DALLAS — The Stars agreed to hire Glen Gulutzan as their next head coach.
A person with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press that the deal is pending contract details being worked out. The person spoke on con- dition of anonymity because the Stars had not announced the hiring.
Gulutzan coached the Stars’ top minor-league affiliate the last two seasons, reaching the finals in 2010 and the playoffs again this season.
Gulutzan, 39, will replace Marc Crawford, who was fired after Dallas missed making the playoffs by losing its last game of the regular season. The Stars had 95 points, the most by a team that missed the playoffs, and have a foundation of young players to build around — several coached by Gulutzan in the minors.
Crawford, who won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche, was the first coach hired by Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk. For his second hiring, Nieuwendyk is going with someone who has no NHL coaching experience.
Blues re-sign Sobotka
ST. LOUIS — The Blues re-signed forward Vlad- imir Sobotka to a three- year contract worth $3.9 million.
The 23-year-old Sobotka would have been a restricted free agent July 1. He joins teammates Patrik Berglund, Roman Polak and Nikita Nikitin as players who signed before becoming restricted free agents.
St. Louis also re-signed forwards T.J. Hensick and Chris Porter, who would have been unrestricted free agents.
Sobotka had career highs in points (29), goals (seven), assists (22) and games played (65) this season.
He will be paid $1.2 million for the upcoming season, $1.3 million in 2012-13 and $1.4 million in 2013-14.
Footnotes.
The Blackhawks extended the contract of senior adviser of hockey operations Scotty Bowman and promoted Marc Bergevin to assistant general manager.
Bowman joined the Blackhawks in 2008. His son, Stan, is the team’s general manager.
• Carl Gunnarsson re-signed with the Maple Leafs, receiving a two-year deal. He could have been a restricted free agent.
Gunnarsson had 20 points (four goals and 16 assists) in 68 games last season to go with 14 penalty minutes.
• The Predators promoted assistant Peter Hora- chek to associate coach. The Associated Press
