The Dallas Stars have dismissed head coach Pete DeBoer, the team announced on Friday. The decision follows their elimination by the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final. This marks the third consecutive season the Stars have fallen short in the conference final round and the second straight year they were defeated by the Oilers at this stage.
In a statement, Stars general manager Jim Nill explained that the team needs a “new voice” to overcome its playoff challenges and pursue its second Stanley Cup championship.
Nill added, “We`d like to thank Pete for everything that he has helped our organization achieve over the past three seasons and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
DeBoer was hired in 2022 and led the team for three seasons, during which the Stars achieved significant regular-season success. Under his tenure, Dallas secured the Central Division title in the 2023-24 season and consistently finished no lower than second place in their division.
However, despite their strong regular-season performance, the team was unable to advance past the conference final under DeBoer`s leadership. They were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in 2023 and have now lost to the Oilers in the Western Conference Final for two years in a row.
This season`s playoff exit was particularly decisive, with Edmonton winning four consecutive games to claim the series victory in five games. In the crucial Game 5, DeBoer made a controversial choice to pull starting goaltender Jake Oettinger less than 10 minutes into the first period after the team fell behind 2-0.
DeBoer`s explanation for the goaltending change was reportedly confusing, and Oettinger himself is said to have found the situation “embarrassing.”
DeBoer concludes his time in Dallas with a regular-season record of 149-68-29 and a playoff record of 29-27. The Stars are now beginning their search for a new head coach, joining several other NHL franchises that have already filled vacancies this offseason.
While a number of top coaching candidates have already been hired by other teams, the Dallas job is considered highly desirable. The Stars have been one of the league`s winningest teams over the past three years and possess a strong core of young talent signed for the long term.
Regarding DeBoer`s future, it remains to be seen if he will receive another head coaching opportunity in the near future. His last two coaching stints in Dallas and Vegas both lasted exactly three seasons. While it seems unlikely he would secure a new position before the start of the 2025-26 campaign, he could potentially be a candidate for any mid-season coaching changes that may occur across the league.
Elton Marrow