Marc Crawford Marc Joseph John Crawford ( born February 13 , 1961 , in Belleville , Ontario , Canada ) is a Canadian professional head coach , currently employed by Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League . He was previously the head coach of four organizations as well . He is also a former professional forward who played for the Vancouver Canucks . Playing career . Crawford was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft in the fourth round , 70th overall . After three seasons of major junior in the QMJHL with the Cornwall Royals , he joined the Canucks in 1981 – 82 . He also played for Canada at the 1981 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships . As a rookie , Crawford was a part of Vancouver ' s 1982 run to the Stanley Cup finals in which the Canucks were defeated by the New York Islanders . During his six seasons in the NHL , Crawford would split time between Vancouver and their AHL affiliate , the Fredericton Express . As a result of constantly flying between cities , he would eventually earn the nickname " 747 " , though most contemporary Canucks fans know him as " Crow " , a nickname coined during his tenure as a head coach with the team . In total , Crawford ' s tallied 19 goals , 31 assists and 50 points in 176 games during his NHL career . After a season in the IHL with the Milwaukee Admirals , Crawford officially retired as a professional hockey player . Coaching career . Immediately after retiring as a player , Crawford became a head coach in the OHL with the Cornwall Royals , whom he had previously played for in the QMJHL . After two less - than - stellar seasons with Cornwall , Crawford moved to the AHL , and in his first season with the St . John ' s Maple Leafs , he took his team to the 1992 Calder Cup finals , losing to the Adirondack Red Wings . The following season , Crawford was awarded the Louis A . R . Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL ' s coach of the year . In 1994 – 95 , Crawford broke into the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques and achieved immediate success . As a result , he won the NHL ' s Jack Adams Award as coach of the year . Furthermore , he is currently the youngest NHL coach in history to win the Jack Adams . The next season , the Nordiques franchise was relocated to Colorado as the Avalanche , and Crawford won his first and only championship thus far as a player or coach in 1996 , defeating the Florida Panthers in four games . Crawford would continue to post successful regular season with the Avalanche in the next two seasons , but after an early first - round exit in the 1998 playoffs , Crawford resigned on May 27 , 1998 . Despite reportedly being offered a one - year contract extension by general manager Pierre Lacroix , Crawford decided to " move on and accept a new challenge . " Before his resignation with the Avalanche , Crawford was also the head coach of the 1998 Canadian Olympic hockey team where they finished a disappointing fourth . Many fans questioned his choice of players to take part in the semi - final shootout with the Czech Republic , in which they lost , electing not to use future Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky or Steve Yzerman . After a brief stint as an analyst on Hockey Night in Canada , Crawford replaced Mike Keenan as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks midway through the 1998 – 99 season . Joining Vancouver in the midst of a rebuilding period for the franchise , Crawford slowly developed the Canucks into a successful regular season team , playing a fast - paced and offensively emphasized style of play . After one - and - a - half seasons , Crawford led Vancouver back to the playoffs , however , was defeated in the first round by his former team , Colorado . In 2002 – 03 , Vancouver continued to improve under Crawford and posted a franchise record ( since surpassed ) of 104 points . The following season , they took the Northwest Division title from the Avalanche , who had won the previous nine division titles ( inclusive of the Pacific Division prior to division restructuring , and the year before the move to Colorado as the Quebec Nordiques ) . Despite Vancouver ' s regular season success , they only managed to win one playoff series during Crawford ' s tenure and , compounded by the Canucks ' failure to make the postseason in 2005 – 06 , Crawford was let go by management on April 25 , 2006 , and replaced by Alain Vigneault . In six - and - a - half seasons ' work with the Canucks , Crawford marked himself as the longest - serving and winningest head coach in franchise history , coaching 529 games and 246 wins . On February 3 , 2006 , one of his last games in Vancouver , he also became the third - youngest head coach in NHL history to reach 400 wins . At 44 years and 335 days , this mark trails only Scotty Bowman and Glen Sather . Nearly a month after being let go , Crawford was hired by the Los Angeles Kings , a team in a similar situation to that of the Canucks when Crawford first joined them . In his past two seasons with the Kings , he has missed the playoffs both times , marking the 2003 – 04 postseason as his last playoff appearance . He lasted only two years with the Kings , who thought a change was necessary in the coaching position . On June 10 , 2008 , Crawford was fired by the Kings , although he had one year remaining on his initial contract . During the 2008 – 09 season , Crawford did [ color commentary for Hockey Night in Canada alongside play - by - play Mark Lee . A year after being fired from the Los Angeles Kings , Crawford was hired by the Dallas Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk to replace previous head coach Dave Tippett .