Stars make Bowness assistant, Lightning promote Halpern
DALLAS (AP) The Dallas Stars hired veteran assistant Rick Bowness to serve on rookie coach Jim Montgomery's staff.
General manager Jim Nill announced the hire Friday before the NHL draft, after the Tampa Bay Lightning replaced Bowness on Jon Cooper's staff with former NHL forward and minor league assistant Jeff Halpern. Lightning GM Steve Yzerman announced the promotion of Halpern from the American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch.
Bowness, 63, spent the past five seasons as a Tampa Bay assistant and has also worked for the Jets, Bruins, Senators, Islanders, Coyotes and Canucks. The Lightning parted ways with him after losing in the Eastern Conference final.
Nill says Bowness' ''experience behind the bench is unmatched in the league, while he brings with him a knowledge of the game that is second to none.''
Dallas hired Montgomery from Denver University.
The 42-year-old Halpern gets his first NHL coaching gig after working in player development and under Benoit Groulx in Syracuse. He played 976 NHL games for the Lightning, Capitals, Stars, Kings, Canadiens, Rangers and Coyotes.
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