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FRISCO, Texas -- Glen Gulutzan couldnt end the longest playoff drought in franchise history for the Dallas Stars and the second-year coach didnt hold the option on the remaining season in his contract. When the general manager who hired him was dumped two weeks ago, Gulutzans firing looked like the inevitable next step in an overhaul of the staff and it came Tuesday in an announcement from new general manager Jim Nill. He nevertheless said the move wasnt a foregone conclusion in his mind. "Thats why this process took so long," Nill said. "I needed to do my homework. I needed to get to know everybody. Its tough when you come into a new situation. I wanted to be fair to everyone." The Stars missed the playoffs in both of Gulutzans seasons, making it five straight years without a post-season trip for a franchise that crammed 73 playoff games into a four-year stretch a little more than a decade ago. Joe Nieuwendyk was a prominent member of those Stars teams, winning the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP when Dallas won the Stanley Cup in 1999. He didnt come close to replicating that success as general manager, finally getting replaced by Nill after four years of missing the playoffs. Gulutzan was the second of two failed coaching hires for Nieuwendyk, who fired Dave Tippett when he arrived and hired Marc Crawford, a Stanley Cup winner with Colorado in 1995. Crawford brought a tougher style than the player-friendly Tippett, but he missed the playoffs in both his seasons while Tippett took Phoenix to the post-season the first three years after the Stars let him go. The hiring of Gulutzan when he was 39 was seen as a move back to the players side. He was plucked from the Stars top affiliate, the Texas Stars of the AHL, after eight seasons as a head coach in the minor leagues. Dallas was in contention late in both his seasons, but faltered down the stretch. He was 64-57-9, including 22-22-4 in the lockout-shortened 2013 season. The Stars controlled their playoff fate with five games remaining each year under Gulutzan, but went 0-9-1 in those 10 games. Assistant coach Paul Jerrard also was fired, while assistant coach Curt Fraser and goaltending coach Mike Valley will stay with the club. The new head coach will inherit a playoff drought thats now two seasons longer than the previous record of three straight from 1973-76, when the franchise was in Minnesota. "Things have to change here," Nill said. "It hasnt been right. Were in the business to win here. Were going to put something in place to start that process." Nill said he met with Gulutzan about five times before delivering his decision Tuesday. "We had some good discussions," Nill said. "Its part of the business. Sometimes you have to go through peaks and valleys. In the end, this is going to make him a better coach." Nieuwendyk tried to get Dallas back to the playoffs this year by adding veterans Jaromir Jagr, Derek Roy and Ray Whitney, but ended up trading Jagr, Roy and longtime captain Brenden Morrow with the team languishing at the trading deadline. The Stars made an improbable surge to stay alive with a much younger roster, and many of those players -- led by forward Jamie Benn -- are likely to be part of the rebuilding under Nill, who spent 15 years as an assistant GM with Detroit. The Red Wings have the longest playoff streak in North American pro sports at 22 years. "The nice thing is the slate is clean," Nill said. "We dont have a lot of contracts that tie our hands. We know the positions weve got to get better in. Were fortunate in that we have a good young foundation. Were just going to continue to make that foundation stronger." Nill said he isnt in a hurry to hire a coach and wont necessarily swing back to a coach with NHL experience after Gulutzan couldnt translate his AHL success to the higher level. "Its going to be wide open," Nill said. "There have been some great young coaches that have come in and done some great things with teams. I need to be wide open to that aspect." Wholesale NBA Jerseys China . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Wholesale NBA Jerseys .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. http://www.cheapauthenticjerseysfornba.com/ . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic . Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. Cheap NBA Jerseys From China . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Jalen Coleman-Lands and Maverick Morgan scored 18 points apiece to lead six players in double figures and Illinois beat Division II McKendree 112-65 on Tuesday night.The game was a strong response from Coleman-Lands, who struggled in the first two games of the season.It feels good (to get my shot going), especially with the last two games, Coleman-Lands said. My teammates just do a good job of trusting me. Its just about repetition and getting ready for the next game.Michael Finke had 17 points, on 8-of-10 shooting, and eight rebounds and Tracy Abrams was 5-of-5 from the field with four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points and six assists. Aaron Jordan scored 11, including three 3s, and Mike Thorne Jr. had 10 points and 10 rebounds.Illinois (3-0) opened the game with a 7-0 run, including five points by Finke, and never trailed.Coleman-Lands hit 3-pointers on three-consecutive possessions to make it 21-10 with 12:28 left in the first half and the Illini led by double figures the rest of the way.The Illinois bench outscored McKendrees reserves 59-23 and shot 56 percent from the field, including 16 of 28 (57 percent) from 3-point range.Illinois head coach John Groce was proud of his teams performance given his teams sloppy play in the first two games.They responded today, Groce said. We have a long way to go, but they played hard today for a lot longer and I liked the attitudes and vibes on our team. That was a good step in the right direction.Nate Michael, son of former Illinois basketball player Tom Michael, led the McKendree (1-0) with 255 points.dddddddddddd The game served as an exhibition for Bearcats.Tuesday was a moment that Michael said hell never forget.It was a dream come true, Michael said. Growing up just down the road here, having season tickets when my dad worked here . I just wish we played a little bit better here. We definitely enjoyed ourselves, and this will help us in the future.BIG PICTUREIllinois: The Illini played the way they should against a Division-II team. Illinois will play two more relatively easy games before facing No. 19 West Virginia in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Nov. 24.McKendree: The Bearcats had a good idea of how the game was going to go before the ball was even tipped. Theyll return to regular competition Saturday.STAR WATCHAfter scoring a career-high 40 points against Northern Kentucky on Sunday, Malcolm Hill was limited to three points.FRESHMAN STANDOUTTeJon Lucas got some early playing time after starter Tracy Abrams got into foul trouble. The freshman guard took advantage of the opportunity, finishing with nine points and six assists.HIGHLIGHT REELColeman-Lands took a break from draining shots in the second half when he assisted Maverick Morgan on a behind-the-head pass.UP NEXTIllinois hosts Detroit on Friday night as part of the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament.McKendree returns to regular-season games Saturday when the Bearcats host Crowleys Ridge on Saturday night.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '