The Dallas Stars have officially ended their partnership with head coach Pete DeBoer after three consecutive appearances in the Western Conference Finals. The announcement came on Friday, June 6, 2025, signaling a major shift for the franchise as it seeks new leadership to push closer to its Stanley Cup aspirations.
DeBoer, who was at the helm since June 2022, leaves behind a solid legacy with the Stars, having compiled a 149-68-29 record over 246 regular-season games. Under his guidance, Dallas reached the Western Conference Finals three years running, a feat that underscores his ability to keep the team competitive at the highest level. However, despite these deep playoff runs, the Stars were unable to break through to the Stanley Cup Final, falling short each time.
General Manager Jim Nill spoke candidly about the decision, stating, "After careful consideration, we believe that a new voice is needed in our locker room to push us closer to our goal of winning the Stanley Cup." He extended gratitude to DeBoer for his contributions over the past three seasons and wished him well moving forward.
The 2024-25 season was a rollercoaster for the Stars. They finished the regular season with a strong 50-26 record but stumbled late, ending with a seven-game losing streak. Despite this, Dallas fought hard in the playoffs, defeating the Colorado Avalanche in a grueling seven-game first-round series and then eliminating the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets in six games.
However, the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers proved to be the final hurdle. After a promising 1-0 series lead with a comeback win in Game 1, the Stars faltered, losing the next four games by a staggering 19-4 goal margin. The series ended with a 6-3 loss in Game 5, which also marked the third consecutive season the Stars were eliminated in the conference finals.
A pivotal and controversial moment came early in Game 5 when DeBoer made the bold decision to pull starting goaltender Jake Oettinger after he conceded two goals on just two shots within the first seven minutes. Casey DeSmith was brought in to replace him in an attempt to spark the team. Postgame, DeBoer explained, "I didn’t blame it all on Jake, but you know, the reality is if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton, and we gave up two goals on two shots in an elimination game. So it was partly to spark our team, and partly that the status quo had not been working." This move sparked questions about DeBoer’s relationship with Oettinger, especially since he admitted in his exit interview that he had not spoken to the 26-year-old netminder following the decision.
Oettinger, who signed an eight-year, $96 million contract extension in October 2024, addressed the situation with professionalism. "My job is to stop the puck," he said. "If I go out there next year and I’m the best goalie in the world, it doesn’t matter. One of you guys could be coaching, it doesn’t matter. Just try to be the best I can be, learn from the experience." Despite Oettinger’s calm stance, reports surfaced that several players were unhappy with how DeBoer handled the goaltender situation and the overall third-round performance during their private exit interviews with the management.
Jim Nill acknowledged these player concerns but emphasized that they were only part of the decision-making process. "It wasn’t the final reason we made this decision," Nill said, noting that the organization considered multiple factors from throughout the season and exit interviews with players and staff.
DeBoer’s coaching pedigree is notable. He has been an NHL head coach for 17 consecutive seasons and has taken three different teams to the conference finals in six of the last seven seasons, including stints with the San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars. His teams have consistently been playoff contenders, and he boasts an impressive 9-0 record in Game 7s, highlighting his clutch performance under pressure.
However, this isn’t the first time DeBoer has faced dismissal shortly after playoff success. He was fired by the Sharks after a poor start to the 2019 season but quickly hired by the Golden Knights, whom he led to the Western Conference Final in 2020, only to lose to the Stars. After a disappointing 2021-22 season, Vegas parted ways with him, paving the way for his arrival in Dallas.
DeBoer’s era in Dallas is arguably the second-most successful in franchise history, trailing only the Ken Hitchcock-led team that won the Stanley Cup in 1999. Yet, the Stars’ repeated inability to advance past the conference finals has left the organization eager for a fresh approach.
The coaching vacancy in Dallas now stands as the only open NHL head coaching position following recent hirings, including the Boston Bruins’ appointment of Marco Sturm and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Dan Muse moving to the New York Rangers. The Stars are reportedly considering both internal and external candidates, with Texas Stars coach Neil Graham, whose team is competing for a Calder Cup Finals spot, viewed as a strong contender for the role.
Off the ice, the Stars face a roster challenge with seven pending unrestricted free agents, including captain Jamie Benn and center Matt Duchene. The team has approximately $4.955 million in salary cap space to address these needs, making the upcoming offseason critical for both management and the new coach to shape a championship-caliber squad.
General Manager Jim Nill expressed openness to new coaching possibilities, remarking, "There are some good young coaches out there," signaling a potential shift toward fresh ideas and energy within the organization.
As the Stars embark on their coaching search, the pressure mounts to break through the Western Conference barrier that has halted their Stanley Cup dreams for three straight seasons. The team’s history of resilience and recent playoff battles suggest a foundation ready for transformation, but only time will tell who will lead Dallas into its next chapter.
