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Stars News & Notes: Hull, Jackson get three-year deals Thursday, May 22, 2008 The interim label is off both Brett Hull and Les Jackson. The Stars announced that they are simply co-general managers and have been signed to three-year contracts through the 2010-11 season. "Brett and Les have earned these extensions, doing an excellent job in leading this hockey club this past season,” Stars owner Tom Hicks said in a release. "The move to make them interim co-general managers was a different approach that proved to be strategic. The two compliment each other very well." Hull and Jackson took over as co-general managers in November after Doug Armstrong was relieved of his duties as GM due to the team's sluggish start and Hicks' desire to go in a new direction. The Stars went 38-23-4 after that in the regular season under Hull and Jackson, and then made the team's longest run in the playoffs since 2000 by making it to the Western Conference Final. Along the way the pair signed Mike Ribeiro to a five-year, $25 million contract extension and pulled off a blockbuster trade that brought center Brad Richards and backup goalie Johan Holmqvist to Dallas from Tampa Bay in exchange for goalie Mike Smith and forwards Jeff Halpern and Jussi Jokinen. "Having that interim taken off and having Mr. Hicks and the organization feel like Les and I did a good enough job to get a new contract is exciting," Hull said. "Now, and not like we weren't' going to do it before, we can take ownership, more ownership and it's a great feeling." Hull said there was no specific marching orders from Hicks and added that he and Jackson have spelled out their agenda to the Stars owner. "We've told him in the past what our direction is and what the best way is to make a championship team," Hull said. "We're going to go out and do the best we can." Among the things on Hull and Jackson's to-do list is signing coach Dave Tippett to a contract extension. Hull suggested putting Tippett on a similar contract timeline as he and Jackson. In other words a deal through 2010-11. "We'd like to get it done as soon as possible," said Hull. "To get Tip with us on the same timeline and moving forward, I think is very important. I don't think it is going to be very difficult to get done. It's going to be a matter of dotting some I's and crossing some T's. We look forward to having Tip as our coach." Hull said there will be a little down time before the organization begins to hold meetings over other items on the agenda such as the draft and free agency. Morrow: Emphasis on regular season Captain Brenden Morrow said the outlook for the Stars looks good, but he said there are still challenges ahead. For one, the Stars won't be taking anybody by surprise next season. And second, with that in mind he said the team still needs to put together a better regular season. That way they could avoid the tough path they faced in this season's playoffs, where, as the fifth seed, they faced the three of the top four seeds in the Western Conference. "It's going to be a challenge. Teams are going to play us a lot harder. They are going to want to beat one of the best. I think we are looked at as an elite team. It wasn't a fluke," Morrow said on The Ticket Thursday afternoon. "We can make it a lot easier too, having a great regular season and setting ourselves up in good position. Having to play Anaheim, San Jose and Detroit in one postseason wasn't any fun. We could do ourselves a favor with a good regular season." Richards looking forward to full season with Stars After having to try to fit in with the Stars after being acquired at the trade deadline, Stars center Brad Richards said he is looking forward to next season, when he will have a full season with the team. "I am excited. It's going to be a lot different, I am not going to lie to you," Richards said Wednesday as the team wrapped up the season by holding meetings and players received year of end physicals. "It's not the same thing coming to a team in March and making the run. It was a lot of fun and I got to know everybody better the last two months, but it's going to be a lot easier and better when you start in September. You're with the guys the whole year. I understand the coaching staff a lot better now. I understand the players a lot better. It's going to be very exciting." Prospects update: Memorial Cup Stars prospect Ondrej Roman and his Spokane Chiefs are guaranteed a spot in this Sunday's Memorial Cup championship game. The Chiefs earned in the final with a perfect 3-0 record in round-robin play. Roman picked up one assist and a plus-two rating in the three games. Meanwhile, fellow Stars prospect Michael Neal's Belleville Bulls will have to beat Kitchener on Friday night to get to the championship game. Belleville won two of three games. Neal played in two games, picking up no points.
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