NHL Stars name Crawford as new coach

Marc Crawford, a 13-season National Hockey league coach who guided Colorado to the 1996 Stanley Cup, was named Thursday as the new coach of the Dallas Stars.

Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk's first major hiring since taking his job May 31 was to replace fired Dave Tippett with Crawford, the 1998 Canadian Olympic coach who has a 470-361 with 156 drawn mark as an NHL coach.

"I am very excited," Nieuwendyk said. "Marc is a winner with extensive experience in this league, and I am confident he will get the most out of our hockey club."

Crawford has coached the Quebec Nordiques-Colorado Avalanche franchise as well as the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. He went 32-43-7 with the Kings in the 2007-2008 season in his most recent NHL coaching assignment.

"I'm very excited and honored," Crawford said. "This is a winning organization and I look forward to building upon the success that it has earned over the years. This club has a great deal of potential."

Tippett went 271-162-59 in six seasons with the Stars, reaching the playoffs five times but missing out this year in an injury-riddled campaign after reaching the 2008 Western Conference finals.

"Dave Tippett did a very good job in his six seasons here with the Stars, however it was my feeling that our team needed a new direction moving forward," said Nieuwendyk, who sparked Dallas to the 1999 Stanley Cup as a player.

Stars owner Tom Hicks reassigned co-general managers Brett Hull and Les Jackson after the season and hired Nieuwendyk to guide the team back to the top.