Current Stars' and former Bruins' head coach Rick Bowness makes major announcement
Dallas Stars head coach Rick Bowness made a major announcement regarded his future with the club and as a coach in the NHL.
On Friday afternoon, in an official announcement with the Stars, Bowness announced that he would officially be stepping down as head coach of the team:
It is unclear if Bowness plans on retiring, but at 67-years-old, it's probably what his decision will be. As of 2022, he is the last active coach in the NHL who was also a head coach for an NHL team in the 1980s.
Boston Bruins days:
Rick Bowness became the head coach of the Boston Bruins' AHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, for the 1989�90 season and was promoted to the NHL to become the head coach of the Bruins for the 1991�92 season. He coached his first game for the Bs on October 3, 1991, defeating the New York Rangers 5�3 at the Boston Garden. Overall, the Bruins finished the season with a 36�32�12 record, earning 84 points and second place in the Adams Division. Boston would eventually make it to the Conference Finals before being swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins (who would go on to win the Stanley Cup).
After just one season with the Bruins, Bowness was not brought back, as Boston replaced him with Brian Sutter.
Rick Bowness was also head coach for the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, and Phoenix Coyotes, as well as an associate coach with the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Bowness was drafted by the Atlanta Flames in the second round (26th overall) in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, as well as in the fifth round (62nd overall) by the Indianapolis Racers in the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft. In his playing days, he played right wing for the Atlanta Flames, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and the original Winnipeg Jets. As well as Central Hockey League, American Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League teams.
