglardi would receive compensation if he does not get the team. So how could Gaglardi help the Stars? Well, he's young (43) and well-heeled (his family owns one of the largest hotel/restaurant corporations in Canada _ Northland Properties), and his mother is from Texas, so he is very familiar with the area and the Stars. He is also a huge hockey fan, is the lead owner of a group that owns the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League, and tried to buy the Vancouver Canucks in 2004. So with a Stars team that spent about $47 million in player payroll last season (ranking in the bottom five in the NHL), any increase in payroll would be a huge boost. The salary cap is expected to go to $63 million next season, and the floor would then be at $47 million. The Stars now have 17-18 players (depending on who plays in the minors and who plays in the NHL) under contract for about $38 million. If Gaglardi could approve a payroll of around $55 million, the Stars could have about $17 million to spend on 5-6 players. Now, that won't be as simple as it sounds. The lenders lost about $15 million this year spending $47 million on players, and the NBA lockout (if it lasts all season) could cost the Stars more than $5 million in lost revenue from the American Airlines Center. If a new owner wants to spend $55 million, there is an NBA lockout, and ticket sales don't increase, a new owner could potentially lose $28 million next season alone. That's one of the reasons it's been so difficult to get a buyer to commit to this team. But just as important as any money a new owner could put in, Gaglardi could bring to an end the twisting in the wind that Stars fans have had since Hicks Sports Group defaulted on more than $500 million in loans in March of 2009. Attendance was down more than 2,000 fans per game this season, from 17,215 in 2009-10 (ranking 17th in the NHL) to 15,073 this season (ranking 23rd). Part of that drop was in the way the Stars announce attendance figures and the fact new management was not giving away as many tickets, but it is a chilling reality that the Stars simply are not as popular as they once were in this area. They have missed the playoffs three years in a row, and this will probably be a tough sell for season tickets for next season. What the Stars are hoping is that fans see the transition to a younger brand of players (including Jamie Benn, Kari Lehtonen and Alex Goligoski), and that they will be invigorated by a new owner and a new coach. Gaglardi has deep ties to Kamloops, B.C., as he spends a lot of time there in the summer and he is in an ownership group with former Blazers players Darryl Sydor, Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan and Mark Recchi. That means he's pretty familiar with former Stars (and former Kamloops) coach Ken Hitchcock, who has been mentioned as a candidate for the open coaching position. Nobody really knows how Gaglardi feels about this, because he is declining comment. He did the same thing when it was rumored he was trying to buy the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009 and he did the same thing when I asked him about first becoming a candidate to buy the Stars. So, we'll just have to speculate as to how he feels about all of this. But the Stars would clearly like to have the ownership situation resolved by July 1 (to address both Brad Richards' pending free agency and to see if they can get into the market for any available players), and Joe Nieuwendyk might not be ready to hire a coach before then, so new ownership could definitely have a say in the choice. A couple of things that will turn up on a google search that might concern fans about Gaglardi is the fact that when he was rumored to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers, several papers said he wanted to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario. He can’t do that with the Stars, and he would not want to. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said last year there is zero chance the Stars will move, and Forbes has them listed as the 10th most valuable team in the NHL at $228 million. They gain a great deal of their value from the American Airlines Center, and while ticket sales are down, North Texas can be a lucrative sports market. What's more, the team is primed for an extension to their regional television contract, which ends in 2013. The Stars are here to stay. Another thing that will turn up is the fact Gaglardi was involved in a long lawsuit over ownership of the Canucks. Gaglardi and Ryan Beedie felt they were part of a group with the Aquilini family in pursuing the Canucks in the early 2000s. The Aquilini's went out on their own and brokered a deal with then owner John McCaw and eventually took ownership of the team in 2004. Gaglardi and Beedie sued, saying they were eliminated from a legal partnership. But after the case eventually reached the British Columbia Supreme Court, it was ruled in 2008 that no partnership existed. And finally, the most recent google-worthy story concerning Gaglardi was a controversy with the Blazers, where the team last season banned longtime beat reporter Greg Drinnan of the Kamloops Daily News so he could not talk to players and management or coaches would not answer his questions. The team was upset with what they perceived to be negative reporting by Drinnan. The ban was quickly rescinded, but it made big news in Canada. Maybe more interesting as far as the Blazers are concerned is the fact the River City group (Gaglardi and the four players) has not been able to restore the team to its past glory. Kamloops missed the playoffs this season and has not advanaced past the first round since the River City group bought the team in 2007. All of that being said, Gaglardi has been diligent in trying to make the lenders happy and seems very excited about helping make the Stars a good team, so we'll see how this plays out. The skeptic in me says that we have to wait all of this out, and this is just one step forward in the process…but it is a step forward.

The Texas Stars took a 3-1 win Saturday in Game 2 of their best-of-seven first round AHL playoff series. Richard Bachman had 29 saves to lead the way. The Texas Stars now head to Cedar Park for Gmes 3-5 in the 2-3-2 format. Here is the press release:Milwaukee, WI – The Texas Stars (1-1) defeated the Milwaukee Admirals (1-1) 3-1 in Game 2 of the West Division Semifinal on Saturday night in front of 6,819 fans at the Bradley Center. Trailing 1-0 heading into the second period, the Stars scored the final three goals to tie the series 1-1. Texas goalie Richard Bachman (1-1) stopped 29 shots in his first career Calder Cup Playoff victory. Texas centers Travis Morin and Aaron Gagnon, as well as defenseman Philip Larsen each had a goal in the win. Right wing Raymond Sawada set up the final two goals for the Stars. Milwaukee goalie Jeremy Smith (1-1) made 26 saves in the defeat. Defenseman Teemu Laakso scored the Admirals’ lone goal. The series shifts to Cedar Park Center for Game 3 at 7:30 PM on Tuesday.Milwaukee capitalized on its third power play of the night at 11:17 of the opening frame. The Admirals pushed ahead with a five-on-three, power-play goal by defenseman Teemu Laakso. Fellow defender Roman Josi set up Laakso, who blasted a one-timer through traffic and past Stars goalie Richard Bachman. Gabriel Bourque also added an assist on the only goal of the first period and a 1-0 Milwaukee lead. The Stars scored two goals in less than three minutes in the later half of the second period, claiming their first lead of the night. Texas defenseman Philip Larsen started the rally, redirecting a centering pass into the back of the Milwaukee net. Larsen’s first career Calder Cup Playoff goal was set up Travis Morin and Raymond Sawada. The power-play goal tied the game 1-1. Just 2:42 later, Texas beat Milwaukee goalie Jeremy Smith a second time to take a 2-1 lead. Aaron Gagnon tipped a loose puck in the Admirals’ crease past Smith for his second goal of the playoffs at 15:34 of the second period. Defenseman Brendan Dillon and right wing Tomas Vincour each had their first career Calder Cup Playoff points with an assist on the play. In the third period, Texas added an insurance goal at 4:03 with a power-play tally by center Travis Morin. Raymond Sawada made a nifty pass from behind the net to set up the goal by Morin, his first of the playoffs. Defenseman Dan Spang added an assist on the play that pushed Texas in front 3-1. West Division semifinal (best of seven)Texas and Milwaukee RadioGame 1: Texas 2 at Milwaukee 5 1530 AMGame 2: Texas 3 at Milwaukee 1 (Series tied 1-1) 1530 AMGame 3: Milwaukee at Texas on Tuesday, April 19 at 7:30 PM 1530 AMGame 4: Milwaukee at Texas on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:30 PM 1530 AMGame 5: Milwaukee at Texas on Friday, April 22 at 7:30 PM 1530 AMGame 6: Texas at Milwaukee on Monday, April 25 at 7:00 PM –X 1530 AMGame 7: Texas at Milwaukee on Tuesday, April 26 at 7:00 PM –X 1530 AMX – If Necessary The Texas Stars will host Game 3 on Tuesday, April 19th at 7:30 PM and Game 4 on Wednesday, April 20th at 7:30 PM at Cedar Park Center. Tuesday night is an H-E-B Night, as fans may bring any H-E-B branded non-perishable food item to the Cedar Park Center box office for a $5.00 discount. All three homes games will be 3-2-1 nights, with $3.00 domestic drafts, $2.00 sodas and $1.00 hot dogs. Game 5 is Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 PM at Cedar Park Center. The best of seven series shifts to Milwaukee for Game 6 and Game 7 if needed. Fans looking for tickets to see the Stars defend their Western Conference crown may call 512 GO-STARS to purchase a playoff strip, which includes tickets for every Texas Stars playoff home game at Cedar Park Center. Fans looking to purchase individual game tickets may do so online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling TicketMaster at (800) 745-3000.

Kari Lehtonen said that when he left the Stars at the end of last season, he weighed 230 pounds, and that as he leaves them this spring, he weighs 210 pounds. ``That's a big difference, and I definitely feel the difference and feel better,'' Lehtonen said. ``So now I just have to keep it up.'' The 6-foot-4 Lehtonen has had problems with conditioning and weight in his NHL career. The second overall pick in 2002, Lehtonen acquired a fondness for fast food when he came to North America from Finland to play for the Atlanta Thrashers. His weight and conditioning became a concern for Lehtonen when he battled injuries in 2007-08 and 2008-09, and they became a huge issue when he had to have two back surgeries and missed most of the 2009-10 season. He played 12 games with the Stars after a trade from Atlanta in February, and then went through a big program of diet, conditioning and stretching over the summer and into this season under the guidance of the Stars. He ended up playing a career-high 69 games this season and started the final 23 games for Dallas. He posted a 34-24-11 record with a 2.55 GAA and .914 save percentages, numbers that were the best in his career. ``That was a good thing,'' Lehtonen said. ``It was a big goal for me to play a lot, and it was good to see it happen. I think it was a big step forward.'' He added when asked about his numbers: ``It’s hard to think about, because you wish you were still playing. But If you would have asked me at the beginning of the season if I would have been happy with these numbers I have, then yes I would have been happy. There’s room for improvement, but I think this was a good year.'' Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said he expects Lehtonen to get even better. ``We know he’s durable, we know he’s a good goaltender,'' Nieuwendyk said. ``I think the challenge for him going forward is he will have to take the steps to become one of the top goaltenders, and maybe the top goaltender, in the leaguee. He has the mentality to do that.’’ Lehtonen, 27, said he is fine with that pressure. ``I’m coming into that age where most of the goalies are at their best,'' he said. ``Hopefully, I can raise my game and become one of the top goalies.''

When Ed Belfour entered free agency in 1997, he did so with a few scars.Not only had his contract negotiations with the Chicago Blackhawks gone poorly, but other contract negotiations for Chicago teammates were going poorly, as well. A Blackhawks teams that had made it to the Western Conference finals in 1995 was all of the sudden falling apart. Bernie Nicholls was let go and Joe Murphy quickly followed. Then, the big names started falling. Jeremy Roenick was traded to Phoenix, Belfour to San Jose, and eventually, Chris Chelios was dealt to the hated Red Wings.If you ever wanted to get Belfour really worked up, you could start a conversation about how good that Chicago team would have been had they just kept it together.I tell you that story, because it’s the same thing that happened to Brad Richards.He and good buddies Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2004. The Lightning had a core of great, young players and should have been a Stanley Cup contender for the next six to seven years or longer. But ownership struggled with the financial end of the deal, and the team fell apart. Goaile Nikolai Khabibulin was lost in the first summer to free agency. Then came the trades and the extended ownership issues. Eventually, the Lightning moved most of the team, including playoff MVP Richards and top-level defenseman Dan Boyle.``Within three years, there were maybe three guys left from a Cup winning team,’’ Richards said. ``That’s not how you want to build.’’This story is important, because there’s a very good chance that Richard will do exactly what Belfour did back in 1997. After being traded to San Jose, Belfour decided he wanted to play for a winner. So he scouted the best teams in need of a goalie, and he told his agent to get on the phone. Belfour’s first choice was Dallas, his second was Philadelphia. The Stars were interested, and quickly signed Belfour to a three-year, $10 million contract _ a pretty reasonable deal at the time. A young and building Sharks team offered $10.5 million, but it was clear that Belfour was seeking something besides the most money.And the guess is that Richards will do the same thing this summer. The Stars’ leading scorer for the past two seasons, Richards made it clear that he definitely will consider the Stars when he looks at teams this summer. He said he would love to stay if the ownership issue is cleared up, and that he might even consider sticking around if it isn’t. But, you understand why it means so much to him.“You look around the league at teams that are consistently winning, and it starts at the top. It’s always that way,’’ Richards said. ``It makes things clearer for a guy like Joe and what he’s doing. How many times have we talked about ownership this year? There are a lot teams where you don’t have to talk about it, you never talk about it. You just go play hockey, and things are always taken care of.’’When asked if his past experiences with Tampa have taught him a few things, he said yes.``It just makes everything smoother,’’ Richards said of strong ownership. ``You are competing against teams that are going to spend $63 million next year, teams that are in the playoffs now that are Cup contenders and are going to be just as good or better next year. We’ve got to compete with that. That starts with ownership, and that’s why it’s on my mind and that’s why I’m asking questions.”Richards has a very good agent in Pat Morris, so he will definitely be well-compensated when this is over. But, you definitely get the feeling that his expected foray into free agency isn’t so much about the most money as it is the best chance to win a championship. Could the best place to win a championship be Dallas if new ownership is in place? Definitely. But, are you going to take that risk when this process has dragged on for so long?Let’s just say Richards is going to keep his options open.``If there is no change, it doesn’t mean I’m leaving, it just means I’ll have to make a different kind of decision at that time,’’ Richards said of the Stars. ``This is a great bunch of guys. It’s as close a room as I’ve ever played in. We kept together in here, and there’s a lot of good friendships. It’s going in the right direction, that’s for sure.’’For the Stars, the decision isn’t so easy, either. Richards, who will turn 31 on May 2, will likely seek a contract for five years or more. He made $7.8 million last season, and while he will probably take a pay cut, the process will include a lower cap hit for more years. That means there is little chance you will get him for say five years at $6 million a season. If you want $6 million, you’ll probably have to go to seven years.Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said the negotiations are pretty much status quo.``We had discussions with Brad right up until the trade deadline. I think things then got quiet because he was trying to get back playing,’’ Nieuwendyk said. ``Our position hasn't changed. He's an important player on this team. Obviously, it has to make sense for Brad, but it also has to make sense for us, as well.As for Richards’ concussion, he admitted that it affected him quite a bit when he returned to play. He said he believes having some time away from the rink will help him.``I think the next month or so will probably be good for everything in my head,’’ he said. ``Coming back and trying to get into the intensity of the battle was tough, because in the back of your mind if you’re hit again and you have another one, then you have two in one year. There’s no excuses, but in the next month or so of not playing I’ll probably be feeling a little better.’’Here are Steve Ott and Brenden Morrow on Richards:``He’s such a valuable part of this team,’’ said Steve Ott. ``Let’s be honest. He’s our leading scorer, we know what he brings to the table. He’s a guy who is extremely hard to replace. Hopefully, we’ll find a way to keep him around.’’``I know he loves the city, he loves the team and he loves his teammates,’’ said Brenden Morrow. ``I think he’s just wants security and he wants to know the franchise is stable, and he has every right to. He wants an owner who will spend to have a competitive team, and if he doesn’t see that situation here, he’s probably going to move on.’’

A lot of people have asked me why Joe Nieuwendyk fired Marc Crawford on Tuesday, and the best answer I can come up with is Buck Showalter. When the Rangers fired Showalter, it wasn't because he couldn't coach, it was because Jon Daniels felt the team could not make the necessary steps forward with Showalter as manager. And I think that's the conclusion that Joe Nieuwendyk came to. Crawford is a very smart man, and an accomplished coach, but he simply was not going to push this particular team forward. Not unlike Showalter, Crawford likes to control most things with his team. He was one of the rare coaches who rotated not only the forwards but the defense pairs, and he definitely liked to have a say in all of the decisions. So when a coach makes all the decisions, and the team doesn't respond well, then there is going to be more responsibility for decisions made. It goes with the territory. The Stars had a ton of tests this year, and we have pointed them all out. That big homestand. The ensuing road trip. The final game against the Wild. The Stars didn't respond well. Is some of that on the players? Yes. Is as much on the coaches? It has to be. The players also had some of the same questions you did about the coaching. Why did Crawford lean so heavily on Kari Lehtonen when Andrew Raycroft seemed like a viable alternative? Why did he favor Jeff Woywitka over Mark Fistric. Why was he constantly juggling lines? Why wasn't Loui Eriksson out there more at the end of games. Crawford had a tough job. There were injury issues, there was the big trade that took away James Neal and shook up the chemistry a little, there were moves made (like Brandon Segal to the minors) that were made simply because of money concerns. But, when he made a move that didn't work out, it eroded the confidence of the players. The other problem that Crawford had is that he is an old school coach. He was not going to bond with the players or push many individual motivational buttons. He was going to give them the structure to play, but he left it up to them to find the reason to play. That's not that unusual in this business, but it was different from what the players had seen from Ken Hitchcock or Dave Tippett. The stories of Hitchcock's ability to poke Mike Modano at the right time are legendary, and Tippett got more out of Mike Ribeiro because he knew exactly what buttons to push. Again, that's difference between Buck Showalter and Ron Washington. The players find a different gear for Washington. Joe Nieuwendyk honestly believes that Marc Crawford has done a ton of good things, but it became very clear that the players didn't respond to his style of coaching in very big games this season. So, then, the question begins if that was a short-term deal or a long-term deal? If it can't be fixed, then it was best to just make a hard decision and move forward in a different direction. Nieuwendyk decided this one couldn't be fixed. Daniels did the same thing. Now, the key to this whole thing is finding the ``next'' coach. Daniels was either a genius or darn lucky…or a little of both. Nieuwendyk has to be just as smart and just as lucky. He knows what he wants, but he has to be able to find it. The good thing is he has time. You can't bother Glen Gultzan with this stuff right now, he has a team to coach in the playoffs. You can't even talk to Kirk Muller or Mike Haviland, because they are busy as assistant coaches with their respective teams. But, you can watch and observe and talk to people…and Nieuwendyk needs that time right now. One of the mistakes he made in hiring Crawford in the first place is he didn't really take his time. He knew that he wanted to put his stamp on the team when he was hired as GM, and he decided quickly that Dave Tippett does not coach a style that he embraces (too cautious, too defensive). I respect that in Nieuwendyk. I truly believe that a GM has to build a team in a style that he believes in. Bob Gainey builds in his style. Lou Lamoriello builds in his style. Pierre Lacroix built in his style. They are all different, but their approach works because the style is true to who the individual is. Joe Nieuwendyk could not build around Dave Tippett beause it's not the style he wants his team to play. He has to be true to what he believes. Nieuwendyk hired Marc Crawford with a heavy recommendation from his mentor Cliff Fletcher (the NHL person who Nieuwendyk might be closest to), and that was smart at the time. You trust people who have been in the business. But Nieuwendyk has now been at this job for two years, and he has the experience, the knowledge and the confidence to lead this job search on his own. He trusted his gut in firing Marc Crawford, and now he will trust his gut on this hiring. And my gut says he will make the right choice.