GRAND RAPIDS - Todd Nelson, after spending three days mulling an offer with the Dallas Stars, reached the conclusion that being an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars in the NHL out-weighed staying as coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins at this point of his career.

"I felt that I've accomplished what I want to accomplish here. I came to Grand Rapids to win a Calder Cup, which we did, and I wanted to re-establish myself as a head coach - a good head coach - and I felt I did that over the past three years," Nelson said in an interview Thursday with MLive.

The Stars on Thursday morning officially announced Nelson would become an assistant under first-year coach Jim Montgomery.

Nelson said the deal is for three seasons. He will handle the defense primarily and help on the power play.

Nelson led the Griffins to the playoffs all three seasons, going 22-11 and winning the Calder Cup Trophy last season. This year, they bowed out in the first round.

"It was disappointing a little bit this past season," Nelson said. "But, yeah, short of winning another Calder Cup, what is there more than I can do here? Unless I wanted to stay here for, like, the rest of my life.

"I have to move on. There is a short window and right now I'm in it. I'm 49-years-old and I'm using this has a platform and hopefully I have success with Dallas."

Nelson, who has not been shy in aspirations to be a head coach in the NHL, said that fact is understood within by Montgomery and general manager Jim Nill.

"They understand what the plan is," Nelson said. "Jim Montgomery said, 'This is what I see happening: We're going to come in here, have success and in two years you're going to go do your own gig somewhere.' And both Jims were good with that.

"And I just feel good about it, the situation and the challenge."

MORE: Montgomery's statement on Nelson

The Stars went 42-32-8 and finished sixth in the Central Division and out of the playoffs.

Nelson first met Montgomery when the two were on the power play together as teammates with the Hersey Bears in 1995-96.

They stayed in contact over the years, Nelson said, who flew to Denver (Montgomery left University of Denver for the Stars' job) two weeks ago to meet.

"We have a very good relationship and we think a lot alike," Nelson said. "When I talked to him and we met to see if it would be a good fit, he said he wants to lean on my experience and I like that. I want that responsibility and I think that will help me be a better coach."

Nelson came to the Griffins after four full seasons with Oklahoma City. Nelson's teams have made the playoffs eight consecutive seasons.

He has a 309-189-16-47 (.607) regular-season record in seven-plus seasons as an AHL coach, including 133-78-4-13 (.621) with the Griffins.

Leaving Grand Rapids, he said, will be the difficult part. He was the first player ever selected by the team back in its inaugural season in 1996 and returned as an assistant in 2002-03.

"Whoever does come in here is going to be set up for success," Nelson said. "But I felt in my gut it was time, but I was really conflicted because I have a long history here. Family, friends, so that's hard."

His win total is third most among 10 Griffins' head coaches, one behind Blashill (134-71-12-11) and 13 behind leader Fraser (146-30-18-22).

Nelson's lone previous NHL coaching experience came in 2014-15 when he left the Oklahoma City Barons to become the interim coach with the Edmonton Oilers. He went 17-22-7 in 46 games, was passed over for the permanent job during the 2015 offseason and then he took the Griffins job in June 2015, succeeding Jeff Blashill. He was also an NHL assistant for one season with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2008-09.

Ironically, Nelson will become the second coach among the past three to leave the Griffins for the Dallas Stars. Curt Fraser did the same when he left in 2012 and remains listed as an assistant there. He served under Ken Hitchcock, who retired in April.