Dave Tippett David G . Tippett ( born August 25 , 1961 ) is a National Hockey League head coach , currently of the Phoenix Coyotes . He is the 6th person to be the head coach of the Coyotes , and the 21st coach in the Phoenix Coyotes / Winnipeg Jets franchise . He is the former head coach of the Dallas Stars . He was the fourth head coach of the Stars ( 19th in the history of the franchise ) , since accepting the job on May 21 , 2002 and being released on June 10 , 2009 . He is also a former left winger who played in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers , Pittsburgh Penguins , Philadelphia Flyers , and Washington Capitals . As head coach of the Coyotes , Tippett won the Jack Adams Award in 2010 . Playing career . Prince Albert Raiders . Tippett began playing with the Prince Albert Raiders of the SJHL in 1979 – 80 . In his first year with the team , Tippett scored 53 goals and 125 points in 60 games . In the playoffs , Tippett continued with the very strong offensive numbers , scoring 19 goals and 40 points in 25 games . He returned to the Raiders for the 1980 – 81 season , and once again had an excellent season , scoring 42 goals and 110 points in 60 games . In 24 playoff games , Tippett had 20 goals and 45 points . University of North Dakota . After two seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders , Tippett joined the North Dakota Fighting Sioux of the WCHA . In his first season with the team in 1981 – 82 , Tippett 13 goals and 41 points in 43 games . Tippett was the captain of the team , as they won the Frozen Four championship . He played a second season with the Fighting Sioux in 1982 – 83 , improving his offensive numbers to 15 goals and 46 points in 36 games with North Dakota . Canadian National Team . Tippett spent the 1983 – 84 hockey season with the Canada men ' s national ice hockey team , where he appeared in 66 games , scoring 14 goals and 33 points . Tippett played for Canada at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo , scoring a goal and two points in seven games . After the Olympics , on February 29 , 1984 , Tippett left the National Team and signed as a free agent with the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League . Hartford Whalers . Tippett finished the 1983 – 84 season with the Hartford Whalers , playing in 17 games , as he registered four goals and six points . He spent the entire 1984 – 85 season in Hartford , appearing in all 80 games , scoring seven goals and 19 points , however , the Whalers failed to qualify for the playoffs . The 1985 – 86 season saw Tippett once again appaer in all 80 games with the Whalers , as he improved his offensive totals to 14 goals and 34 points , helping the team into the playoffs . In his first playoff experience in the NHL , Tippett had two goals and four points in ten games , as Hartford lost in the second round of the playoffs . The Whalers won the Adams Division in 1986 – 87 , as Tippett chipped in with nine goals and 31 points , while playing in all 80 games again . In the playoffs , the Whalers were upset in six games in the first round to the Quebec Nordiques , as Tippett was held to two assists in the series . In 1987 – 88 , Tippett improved his numbers from the previous season , scoring 16 goals and 37 points , playing in all 80 games for the club . In six playoff games , Tippett was held pointless . Tippett had his best offensive season in 1988 – 89 , as he scored a career high 17 goals and 41 points , appearing in all 80 games again for Hartford , helping them into the playoffs . In four playoff games , Tippett had an assist . In 1989 – 90 , Tippett saw his offensive totals fall to only eight goals and 27 points , his lowest totals since his first full NHL season , while appearing in 66 games , the first time in his career that he missed any games due to injuries . In seven playoff games , Tippett had a goal and four points . On September 30 , 1990 , the Whalers traded Tippett to the Washington Capitals for the Capitals sixth round draft choice in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft . Washington Capitals . In Tippett ' s first season with the Washington Capitals in 1990 – 91 , he played in 61 games , scoring only six goals and 15 points , his lowest totals since 1983 – 84 . Tippett had a solid playoff performance , scoring two goals and five points in ten games , helping the Capitals to the second round of the playoffs . In 1991 – 92 , Tippett appeared in only 30 games , scoring two goals and 12 points . He left the team to join the Canada men ' s national ice hockey team for the 1992 Winter Olympics held in Albertville , France . In seven games with Canada , Tippett had a goal and three points , as the Canadians won the silver medal . Tippett returned to the Capitals for the rest of the regular season , and in seven playoff games , Tippett had an assist . After the season , Tippett became a free agent , and on August 25 , 1992 , he signed a contract with the two - time defending Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins . Pittsburgh Penguins . In 1992 – 93 , Tippett had his best offensive season since 1989 – 90 , as he scored six goals and 25 points in 74 games , helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win the President ' s Trophy . In the playoffs , Tippett had a goal and five points in 12 games , as the Penguins lost to the New York Islanders in the second round . Tippett became a free agent after the season , and on August 30 , 1993 , he was signed by the Philadelphia Flyers . Philadelphia Flyers . Tippett appeared in 73 games with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1993 – 94 season , scoring four goals and 15 points , however , the team failed to qualify for the playoffs . Tippett once again became a free agent , and signed with the Houston Aeros of the IHL as a player and an assistant coach . Houston Aeros . In the 1994 – 95 season , Tippett , as a player - assistant coach , played in 75 games with the Aeros , scoring 18 goals and 66 points . In four playoff games , he had a goal and three points . After the season , Tippett announced his retirement from hockey . In 721 career NHL games , Tippett scored 93 goals and 262 points from 1983 – 1994 . Coaching career . Houston Aeros . Tippett was a player - assistant coach with the Houston Aeros of the IHL during the 1994 – 95 season , however , he decided to retire from playing , and began the 1995 – 96 season as just an assistant coach . After the Aeros started off the season with a 12 – 27 – 3 record , the team fired head coach Terry Ruskowski , and named Tippett as his replacement . Tippett guided the Aeros to a 17 – 18 – 5 record , however , the team failed to make the playoffs . In 1996 – 97 , Tippett began his first full season as head coach of the club , as the Aeros improved to a 44 – 30 – 8 record , earning 94 points , which was a 28 point improvement over the previous season . In the playoffs , the Aeros quickly swept the Las Vegas Thunder in three games , followed by a five game series win over the San Antonio Dragons in the second round . Houston then lost to the Long Beach Ice Dogs in the Western Conference finals in five games . The Aeros had a very solid season in 1997 – 98 , as the team went 50 – 22 – 10 , earning 110 points , which was a 16 point improvement over the previous seaon . In the playoffs , Houston was upset by the Milwaukee Admirals in four games . Tippett returned to Houston for the 1998 – 99 , and the team finished with the best record in the league , going 54 – 15 – 13 , getting 121 points . In the playoffs , the heavily favoured Aeros had a bye in the first round , followed by a close best of five series against the Long Beach Ice Dogs , in which Houston prevailed with a win in the decisive fifth game . In the Western Conference finals , the Chicago Wolves took the Aeros to seven games , with Houston winning the seventh game 4 – 1 to advance the team to the 1999 Turner Cup finals . In the final round , the Aeros faced the Orlando Solar Bears , and in a series that once again went the limit , the Aeros defeated Orlando in the seventh game by a 5 – 3 score to capture the championship . Tippett was named the IHL Coach of the Year , while the Aeros won the Fred A . Huber Jr . Memorial Trophy for having the best record in the league during the regular season . Los Angeles Kings . After spending five years as an assistant coach and head coach of the Houston Aeros of the IHL , Tippett was hired as an assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings by their new head coach , Andy Murray . In the 1999 – 2000 season , the Kings saw a 25 point improvement , as the team went 39 – 27 – 12 – 4 , helping the club make the playoffs , where they were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round . The Kings had another successful season in 2000 – 01 , as they went 38 – 28 – 13 – 3 , getting 92 points , and a playoff position for the second straight season . In the post - season , the Kings defeated the heavily favoured Detroit Red Wings in six games in the first round , however , Los Angeles lost a seven game series against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round . Los Angeles improved in the 2001 – 02 season , reaching 40 wins with a 40 – 27 – 11 – 4 record , earning 95 points . In a rematch against the Colorado Avalanche in the playoffs , the Kings once again lost in seven games , this time in the first round . Dallas Stars . On May 16 , 2002 , the Dallas Stars named Tippett as the new head coach of the team . The Stars were coming off a disappointing 2001 – 02 , as the club failed to make the playoffs . In his first season with the club in 2002 – 03 , Tippett led the Stars to a 46 – 17 – 15 – 4 record , finishing in first place in the Pacific Division with 111 points , which represented a 21 point improvement over the previous year . In the first round of the playoffs , Dallas eliminated the Edmonton Oilers in six games , before losing in six games to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the second round . The Stars point total slipped in the 2003 – 04 season , as Dallas went 41 – 26 – 13 – 2 , earning 97 points , and a fifth place finish in the Western Conference . In the first round of the post - season , the Stars lost in five games to the Colorado Avalanche . The 2004 - 05 NHL lockout cancelled the season , however , when NHL play resumed in 2005 – 06 , Tippett led the Stars to a 53 – 23 – 6 record , earning 112 points , the second high total in the Conference , and a 15 point increase over the last season . Dallas ' playoff run ended quickly , as they were upset by the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the first round . Tippett joined an exclusive club during the 2006 – 07 , as he led the Stars to a 50 – 25 – 7 record , earning 107 points . He joined Mike Babcock ( Detroit Red Wings ) , Scotty Bowman ( Montreal ) , Tom Johnson ( Boston ) , Mike Keenan ( Philadelphia ) , Glen Sather ( Edmonton ) , and Fred Shero ( Philadelphia ) as head coaches who led their teams to back - to - back 50 - win seasons . In the playoffs , the Stars fell to the Vancouver Canucks in seven games in the first round . In 2007 – 08 , the Stars once again had a great regular season , going 45 – 30 – 7 , earning 97 points , finishing in fifth place in the Conference . In the playoffs , Dallas defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks in six games in the first round , followed by another six game series victory over the San Jose Sharks in the second round . In the Western Conference finals , the Stars faced the Detroit Red Wings , however , the Red Wings ended the Stars season , winning the series in six games . Dallas had a tough season in 2008 – 09 , as the team finished with a 36 – 35 – 11 record , earning 83 points , as they failed to make the playoffs . On June 10 , 2009 , the Stars fired Tippett as head coach , and replaced him with Marc Crawford . Phoenix Coyotes . On September 24 , 2009 , Tippett took over the coaching duties of the Phoenix Coyotes after Wayne Gretzky resigned from the position earlier that day . In his first season with the Coyotes in 2009 – 10 , the team finished with a club record 50 wins , as they went 50 – 25 – 7 , earning 107 points , which was a 28 point improvement over the 2008 – 09 season and helping the Coyotes to their first playoff berth since the 2001 – 02 season . Phoenix faced the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs , however , it was the Red Wings who came out victorius , defeating the Coyotes in seven games . After the season , Tippett won the Jack Adams Award given to the NHL Coach of the Year . In 2010 – 11 , Tippett led the Coyotes to the playoffs once again , as they had a 43 – 26 – 13 record , earning 99 points and sixth place in the Western Conference . Phoenix once again faced the Detroit Red Wings in the first round , however , the Red Wings quickly ended the Coyotes season with a four game sweep .