Ken Hitchcock Reportedly to Coach Stars, Previously Coached Team for 7 Years

Ken Hitchcock is reportedly set to return as head coach of the Dallas Stars after previously coaching the team from 1995 through 2002.

Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News was the first to report the move Wednesday. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet added that Hitchcock could be introduced Thursday.

Hitchcock's hiring comes days after the Stars announced that Lindy Ruff would not return to coach the team in 2017-18 (via Yahoo Sports).

After finishing with 109 points and reaching the playoffs in 2015-16, the Stars dropped off to just 79 points and missed the postseason in 2016-17.

In his seven years with the Stars, Hitchcock led them to five division titles, two Stanley Cup Final appearances and one Stanley Cup win.

Since leaving Dallas, Hitchcock has coached the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues.

The 2016-17 season was set to be Hitchcock's final campaign with the Blues before retiring and ceding control to Mike Yeo, but he was instead fired after 50 games.

Hitchcock had led the Blues to the playoffs in five consecutive seasons and reached the Western Conference Finals in 2015-16.

The 65-year-old former Jack Adams Award winner is fourth on the all-time NHL regular-season coaching wins list and trails Al Arbour by just one victory for third.

While the Stars struggled this season, Hitchcock will take over a supremely talented team with playoff ability led by forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.

For more news, rumors and related stories about the Dallas Stars and the NHL, check out the NHL and Stars streams on Bleacher Report's app.