It's Hard Out There For a Tip

If you haven't already heard, the word on the street is that Dave Tippett has been sent packing. I wouldn't call it surprising, when Nieuwendyk signed his contract as the new General Manager there was no doubt a line delegating the job of firing the mustache-less coach. If the Stars had not overachieved in last year's post season he would have surely been looking for a new gig a year ago, but this season's performance demanded action.

What's that you say? Yes, they did overachieve and this season is probably more indicative of what this team really is, talent wise. The injuries to Morrow, Zubov, Richards, and Lehtinen are beyond his control. You certainly can't blame him for the Avery fiasco. So why does Tippett have to pay with his job when the deck was so stacked against him anyway?

The '08-'09 season stumbled out of the gates but made a push after their Sean-ectomy. Turco was playing like he had in the play-offs a few months prior and the offense looked like a trampled fire ant bed. Then Tippett lost the team. The fight for a play-off spot that at one time appeared a given slipped away with the uninspired play on the ice. After five consecutive years of driving his team to the post season, the players just stopped listening. I don't know if all that is true.

Newy needs a clean slate. What man would want to go into a new job saddled with a stalwart coach with more tenure and limited play-off success? He would have to argue points with a coach he had no history with (after all Tippett was a general manager/coach with the Aeros in their Turner cup winning season) when he could easily bring in his own man and maintain a clear pecking order. In fact there will likely be many more changes on the Stars' staff of varying significance before camp starts. If Nieuwendyk wants to take accountability for this team, it's the only way. The sources are saying we are returning to the Kings' well for our new head coach.

Tip's record was stellar, according to the Stars' own website, in his first 300 games he has the seventh best record all time in the National league, has two fifty win seasons, and the third best record since '02-'03. His rookie season ended with the fourth highest point total in league history (this one slightly skewed because of the overtime loss points). But the real reason that he can't steer this ship anymore. . .

The Mustache.

At least he has his "Mr. Hustle" award from the Hartford Whalers to fall back on.