While the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins are fighting for the Stanley Cup in a rematch of last year’s final, the Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens filled their most important vacancies.

The Dallas Stars named former NHL forward Joe Nieuwendyk as their new general manager. Most recently, the 42-year-old was assistant GM when Canada won the silver in the 2009 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. He also served as special assistant to Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke in the 2008-2009 season.

Nieuwendyk spent seven of his 20 years as an NHL player with the Dallas Stars winning one of his three Stanley Cup championships in 1999. He also won the 2002 Olympic Winter Games with Canada.

Former co-GMs Brett Hull and Les Jackson will be reassigned to other positions within the organization.

The Montreal Canadiens announced Jacques Martin as their man behind the bench. Martin was working for the Florida Panthers both as general manager (2006-2009) and head coach (2004-2008). He signed a multi-year contract as the Habs’ new head coach.

Martin is succeeding Guy Carbonneau, who was fired in March after three years as head coach. Carbonneau was replaced by GM Bob Gainey on an interim basis. With the hiring of Martin, Gainey returns to his managerial duties.

It is the first time since 1992 that the Canadiens appoint a head coach with prior NHL experience. The last six Montreal bench bosses came in as NHL rookie coaches. None lasted more than three years in Montreal.