Nieuwendyk returns to Stars as GM Co-GM experiment scrapped

After pushing the Hockey management envelope two years ago with the first co-general manager setup, Stars owner Tom Hicks went with a more conservative approach Sunday, naming Joe Nieuwendyk as the new general manager. The playoff MVP of the Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup championship, Nieuwendyk, 42, has 20 years of NHL playing experience - seven with the Stars - and was in the front office of the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs for the past two years. "He's intelligent, he's experienced, he's meticulous, he's somebody who people have compared to Bob Gainey," Hicks said. "He's had the opportunity to see how the job is done with two different teams, and he has been a player on three different teams that have won Stanley Cups, so I believe he's more than prepared for this opportunity." The Stars gave Nieuwendyk a five-year contract. No other terms were disclosed. Even the men who are being replaced had nothing but good things to say about Nieuwendyk. Les Jackson will return to his position as director of scouting and player development for the Stars , and Hull will be promoted to the position of executive vice president and alternate governor. "I think Joe is going to be fantastic in this job," Hull said. "Even back when he was playing, everyone said he was going to be a great GM." While Jackson added: "I'm thrilled for Joe, and I think he will do well. His personality fits this job." Nieuwendyk will be introduced at a news conference today at American Airlines Center, then will travel to the NHL's GM meetings in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. He has a lot on his plate right off the bat, including assessing the Stars' roster and its free-agent situation with Sergei Zubov and Jere Lehtinen key priorities. He said he did not anticipate any major changes, including to the coaching staff. "I need to get in there and do my homework before I do anything else," he said. "I have a lot of talking to do, and just getting to know everyone. This is a process, and we're just getting started." While the change will be read as a failure of the co-GM system, Hull said that's not the case. "You can call it what you want, but I was more Les' intern or assistant than anything else," Hull said. "And I believe he made some great decisions and has the team in great shape. He's pushed hard to get the development of the young kids going, and I still say that if we hadn't been so hurt last year, we would have had a great year." The Stars were 74-58-15 in the regular season under Hull and Jackson and reached the Western Conference finals in 2008. This season, though, they finished 12th in the West and missed the playoffs. Both agreed that a single-GM system is better. "I think you need one person in charge; I do believe that's best," Jackson said. "You're always going to listen to a lot of voices before making a decision, but I think one person needs to be making the final decision." Jackson is expected to help Nieuwendyk a great deal in the transition. He has put most of the pieces in place to get the Texas Stars started in the Austin area next season as Dallas' new AHL affiliate. He has the team ready for the June 26 draft, in which the Stars have the eighth overall selection, and he has 18 players under contract for next season at a cost of approximately $38 million. The biggest challenge for Nieuwendyk will be trying to find out just how much money he has to spend. The Stars have yet to set their payroll for next season. "That's something we're working on and will continue to work on," Hicks said. Hicks also said he doesn't see the co-GM experiment as a failure, but rather a step in the process. "It can be complicated, and there is something to be said for a single voice. There's probably a reason more people don't try [two people]," he said. "I think what we get now, however, is all three are good Hockey men and all three will be helping the organization in different ways." UP AND DOWNS The top achievements and stumbles of Stars co-general managers Les Jackson and Brett Hull, who were reassigned Sunday by owner Tom Hicks: Highlights -Playoff success in 2008. After replacing the fired Doug Armstrong as interim co-GMs in November 2007, Hull and Jackson oversaw the Stars' return to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2000. -The development of young players. The Stars saw prospects contribute, helping to lower the average team age. Loui Eriksson blossomed into a 36-goal scorer. Defensemen Matt Niskanen, Nicklas Grossman and Mark Fistric showed they could play in the NHL. -The farm system. After a couple years of uncertainty, the Stars were able to place their top American Hockey League affiliate in Austin, three hours away. Lowlights -The Sean Avery fiasco. The Stars signed agitator Sean Avery to a four-year, $15.5 million contract in July 2008. Hull, among others, was hopeful his former teammate could bring an edge. But Avery disrupted the Stars' locker room chemistry more than opponents. His remarks about his ex-girlfriends dating other players in Calgary effectively ended his time in Dallas. The Stars' strongly backed Avery's suspension by the NHL, and teammates voiced dissatisfaction with him. Avery was claimed on re-entry waivers by the New York Rangers, but his contract still counts approximately $2 million against the Stars' salary cap for the next three years. -A playoff miss. The Stars were unable to build on the momentum of 2008, missing the postseason for just the third time since moving to Dallas in 1993. Injuries to Brenden Morrow, Sergei Zubov and Brad Richards were costly. -The backup goalie. The team was forced to overwork Marty Turco this season after coach Dave Tippett lost confidence in backup Tobias Stephan. Chuck Carlton