Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer was relieved of his duties on Friday after leading the team to the Western Conference final in each of his three seasons but falling short of a Stanley Cup opportunity.
The decision to dismiss DeBoer came following the Stars’ 6-3 defeat against Edmonton in Game 5 of the Western final, marking the end of their season. DeBoer faced scrutiny for benching Jake Oettinger after the goalie allowed two quick goals early in the game, with DeBoer admitting he had not discussed the move with Oettinger.
General manager Jim Nill stated, “After careful deliberation, we have determined that a fresh perspective is necessary in our team environment to bring us closer to our ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup.”
Following the Stars’ explosive victory in the first game of the series, the Oilers went on to win four consecutive matches, ending the Stars’ playoff run. Despite reaching the conference final for three consecutive seasons, the Stars failed to secure a Stanley Cup title under DeBoer’s leadership.
DeBoer, aged 57, achieved a solid record of 149-68-29 in regular-season games and 29-27 in the playoffs during his tenure with the Stars. However, the team fell short of winning the Stanley Cup, with their 113 points in the 2023-24 season coming close to the franchise record set by their 1998-99 championship-winning squad.
Stars owner Tom Gaglardi had previously praised DeBoer as one of the top coaches in the league, but a change in direction was deemed necessary, leading to DeBoer’s departure despite having one year left on his contract.
DeBoer’s tenure with the Stars marked the sixth occasion in seven seasons, across different teams, where he guided a team to the brink of the Stanley Cup Final. The Stars’ last appearance in the Stanley Cup Final was in 2020 under the guidance of Rick Bowness, who took over from Jim Montgomery mid-season before DeBoer’s appointment.
