The Dallas Stars shocked everyone a few days ago when they unexpectedly fired head coach Jim Montgomery. The Stars look poised to make the playoffs for the second straight season, but the coaching move was made based on Montgomery’s inappropriate behavior off of the ice. Dallas is now in a weird position of hoping to succeed with an interim head coach while also looking towards the future. These are the three coaches that have the best chance to be the next permanent head coach for the Dallas Stars.

Rick Bowness

Jim Montgomery’s former assistant Rick Bowness has officially been named the interim head coach for the Dallas Stars. Bowness has previous experience as a head coach, but his record is rather uninspiring. While Bowness only won 123 of his first 463 games as a head coach, he still has a shot to earn a permanent spot in Dallas. If the players respond well to his ideas and make a deep run in the playoffs, then the Stars will be forced to keep Bowness as the head coach.

Dan Bylsma

Dan Bylsma is currently working for the Detroit Red Wings as an assistant coach, but he has had a lot of success as a head coach in his career. Bylsma led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup title in 2009. He also amassed 250 wins quicker than any other coach in NHL history. Dallas will likely need to act fast if they want to make Bylsma their head coach because it is only a matter of time before he takes over the job in Detroit.

Mike Yeo

Mike Yeo is the current assistant coach for the Philadelphia Flyers. Just like Dan Bylsma, Yeo has previous experience as a head coach. Yeo had two solid years with the St. Louis Blues before getting fired early in the 2018-19 season. He also took the Minnesota Wild to the playoffs in three of his five seasons with the team. While there are likely better options out there, Yeo’s familiarity of the NHL Central division could come in handy for the Stars. There is is no better way to learn how to beat your toughest competition in the division than by hiring their former head coach.