The Dallas Stars have a new head coach. Weeks after the dismissal of Pete DeBoer, the team has announced former Edmonton Oilers assistant and veteran NHL coach Glen Gulutzan as the new man in charge.
Gulutzan has agreed to a deal to be the Stars new bench boss. He is the 11th head coach the franchise has had since moving to Dallas in 1993.
New Dallas Bench Boss
MORE: https://t.co/zFhkXPyNhV
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 1, 2025
Gulutzan’s Second Stint in Dallas
Gulutzan had been mentioned as a potential candidate for the job since the search began. While it took a while for any names or confirmed interviews to emerge to the public, he was indeed one of the first names to surface from league experts. However, it also took a while for Edmonton to acknowledge his candidacy, providing some awkward moments with the media.
GM Stan Bowman says “I’m not going to make that announcement” when asked if the @DallasStars have asked permission to speak with @EdmontonOilers assistant coach Glen Gulutzan, which is an odd bit of phrasing.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) June 20, 2025
Nonetheless, Gulutzan emerged as one of two reported finalists for the job on Thursday, along with Texas Stars (AHL) head coach Neil Graham.
Also sounds like the @DallasStars are finalizing their head coaching decision. Glen Gulutzan and Neil Graham are believed to be favoured. https://t.co/3YX1x1Ms3b
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 26, 2025
What’s even more interesting about this hire is that it’s not the first time Dallas has hired Gulutzan as its head coach. The 53-year-old spent two seasons in Dallas from 2011-2013, eventually being replaced by Lindy Ruff when current general manager Jim Nill came in from Detroit.
The Stars went 64-57-9 during that stretch, never finishing better than fourth in their division. Gulutzan was originally promoted from within the organization, leading the Texas Stars to their first Calder Cup championship in 2010 (confirm).
Rebuilding a Reputation
Since leaving Dallas 12 years ago, Gulutzan has rebuilt his reputation on multiple occasions. He spent the following season as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks, where he remained until 2016.
The Calgary Flames gave him another shot to be a head coach after his time in Vancouver. Calgary made the playoffs in his first year with the team but was swept in the first round. After failing to make the postseason and Year 2, Gulutzan was fired again, despite finishing above .500 in both seasons — progress from his time in Dallas. His team also had several crucial injuries that season.
That led Gulutzan to the spot where he has rebuilt himself into a head coaching candidate once again: the Edmonton Oilers. Gulutzan has been with Edmonton since 2018, serving four different head coaches. If that wasn’t enough to show his value as a staff member, he was also the architect of a power-play unit, Furthermore, the unit ranked among the NHL’s best since his arrival. Edmonton’s power play ranked dead last in the NHL before hiring Gulutzan. After so many complaints about Steve Spott’s power-play management, that aspect alone should intrigue Stars fans.
Only time will tell if Gulutzan is truly ready for another shot as a head coach. It hasn’t worked out a couple of times, However, the Stars and general manager Jim Nill are banking on his experience with other franchises to help him succeed in Dallas the second time around.
Main Photo: Sergei Belski- Imagn Images
Â
The post Dallas Stars Hire New Head Coach appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.